Cerar Bests Bezek in Marquee Matchup
by Paul Ohanian | Lacrosse Magazine Online Staff | Game Blog
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C.W. Post's Greg Cerar revels in the rain-soaked celebration at Gillette Stadium, where he scored four second-half goals to lead the Pioneers over Le Moyne, 8-7, for the Division II national championship. © Kevin P. Tucker |
FOXBORO, Mass. -- Watching Sunday's NCAA
Division II national championship game, it almost did not matter
that each team had 10 men on the field. The only matchup that
counted was C.W. Post attackman Greg Cerar against Le Moyne
defenseman Drew Bezek.
The national player of the year going one-on-one against the
national defenseman of the year. Arguably the nation's two best
players, head-to-head, in a winner-take-all battle.
The fact that C.W. Post won the game 8-7, and with it, its second
national championship, should provide a clear hint as to who won
the individual battle as well.
After being held without a point in the first half, Cerar came to
life in the third quarter with three goals, and then added the
eventual game-winner late in the fourth quarter to help the
Pioneers upset previously undefeated Le Moyne.
"I knew I had to step up," said Cerar, who tallied all four of
Post's second-half goals. "I wasn't going to settle for anything
less than a national championship. Fortunately, our offense was
able to create a lot more motion in the second half, and that
helped us get free."
Nursing a 4-3 halftime lead, Post decided to put the ball in
Cerar's hands after the senior was held to just five shots in the
opening half. Three times, Cerar beat Bezek with a variety of
dodges and rolls to score unassisted against goalie Doug McIver (11
saves).
After Cerar put the Pioneers in position to win in the third
quarter, he delivered the game-winner with 1:28 remaining in the
fourth quarter. With McIver out of the crease trying to double on
the ball, Cerar beat Bezek on a back-door cut, caught a feed from
Dave Loftus (2g, 1a), and deposited his fourth marker of the game
and 48th of the season into a virtually wide open net.
"Dave was able to get free from the goalie and they doubled down
on him," Cerar said. "I have to give credit to Dave. He made a
great play there, and I just finished the ball."
Le Moyne entered the contest with the nation's stingiest defense,
sporting a 3.69 goals against average. The eight goals allowed
Sunday were the second highest by an opponent all season, and Bezek
put much of the blame on his shoulders.
"I let our team down and it's depressing," said a somber Bezek. "I
didn't step up to the plate in a big game like I should have."
Le Moyne made a furious attempt to rally in the closing minutes,
and unfurled a barrage of shots at C.W. Post's Dan Sciulla.
Midfielder Dan Harmatuk (three goals) pulled the Dolphins back to
within one with 1:06 left, capping a set play following a timeout
with a shot from the crease, assisted by Matt Chadderdon.
But the equalizer was not to be, as Sciulla recorded his seventh
save of the quarter and 13th of the game in the closing seconds.
With 3.8 seconds remaining, he turned aside an effort by Harmatuk,
and then outraced Brian Welch to the end line to claim possession
for Post.
"With 38 seconds to go, up by one, I told myself I wasn't going to
let anything go in," said Sciulla. "I finally got the ball,
possessed it, and that was it. It was over from there, and I knew
we had it."
All that was left then was the celebrating.
"We had one hiccup early in the year and today we overcame that
hiccup," said C.W. Post coach John Jez, in reference to his team's
March 21 loss against Le Moyne. Post closed the season on an
eight-game winning streak and finished 15-1 overall.
Le Moyne, which trailed at halftime for the first time this
season, finished as the national runner-up for the second straight
season.
"It's tough to end the season this way," said Le Moyne coach Dan
Sheehan, who was unable to pinpoint why his team started so slowly
in the first half. "You're not going to win a lacrosse game if you
play for 30 minutes."
Unless if you have Cerar on your side.
