The Beverly Hills post collegiate mens team will travel to Crespi High School in Encino this Sunday where they will take on the vastly improved Hollywood Lacrosse Club.

     The Bucks beat Hollywood at home earlier in the season 12-9 but things will be different  this game. After sewing up a first round bye in the SCLAX playoffs, the Bucks will be looking to extend their six game winning streak and stay sharp for the playoffs.

     Hollywood is coming off a three game winning streak including an 11-10 upset win over Newport Beach Lacrosse Club and is fighting for a playoff spot with both Newport and South Bay Lacrosse Club.

     Game time Sunday is 3:30.
 

     It was a typical Beverly Hills vs Newport Beach game. There were a few minutes with three & four goal differentials but it was basically a one to two goal game from start to finish.

     The scoring started a few minutes into the game with a goal by"Old Faithful" Billy Wren who tiptoed on the crease and quicksticked a beautiful feed from John Wiley past the Newport keeper stickside high. But Newport answered right back two minutes later with a man up goal.

     Three minutes later Phillip Trapp fed Michael Doneger  who hit the net and moved the Bucks up by one. Billy Wren took a feed from Penn's Alex Weber, back from a five game hiatus  putting the Bucks up 3-1 at the 7:25 minute mark of the first quarter. But Newport garnered a quick goal off a fast break transition followed by another man up goal to leave the game knotted 3-3 at the end of one.

     The ball moved up and down the field until the 12:00 minute mark of the second quarter when Alex Weber came from behind, curled around his defender on the crease and sent a worm burner into the back of the net. Then with just 1:45 left in the half Weber scored again on a feed from Phil Trapp putting the Bucks up by two. But Newport took the ensuing faceoff and with just 15 seconds left in the half scored to make it a 5-4 ballgame in favor of the Bucks.

     Newport came right off the third quarter faceoff with a fastbreak score making it a 5-5 game but Greg Fish answered two minutes later with perhaps the "highlight goal" of the game when he came off the back of the crease and leaped high in the air to catch & launch a long lob feed from Alex Weber past the Newport keeper putting the Bucks back up by one. Then, after a seven minute scoring lull, Casey Costello rode hard and scored unassisted on a broken clear. Phil Trapp followed with a rebound off the keeper's stick giving the Bucks their first three goal lead of the game. Newport Beach then scored at the 5:57 mark but Alex Weber scored again in transition for a "hat trick"and LSM John Brasko scored long range on another feed from Jon Wiley. That would be the biggest spread of the game with the Bucks ahead 10-6 at the 1:35 mark of the third. Not to be denied, Newport answered with a fast break making it a 10-7 game with one quarter to play.

     Newport Beach outscored the Bucks in the fourth quarter 3-1 with only Michael Doneger able to connect on a long range clearing pass from close defenseman Chris Scheible obviosly inspired by the Clipper Caron Butler. Welcome back Chris. Newport Beach had the ball in the offensive box for the last 20 seconds of the game with a chance to tie but close defenseman James Guzik deflected a goal line feed to the crease as time expired that Scott Rothstein was able to stop. This was the first game this year where Dash Pomerantz was on the disabled list but as usual, Scott Rothstein was up to the task with sixteen saves on 23 shots.

     It looks like the Bucks have locked up a first round playoff bye with the win. Next week is a bye week for the entire league while everyone celebrates Mothers Day. Then the following Sunday the Bucks will travel to Crespi High School on May 20th to take on a much improved Hollywood Lacrosse Club at 3:30.
 

                                                       WHY WE PLAY THIS GAME

 
            Many of you players are just starting to get involved with this great sport. Many of you parents have been drawn in by your sons and daughters’ interest. 
            Some of you participated in sports when you were younger, many of whom are probably are still playing sports like softball, basketball, skiing & tennis. There are not a lot of opportunities to play physically demanding sports as an adult. Lacrosse is the exception and I just wanted to let our newest players know what the future can hold for them.
            I am one of the older local players still playing the game and I just returned from playing one of the game’s classic tournaments, the Lake Placid Lacrosse Tournament in New York where there were over 35 teams playing in the three 30-38 and over Masters divisions, 28 teams playing in the 45 and over Grandmasters divisions and 11 teams playing in the 52 and over Super Grandmasters division where I played. Believe it or not, I even got to play one game in the newest and as of yet unnamed over 60 years old division. That’s a lot of old guys playing a game they love. I have included the short piece below for the benefit of everyone involved in the sport. This is why we play!