Hampton Beats GCC Again To Repeat as D-II Boys Lacrosse Champs

By: Bruce Markey
Friday, May 25, 2012 | 11:34 PM

At Chartiers Valley high school in the WPIAL Boys Division II Lacrosse Championship, the Hampton Talbots defeat the Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions by a score of 16-7. The Centurions have won 2 WPIAL titles in a row and their 3rd in 4 years, all over GCC.

In the first period the Talbots raced to a 4-0 lead. Dylan Szramowski scored the hat trick getting three goals in the first ten minutes to make it 3-0 Hampton. Jon Nigro scored with :42 seconds remaining in the first and Hampton led 4-0. 

The Talbot onslaught continued into the 2nd period as Szramowski netted two more in the first 5:00 of the period to make it 6-0. Nigro scored his second at 7:07 and it looked like Hampton would win in a blowout. Seven unanswered goals didn't faze GCC as they dominated the final 2 minutes of the period after changing their offensive game plan. Tyler Hillman scored at 10:42, and :30 seconds later Tucker Bocan made it 7-2. Just 1:38 later Hillman scored again and at the end if 2 periods it was 7-3 Hampton.
 

Early in the 2nd half Luke Happel gave the Talbots an 8-3 lead but GCC would not go away scoring 4 goals in 4:00 minutes to close the game to 8-7. Phil Croker At 4:11, Ryan McHugh at 6:39, Hillman just 7 seconds later at 6:46 and Brady Wargofchik at at 8:29. The Centurions had stormed back, after being outplayed the first 17 minutes, they in turn took it to Hampton for the next 10 minutes and made it a game.

Just when it looked like GCC had a chance the Talbots would again turn it on. Exactly 1 minute after GCC cut it to a 1 goal deficit, Szramowski  would get his 6th to make it 9-7. Ian Wood then made it 10-7 at 10:53, and Andy DeMichiei put the nail in the coffin with a goal to stun GCC and take an 11-7 lead into the 4th period. With so much energy expended getting back in the game, the Centurions had nothing left.

Hampton would put the foot on the gas and score 5 4th period goals to put it away. DeMichiei scored 2, and Joe Hollaran, Jeremy Matelan and Oliver Ebelong-Koning netted 1 each for the Talbots. Szramowski had 6 goals and 2 assists, DeMichiei added 3 goals and 5 assists for Hampton to lead the way. Michael Fiehrer got the win in goal and is one of only 4 seniors on the Talbot squad who improve to 15-6. Hillman led GCC with 3 goals as they fall to 11-8 on the year.

Both teams will move on to the PIAA state playoffs which will start next week. Hampton will move to Division I next year after 3 championships in 4 years at the Division II level.

Hampton :  4 – 3 – 4 – 5 = 16
Greensburg Central Catholic :  0 – 3 – 4 – 0 = 7

Tags: Greensburg C.C., Hampton