Monache flips switch in thrilling OT triumph

It appears that Monache boys’ water polo has finally met its Orange Belt match: Exeter.

This time a year ago, the Marauders destroyed the Monarchs, 16-2, along with pretty much anyone else who stood in their path in obtaining a Division II title.

But apparently, Exeter has grown up as it gave Monache all it could handle before fizzling out in a thrilling 12-10 overtime match in Exeter.

On the verge of handing Monache its first league loss of the season, Exeter needed only to play keep-away and kill the clock as they held a 10-9 lead with 20 seconds left.

But Monache’s Matt Lalanne forced a cough-up as the result of a suffocating Marauders defense in the waning seconds.

By the time Exeter could react, Colton Conway had found Garret Blocher at the other end where Blocher squeezed off a shot underneath Exeter goalie Nick Bowers’ arm to tie the game with six seconds remaining.

“I should’ve called timeout,” Exeter coach Jim Mainwaring said after the fact. “Our boys are young and they needed to regroup.

“They don’t quite have that pool awareness and they’re still just watching the game, not anticipating enough.”

But no one would’ve guess what had transpired during the two previous minutes when Monache stormed back from a 10-7 deficit to tie the game and force overtime. Blocher scored another one of his four goals on a 5-meter penalty shot, which was followed by an alley-oop Lalanne goal from David Jacobs just as the shot clock expired.

This was only after Monache coach Brandon Weaver used one of his timeouts to calm his squad down after they had taken a few gambles by rushing counter-attacks for easy goals, but Exeter used that to their advantage as they scored three straight to break a 7-7 tie.

Exeter scored on two straight fast breaks — skid shots by Zack Schuler and Jonathon Castellow from the same location — and a penalty shot by Max Carter, who tied Castellow for a team-high three goals.

“Our guys wanted to hurry up the pool, but that played into Exeter’s advantage,” Weaver said. “Our game plan changes as the game goes on, but I though we adjusted well, slowed down the game and put the pressure back on Exeter.”

Monache took the suspense out of the game when Jacobs scored one of his two goals with a no-look wrap-around shot from the hole early in the first extra period. And late in the second, Blocher scored his fourth goal with a hammering shot from the left side that put the last nail in the coffin.

Blocher’s four goals tied Conway’s four for game-high honors and Lalanne scored two.

Monache slowed the game down enough that Exeter took just four shots in the final three-minute period, missing all of them.

“We had plenty of opportunities but we just couldn’t score,” Mainwaring said. “Our guys were rushing shots and not looking for the open man.”

Still, the Monarchs managed to take a 5-4 lead into the half and a 6-6 tie into the final quarter. Michael Marinos scored two goals for Exeter and Schuler and A.J. Reid added one each.

“We knew Exeter was a good team and that they would give us a challenge this year,” Weaver said. “And they played great tonight. But whether you win by one goal or two, a win’s a win and we’ll take it.”

Mainwaring said the Monarchs (2-9, 0-1 EYL), who had just eight boys playing all 28 minutes of the game, were worn down by the Marauders (3-4, 2-0 EYL) in the final quarter and extra periods.

“They were tired and it was a long game,” he said. “I think that changed two or three shots that could’ve gone in. And if those go in, that changes the whole complexion of the game.”