Bow senior Kian O’Leary scored four goals within five minutes in the second quarter to power the Falcons past Bishop Brady.
“It’s just a good feeling playing with the boys, scoring, winning games, two-and-0 now,” O’Leary said.
His total output was five goals on the day, and it helped lift Bow to a 10-7 victory over the Giants in the team’s home opener.
The senior attacker’s not the fastest or most technically skilled stick handler on the team — he knows that. It’s all about being in the right spot at the right time, exploiting the looks the defense gives him.
He showed his feel for the game and didn’t pass up the chances. He cut across the crease underneath and over to get good looks and break through. “Just keep moving around the crease, that’s what I feel like I’m good at this year,” O’Leary explained. “I’m big, but I try to move as much as I can.”
The game wasn’t perfect on all ends for the Falcons, however. Bishop Brady let in the opening goal but went ahead 3-1 after 14 minutes with two goals by senior Joey Richardson and one by Ryan Haught.
Bow Head Coach Devin Calkins called a timeout to calm his team down. Calkins read the zone defense and told his team how to exploit it.
The Falcons have struggled with two things during this early part of the season. Slow starts and discipline. Neither of those things was cleaned up against Brady.
The team took nine penalties in total for a variety of fouls of slashing, holding and pushing. Their aggressive defense and versatile offense helped them stay ahead through it all.
“Our identity is create a lot of chaos and then capitalize on it. Controlling the chaos is something we’re trying to get better at,” Calkins said.
On the flip side, Bishop Brady struggled to control that chaos and capitalize on its man-up advantage. Off the back of a big comeback win against Pembroke, 9-8, on Wednesday, the team fell short against an experienced Bow team.
Head coach Sean Hockensmith placed some blame on himself for not preparing them enough for certain looks Bow’s defense gave them.
He was proud of the late rally by the offense led by senior Joey Richardson and the strong effort by junior Ray Wetherbee in goal.
Looking at the positives, Wetherbee was a consistent highlight reel in front of the net. Wetherbee made over 20 saves, using his body, helmet, stick, and feet to keep the Giants energized and create multiple opportunities to rally.
“He’s been much better with his decision-making this year,” Hockensmith said about his stopper in net.
Richardson, a leader of the offense and for the team in the huddle, scored six of the team’s seven goals, including three in the fourth quarter.
By then, the game was too late to overturn. Bow’s control of the midfield was crucial in keeping the game out of reach.
The Falcons’ sophomore long-stick midfielder Ben Reardon and senior face-off specialist Miles Miller cleaned up.
Reardon finished his afternoon with seven caused turnovers and 15 ground balls. Miller, a newcomer to the sport, won 17 of his 19 duels in an impressive showing. Senior midfielder Parker Kazanowski also contributed his share, dishing out three assists on offense, winning five ground balls and causing three turnovers.
“When we’re six-on-six, we have one of the best defenses in our division,” Coach Calkins said.
The road ahead is long for both, but the teams showcased some strengths and weaknesses. Bow had the upper hand on home turf.
The Giants’ Hockensmith knows his team can bounce back from the loss if they show the same heart they did in the fourth quarter throughout a full game.
“I think that’s a good testament to our team,” he said in reference to the strong finish. “That we don’t give up.”