Knights Go to Great Pains

Team Battles Injuries, Illness to Hand Stags 1st WCAC Loss

St. Mary's Ryken lacrosse player Joe Wascavage, right, tries to hold his position against DeMatha's Jim Ring during the fourth quarter. (By Jonathan Newton -- The Washington Post)

Walking off the field after ninth-ranked St. Mary's Ryken's 9-4 victory at DeMatha in Washington Catholic Athletic Conference action yesterday, Knights senior Joe Wascavage couldn't help but remark, "Oh man, I'm going to go pass out."

It wasn't clear whether Wascavage was overcome by the achievement or sheer exhaustion.

Playing in just his second game back after rupturing his spleen in the preseason, the Towson-bound defenseman and four-year starter helped hold the Stags to their second lowest scoring output of the season and end one of the longest streaks of dominance in area lacrosse. A seven-time defending conference champion, DeMatha hadn't lost a game in the WCAC since 1998.

"In my mind this was four years coming," Wascavage said. "We worked so hard for this moment for so long. And to do it in the fashion we did says something about us, too."

The Knights (8-1, 5-0) led from the start, with DeMatha (4-5, 3-1) able to cut the lead to one goal just two times. The Stags looked to have the momentum when sophomore Ryan Kotowski scored his team-leading 21st goal of the season to pull within 5-4 with 4 minutes 33 seconds remaining. But Knights senior midfielder Phil Mergner responded by sliding the ball past DeMatha's St. John's-bound goalie Gavin Buckley a minute and a half later, and sophomore Zack Angel added two of his game-high four goals in the next two minutes as insurance.

The victory was all the more impressive in that Wascavage is just one of the Knights' walking wounded. Angel returned recently from a broken hand and Chad Olson played limited minutes in returning from a broken ankle. Two other Knights are getting over hay fever, including junior midfielder Taylor Cook, who scored the team's first goal.

"The kids have such heart," 18-year coach John Sothoron said. "I'm just so happy for them because they played so hard."

St. Mary's sound victory opens up an interesting race for the WCAC title. Like the Knights, Gonzaga is undefeated in the conference and the Stags and Good Counsel should also contend.

St. Mary's joined the WCAC four seasons ago and has never finished higher than third.

"I couldn't be happier," Wascavage said. "Actually, I take that back. I'll be happier when we win the championship."

No. 9 St. Mary's Ryken 9, DeMatha 4 Rematch?: "We will see that team again," DeMatha Coach Scott Pugh said of St. Mary's Ryken as his team walked off the field after its first WCAC loss in eight years. Face-off Follies: St. Mary's Ryken's victory came despite being dominated on faceoffs. The Stags won the faceoff battle, 12-4.