Seasoned seniors have Granville lacrosse locked, loaded for final run
GRANVILLE ― Just 10 seconds into the game with visiting Big Walnut on Thursday, Granville senior attack Elliott Rhoton found the back of the net.
It then took Rhoton just seven seconds to zip a pass to classmate and fellow attack Hart Miller for a goal starting the second half.
"We three (Rhoton, Miller and Maxton Messner) have been at attack for the last nine years," said Miller. "We practice that fast break every day."
As the high school lacrosse careers wind down for the trio and seven other seniors, who were honored before a big crowd in Walter J. Hodges Stadium, dozens of Granville Recreation League and middle school players enthusiastically watched in appreciation on youth night. They saw what the program has become, and what they hope to carry into the future, as the Blue Aces (11-4) romped to a 19-2 victory.
"We were on the first Granville third-grade team, and we've played together ever since," Miller said. "Coach (Adam) Stewart has come in stressing the stickwork and fundamentals, and it's been a totally different mindset, 100%."
Stewart, a former Capital assistant, knew he was inheriting a great senior class when he took over as head coach and has incorporated his collegiate knowledge as a player and coach.
"Yes, I have the college experience with Denison and Capital, but you still have to be really good at the fundamentals," he said. "The seniors have bought into that vision, and it helps having a staff with a coach who has 350 college wins (Mike Caravana at Denison) and Jake Purdy, who bleeds Granville blue and white. We do the simple things a lot. We're built on executing simple plays at full speed, and we have matured to the point that we're doing that more consistently."
Said Rhoton: "From where we started, to where we are now, it's unbelievable."
Coming off an impressive 13-2 win Wednesday against Bexley, the improvement was on full display against Big Walnut.
Barely a minute after Rhoton's opening score, a pair of Granville football players connected, junior mids Beckett Long to Noble Terebuh. Then their gridiron brother Messner got going with two unassisted goals, and senior mid Connor Smith pushed Granville up 5-0 going to the second.
"The football guys come in with a different mindset," Rhoton said. "They're gritty and never let down, and it rubs off on everyone else."
Added Miller: "Beckett might be as good of a mid as he is as a quarterback."
Six more goals followed in the second as the Blue Aces took an 11-2 halftime lead against the Eagles (4-11). Messner, Smith, Terebuh and Rhoton scored, then Miller found the net off a Terebuh pass and stole a pass from in front of the net and knocked it home.
Miller found the range twice more in the third, and Long got on the board to give Granville a 14-2 lead and force a running clock. Messner's tally off a Miller assist made it 16-2 going to the fourth, then Terebuh sandwiched two goals around a score by senior mid Colt Shaw in the fourth.
Terebuh, Miller and Messner each had four goals, with Terebuh adding three assists and Miller one. Rhoton scored three times with an assist, Smith added two goals with an assist, Long a goal and two assists and Shaw tacked on his late score. Senior goalie Max Haley had four saves.
"We don't play down to our competition. We play to our level," Miller said. "With our chemistry, we all flow together, on and off the field."
The Blue Aces didn't even have Messner (ankle surgery) for the first six or seven games, and Miller missed three or four weeks with a broken wrist. But now, the team is fully stocked and ready for a final tournament run.
"The injuries were kind of a blessing in disguise," Stewart said. "It forced us to be creative and put some guys in tough positions, but it has made us better."
Granville entered Thursday ranked 10th in its region, but moved up to eighth. They've lost 13-8 to No. 1 Bishop Watterson, 11-6 to No. 2 DeSales and recently dropped a 9-8 heartbreaker to No. 4 St. Charles. They've already avenged a 14-12 loss to Columbus Academy with a 9-6 victory.
"The second half of the St. Charles game was a turning point for us," Stewart said. "We were up 8-3 at halftime and had played great, but didn't score again. But we learned from it and beat Bexley, which had beaten St. Charles."
After two second-round tournament exits, the Blue Aces advanced to the third round last year and are pushing for more. The seniors aren't wanting it to end any time soon. Others graduating include defender Leelan Durham, who will play with Rhoton at Capital, defender Braden Rockwell, forward Zech Gee and mid Noah Musick. Messner will continue his career at Bellarmine.
"Just the memories we've created will last a lifetime, and I couldn't think of a better group to have done this with," Rhoton said. "We have two or three weeks before the tournament, and we'll be ready. We think we can compete with anyone."
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Seasoned seniors have Granville lacrosse locked, loaded for final run
