AS: Brady's Bunch Rallies From 6 Down to Reach Title Game
July 17th, 2010
ROHNERT PARK, Calif. -- Attackman Gabe Garcia scored the game-winning goal four minutes into sudden-death overtime to give top-seeded Brady’s Bunch a dramatic, come-from-behind, 7-6 victory over fifth-seeded Foss is Boss in an Adrenaline Shootout semifinal Saturday morning at Sonoma State University.
Garcia took a feed from middie Mitch Flaherty and fired home a shot from the doorstep to complete a furious rally. Unbeaten Brady’s Bunch had trailed 6-0 at halftime before scoring the game’s final seven goals.
“We’re a great team,” Garcia said. “We play well together. We’re here to win; do it for Brady.”
With the victory, Brady’s Bunch (7-0) advanced to its third straight Adrenaline Shootout championship game. Brady’s Bunch has reached the title game of five of the last six Adrenaline tournaments, although it has lost in its last three finals. Brady’s Bunch has never won the Adrenaline Shootout.
Brady’s Bunch will next face seventh-seeded Las Vegas Starz A, which routed the third-seeded Sonoma Leghorns, 13-1, in the other semifinal. In the teams’ first-round meeting, Brady’s Bunch defeated Las Vegas, 10-6.
On Saturday, middie Sean Mullin finished with a game-high four points on two goals and two assists, Garcia scored three goals and Flaherty had two assists. Attackman Griffin Perkiel and middie Tyler Ekeroth also scored during Brady’s Bunch second-half comeback.
In defeat, middie Kendall Strahl scored twice, attackman Martin Winter had a goal and an assist and attackman Sammy Condurso, middie Chris DeCaro and middie Nick Scaramella all scored once for Foss is Boss (5-2), which was comprised mostly of players from San Diego County. A large number of Foss is Boss players play high school lacrosse at La Costa Canyon.
Defensively, goalie Eric Sanschagrin saved 15 shots.
Foss is Boss dominated the first half and took a 6-0 lead when Winter scored with just 20 seconds remaining.
But Brady’s Bunch took control in the second half. Garcia scored back-to-back goals in the opening six minutes to make it 6-2, and Mullin was a spark plug throughout. Mullin tied it, 6-6, with an unassisted goal with three minutes to play.
In overtime, Brady’s Bunch had a goal waived off for a crease violation before Flaherty found Garcia for the clincher.
“Mitch Flaherty basically just swept up, and the whole defense ran to him,” Garcia said. “It left me open on the crease, so I had the opportunity to finish.”
