Somers Moves to State Championship with 27-6 Win

Click for Somers Photos

Somers Sideline and Crowd Shots

Click for Maine-Endwell Photos

The Somers football team has used Middletown High School as a stepping stone to the State finals three times. So with many on the same players on the lacrosse team, the Tuskers arrived upstate on Wednesday June 11, and making the most of the familiar ground, ended on a grand scale

“It feels epic,” said Mason Kelly after the team’s resounding 27-6 State Semifinal victory over Maine-Endwell.

The Tuskers didn’t get off the bus so fast, though. First among them was Matt Mayfield who actually lost the first three draws. “It took a little while to get settled into the game,” he admitted.

Still, Somers forced a shot clock violation on the opening possession, and the offense took its turn. A couple of missed shots later, Maine-Endwell retook the ball and got on the board first. Tyler Mathews hit Landon Rollo on the left, and waiting for an opening, the Spartan went underhand to beat Logan Ruby.

At 9:36, Logan McGuire made it two in a row, but his offense didn’t. Ruby stuffed Mathews on his doorstep and then sent an outlet pass to Russel Girolamo.

From there the Tuskers set up, and Mason Kelly went around a pick to tie the score at 8:19.

One last time for McGuire, his win fell prey to the converging interior defense of the Section One Champs. Mathews got inside, and any chance to shoot was completely suffocated by a sea of red.

So Tristan Iglesias did the parting on the other end. He swung left into the middle and gave the state finalist the lead for good at 6:50

Mayfield was done getting acquainted with the surroundings too. “I got a good read on the other guy,” said the senior, and moments later, Tristan Iglesias gave his team a 3-1 lead.

In at 6:45, Maine-Endwell had one last gasp. Jack Hendrickson won the scramble on defense and got the ball ahead to Mathews. He remained in stride, hit Tanner Miller, and 3-2 looked like a game with 3:23 remaining in the first.

Sorry, Mayfield refused to keep up appearances. He won the draw, raced forward and dumped off to Miguel Iglesias. On the left, the senior fired away and gave the Tuskers a 4-2 lead.

3:16 left, there was plenty of time to pull away before the first period expired. Mayfield and the defense in the middle, brotherly love did the rest.

After the face off win, Tristan Iglesias swung from all the way behind the net to the point and his sidearm opened a 5-2 lead at 2:26. Then after a possession change, Somers swarming ride refused to allow the Spartans upfield. Ball to the brothers, Tristan hit Miguel and the Tuskers led 6-2 at 1:10.

Onto the second, Maine-Endwell only delayed the inevitable at 10:18. Mathews to Declan Grace cut the lead in half, but splitting the baby was far from enough.

Mayfield won the next two face offs, and two more goals had Miguel Iglesias playing a hand both times. The middie shook his defender on the way over the middle for a four goal lead, and next passed inside to Ryan Brush, who swung down to extend to a 8-3 lead at 9:24.

A minute later Maine-Endwell scored again, but half measures were over. Somers scored eight straight goals, and the only doubt was when the running clock would start.

At the start of the third, the onslaught didn’t stop, and by goal 27, Brush took stock. “Playing for two state championships in my senior year,” he said, “it’s everything you could ask for.”

Coach Jordan Hirsch didn’t ask, but he received when starting only two seasons ago. “I walked into a great situation where the foundation was laid by the previous coaching staff.”

The players included, the coach modestly got out of the way of the stampede. “They are very talented, and it has very little to do with me,” he said.

Still one more to go, nothing changes, according to Brush. “We just got to practice our best this week and play our game,” he concluded.