By Andy Walter

CAMDEN — Patrick Craig said he’ll take a competitive game over a rout any day.

So the Caesar Rodney High senior wasn’t complaining after it took everything the Caesar Rodney High boys’ lacrosse team had to get past Tatnall on Saturday.

The third-seeded Riders had to overcome a one-goal deficit entering the fourth quarter before holding off the No. 6 Hornets, 7-6, in the DIAA state quarterfinals.

The contest wasn’t decided until a last-second shot by Tatnall was deflected over the net by CR goalie Dylan Bennett.

All that matters to the Riders (13-4) is that they advance to Wednesday’s semifinals where they get to face No. 2 Cape Henlopen (14-4) again. The Vikings downed No. 10 Saint Mark’s, 19-3, in their quarterfinal.

“We love it,” Craig said about being in a nail-biter. “We love it. It’s better than a blowout. Hats off to Tatnall. I play club with a lot of those kids and they’re great kids and great players.”

“We watched a lot of film,” said CR coach Brooks Johnson, who was facing Tatnall for the first time since 2019. “They’re a tough team — super athletic, quick. I thought they played a heck of a game.”

CR led 4-2 late in the second quarter. But a three-goal run by the Hornets (11-6) gave them a 5-4 edge after three quarters.

The first few minutes of the fourth quarter were pivotal.

First, junior Parker Smith tied the game on a high shot from the left side with 10:55 remaining. Then, after Tatnall was called for a penalty just 18 seconds later, the Riders quickly found themselves in a man up situation.

Freshman Jack Sacala hit Craig, who was cutting toward the goal. The senior buried the shot to give CR a 6-5 lead with 10:10 on the clock.

“It was huge,” Craig said about the two-goal swing. “Phoenix (Biggs), he did a heck of a job getting possessions for us. On the man up, we ran the play perfectly, we scored. That just swung the momentum.

“A couple games before, we were down but we always battle back. We’re a fourth-quarter team and it showed.”

CR goalie Dylan Bennett made 21 saves against Tatnall on Saturday. SPECIAL TO THE DAILY STATE NEWS/GARY EMEIGH

Tatnall had a few more possessions in the closing three minutes and got off a handful of shots at goal.

Riders’ defender Cameron Taylor came up with a big steal with 1:11 remaining.

Finally, the Hornets got one last possession in CR’s defensive end of the field with just 4.8 seconds left. Tatnall got off a shot but Bennett deflected it and then scrambled to gain possession behind the net as the final horn sounded.

Bennett made 21 saves despite dealing with a painful injury he suffered in the Riders’ first-round win over Sanford. The senior spent 12 hours in the emergency room that night after taking a hard shot to the mid-section.

He didn’t end up needing surgery but Bennett had to gut it out through a lot of pain for the past few days.

“These guys mean so much to me,” said Bennett. “I can’t let them down. So if that means I’ve got to put myself on the line to make sure they win a game, I’m willing to do so no matter what.”

“I’m proud of these guys,” said Johnson. “They put forth a great effort today.”
Craig and Smith both netted two goals and an assist for CR. Julius Timmons and Braxton Faircloth added a goal and assist apiece with Ian Betts adding the other goal.

The good news for the Riders is that they’re back in the state semifinals. The bad news is that they have to play a Cape squad that has won the last seven meetings in the rivalry.

That includes a 17-6 Viking victory on April 16.

CR, however, says it’s just glad to have another chance to play a big game. This will be the program’s ninth appearance in the semifinals since 2012.

“‘Shupe (coach Geoff Shupard) and their coaching staff are phenomenal,” Johnson said about Cape. “Their kids are very, very good lacrosse players. We’ve got to focus on the things that we do well.

“It’s another opportunity to get better and play. What more could you ask for?”

Ruggerio.com