by Matt DaSilva, Lacrosse Magazine Online Staff

COQUITLAM, B.C. - Chuck Apel, head coach of the U.S. under-19 men's lacrosse team, glared in disbelief across 16 feet of oysters, beers, steak and shrimp at a staff dinner Friday.

Assistant coach Kevin Giblin propped his Coors Light on the end of the table at Joe Forte's oyster bar in downtown Vancouver and asked, "Coach Apel, we going halves tomorrow or what?"

The decision in question (what decision regarding U.S. national teams isn't, these days?) was whether starting goalie Adam Ghitelman would go the distance Saturday against, gulp, Canada in the gold medal match of the ILF U-19 World Championships.

"We'll see," Apel stonewalled.

"Chuck's under a lot of pressure," said U.S. general manager Tom Flatley, who has overseen the U-19 team in some capacity since its inception. "For the first time, I'm going into tomorrow thinking, 'We could lose.'"

The U.S. had every right to lose. When it comes to lacrosse, the country's northern border has become more permeable than a cheap paper towel.

But Ghitelman had other ideas. So did Tyler Fiorito.

Sometimes it really does take two.

Ghitelman made 19 saves, Fiorito spelled him during a critical three-save sequence midway through the third quarter, and Team USA's shooters and faceoff specialists did the rest in a 19-12 victory before an estimated 3,400 fans at Percy Perry Stadium.

The U.S., a six-time gold medalist, is now 36-0 all-time in ILF U-19 play dating back to 1988.

"It was a lot of pressure. You try not to talk about it, but there is that pressure to win," Apel admitted afterward. "But the kids had a pretty good handle on it. It's still lacrosse, and they've all played for a thousand years. It's what they do best."

Team co-captain Craig Dowd had three goals and two assists, while specialist and co-captain Matt Dolente went on a torrid run late to win 22 of 30 faceoffs. Nick Elsmo and Dean Gibbons added three goals apiece in Team USA's most complete effort of the tournament.

Nick Elsmo, promoted from defensive midfielder to play more offense after the Canada preliminary, managed three goals on three shots in Team USA's 19-12 gold medal victory. (Photo: John Strohsacker)

The U.S. built a 7-3 first-quarter lead behind a series of extraordinary individual efforts, including two unassisted goals by Dowd. Six of the Americans' first seven goals were unassisted.

Canada stormed back in the second quarter, scoring four unanswered goals within the first 10 minutes. Adam Jones, who led all scorers with five goals and was later named the tournament's most outstanding player, used a one-handed cradle and dove as he scored to tie the game at 7 at the 10:48 mark.

Two minutes later, the U.S. answered. After Matthew Mackrides hit a pipe, the rebound caromed to Tony Mendes, who swung it to Elsmo. Elsmo split dodged, faked high and shot high to beat Canadian goalie Remington Steele and put the U.S back up by one. An extra-man goal by Mendes made it 9-7 at the 3:01 mark.

On Team USA's final possession of the first half, Dowd found Josh Amidon on a feed from behind the goal with 34 seconds remaining. The U.S. led 10-7 at halftime.

Jones scored his third goal at the 16:57 mark, as Canada closed within 10-8. The U.S. responded with three unanswered goals in the next three minutes by Ryan Young, Elsmo and Gibbons to take a 13-8 lead.

Jones tallied two more goals, the second of which came on a delayed penalty against Ghitelman with 6:12 remaining in the third quarter.

Nine of Canada's 12 goals were scored by midfielders, with Team USA's close defense of Peter Fallon, Max Schmidt and John Lade limiting Canadian attackmen Matt Cockerton, Mark Cockerton and Mark Mathews to one goal apiece.

"Maybe it's the indoor game coming out on the field," Jones said. "Playing indoor, you always play against shorties. Our game was to get two shorties, pick and roll between the two midfielders."

For the most part, it worked against the U.S. - except for a critical man-down sequence. With Ghitelman out, Fiorito stopped Jones on the doorstep, then stuffed Jones high again as the penalty expired.

Ryan Young engineered the U.S. offense from behind the cage, finishing with a goal and three assists. (Photo: John Strosacker)

Fiorito managed one more save high on Kevin Crowley, before U.S. midfielder Rhamel Bratton scored on an outlet going in the opposite direction to put Team USA back up by four at 14-10, as Ghitelman returned.

"Adam's a great goalie, but I can play at his level also. Adam gave me pretty good praise on that second save. It's a nice camaraderie," said Fiorito.

Fiorito, who split halves with Ghitelman most of the tournament, volunteered to coaches that they should stick with Ghitelman during the round-robin match between the U.S. and Canada a week earlier. Ghitelman wound up with 24 saves in that game, as Team USA erased a seven-goal deficit in the fourth quarter to win in overtime.

He saw the writing on the wall when it was U.S.-Canada for the gold medal, but loomed large in those pivotal moments.

"Everyone sees me coming in for my one chance and stepping up, and they step up also," Fiorito said. "Ends up 19-12 with a victory and gold medal. It's unreal."

"That save he made on the man-down killed the momentum," Ghitelman said. "That completely turned things around, and they basically had no shot."

Dolente established a rhythm in the fourth quarter, winning five unanswered faceoffs as the U.S. pushed its lead to 18-11. Dolente even notched his first goal of the tournament, winning his own draw forward and depositing it with 17:32 remaining.

Afterward, he was quick to acknowledge it wasn't the first goal of his playing career.

"No, in high school I was quite the offensive threat," joked Dolente, a rising Johns Hopkins sophomore who was named the tournament's most outstanding midfielder. "I had a goal this year for Hopkins, too - against Adam [Ghitelman], actually."

Ghitelman, a rising Virginia sophomore who was named the tournament's most outstanding goalie, confirmed the charge.

"He's got my number," he said of Dolente.

Both players factor prominently in their college teams' plans for 2009. And both cited strong performances in the U-19 games as a springboard for success at the NCAA Division I level.

Dolente, used sparingly as a freshman, must help fill the void left at Hopkins by All-American Stephen Peyser.

"Anytime you lose a guy like Steve Peyser, that's a huge void. That's something I can help our team facing off. It's a really good opportunity for me to play on this team and face some stiff competition - and have some success, which is important for me and my confidence," Dolente said. "Hopefully it will carry over into the fall and next spring."

Ghitelman started as a freshman for Virginia for the first half of the 2008 season before struggling and being replaced by fifth-year senior Bud Petit.

"I had a rough year, and this is very special to me. My confidence is as high as can be going into next year," he said. "I just can't wait to prove it again.

"After both games, Coach Giblin came up to me and said, `You're back on your saddle.'"

Team USA's Peter Fallon, named the tournament's most outstanding defenseman, led a U.S. defense that held Canada's attackman to a combined three goals. (Photo: John Strohsacker)

Perhaps that's why Giblin put Apel on the spot less than 24 hours earlier. Ghitelman got his groove back - and the U.S. got its gold back.

ILF U-19 World Championships All-World Team

A Craig Dowd (USA)

A Emmett Printup (Iroquois)

A Jayson Card (Canada)

 M Kevin Crowley (Canada)

M Adam Jones (Canada)

M Matt Dolente (USA)

D Brock Sorenson (Canada)

D Peter Fallon (USA)

D Jason Johns (Iroquois)

G Adam Ghitelman (USA)


Most Outstanding Attackman - Craig Dowd (USA)

Most Outstanding Midfielder - Matt Dolente (USA)

 Most Outstanding Defenseman - Peter Fallon (USA)

Most Outstanding Goalkeeper - Adam Ghitelman (USA)



Most Outstanding Player - Adam Jones (Canada)