Cardinale nets game-winner for Sweet Home road win
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Sweet Home and Grand Island have battled in many sports over the years and last Friday's Section VI Class B quarterfinal boys lacrosse game between the two schools was no exception.

Colin Cardinale's goal with 6:41 remaining in the fourth quarter lifted Sweet Home, seeded fifth, to an exciting 6-5 road win over fourth-seed Grand Island. The Panthers (10-8) will play at top-seed Hamburg at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 30.

Colin Cardinale's game-winning goal was set up by Sean Burns, who finished with two assists.

"Burns came around the back of the net and made a nice feed to Colin cutting across, and he it put it away," said Sweet Home coach John Faller.

Earlier in the fourth, Colin Cardinale scored in transition from Taylor Heald to give Sweet Home a 5-4 lead. Heald also scored a goal.

Grand Island, which defeated Sweet Home, 11-10, on May 3, didn't go down without a fight. Down 4-2 heading into the fourth, the Vikings, on goals by Phil Wendt, tied the score at 4-4, then at 5-5. With Sweet Home up 6-5, Grand Island had a man-up advantage with 45 seconds remaining but Jim Cardinale, back from a concussion, rode Wendt and did not allow him a shot on net. Sweet Home would gain possession and held on to win.

Jim Cardinale side-armed a goal into the bottom left-hand corner of the Grand Island net for the Panthers' second tally of the first half and led the team for the game in ground balls with eight. Sweet Home led 3-0 at halftime.

"I didn't know how well he was going to play coming off a concussion, but he was flying up and down the field," said Faller. "He also caught a few 40-yard passes from (goalie Chris) Lyon."

Lyon finished with 13 saves.

Chris Covel and Nick Cavalieri also scored for Sweet Home. Both were assisted by Colin Cardinale.

Faller also lauded the play of defenders Steve Phillips, Craig Stallard, and Nate James and the faceoff and ground ball work by midfielders Matt Zon and Eric Galdys. Sweet Home won nine of 14 faceoffs.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com