Osborne, Flames Tame Tigers On Lacrosse Opening Day

The Williamsville East boys lacrosse team started the 2019 season in the win column with an 11-4 road victory at Amherst on Tuesday afternoon. Midfielder Clayton Osborne led the Flames with a hat trick and totaled four goals while adding two assists.

The Flames struck first only a minute and fifteen seconds into the opening quarter. Amherst attackman Ryan Bitka answered to tie the game 1-1. Two more goals by East put the Flames back on top, finishing the first quarter up 3-1.

After the start of the second, Andrew Johnson closed the gap again for Amherst with a score, but Osborne netted his second goal which ignited the Flames offense for three more scores before halftime. Excellent faceoff win percentage (13 of 14 in the game) by Dylan Schihl and stout defense complimented the Flames offense throughout the second quarter as East held onto a 7-2 lead at the half.

“The offense started flowing. Senior leadership started to take over and say ok ‘this is what we do, this is us’ and we just have to do that,” said East head coach Ed Greenway after an efficient second quarter. “Three or four of those goals were assisted because they were dodging with their heads up, looking for that extra pass.”

Amherst maintained ball possession for most of the first six minutes of the third quarter, but the Flames defense led by goaltender Joe Amici (8 total saves) didn’t allow any Tiger scores. With less than two and a half minutes left in the third, East broke a scoreless quarter with back to back goals only twenty seconds apart from Ryan Mitchell and Dom Piccillo.

Each team scored two more times in the fourth quarter. Bitka netted his second goal of the game to start the period, and Osborne answered right back his third and fourth of the contest. The Tigers scored the games’ final goal.

“Our kids did a nice job tonight. They executed, ran our offense, and did some nice things,” said Coach Greenway. “We have a nucleus of good seniors that have been there and need to execute. Anytime you play a rival…you have to respond to those other teams. When the other team throws things at you, you have to play the chess match.”

Sam Meltser added two goals and Nick Davoli recorded eight ground balls for East.