Coach Joe Amplo could have kept his starters in for most of the game and Navy men’s lacrosse would have easily scored more than 30 goals against Iona, a start-up program.
Instead, Amplo started substituting liberally in the first quarter and had gone deep on the bench by the second period. Navy’s starters were done for the day early in the second stanza and by halftime Amplo had already used 35 players.
Junior attackman Mac Haley had a hat trick and an assist in the first quarter as Navy built a commanding lead before taking the foot off the gas pedal and cruising to a 22-9 victory over Iona. Senior attackman Henry Tolker totaled two goals and an assist before joining Haley on the sideline to start the second quarter.
Junior attackman Race Ripley came off the bench to score four goals and dish off an assist, while freshman attackman Will Goers totaled two goals and two assists in considerable action.
Amplo never considered running up the score because he knows what it’s like to have a first-year program loaded with young players and having to face powerful opponents. Amplo oversaw Marquette’s transition from a club to varsity program and there were some lopsided results in the inaugural season of 2012.
After Saturday’s game, Amplo praised the Iona players for “not giving up and competing the entire time” and stated with confidence that coach Chad Surman will build a solid program.
Meanwhile, Navy initially did not play very well after Amplo pulled the starters, but performed at a higher level in the second half.
“I was proud of our guys because, for the most part, we played our way,” Amplo said. “That was the challenge today — to stay accountable to who we want to be as a team and do the little things right. I thought, aside from a lull in the second quarter, we did just that.”
Starting attackman Carter Ash had a goal and an assist in the opening period as Navy grabbed a 10-2 advantage. Senior second line midfielder Evan Conway contributed two assists.
Cullen Lawry had a hat trick, while fellow attackman Jack Riglietti added two goals and an assist for Iona, which was playing just its second game as a varsity program. The Gaels, who were routed, 20-2, by Hofstra in the opener, field a roster consisting of 17 redshirt freshmen and 23 true freshmen.
For the Navy starters, this game was the equivalent of a live practice scrimmage against the scout team. For players deeper on the depth chart, it was a chance to get extended playing time and show the coaching staff what they can do.
Amplo took advantage of the opportunity to thoroughly evaluate a large contingent of reserves that otherwise would not leave the sideline. When all was said and done, a whopping 58 Midshipmen played as everybody that dressed got into the game.
“These guys that aren’t starters are good players. They deserve an opportunity to compete,” Amplo said. “There are some guys that are right there and could be starters, but are not at that point just yet.”
After watching the reserves make mistakes and play sloppily at times while getting outscored during the second quarter, Amplo considered reinserting the starters to begin the second half. He elected not to do so, telling the backups he had confidence they would turn things around.
“It took a lot for the staff to stick with that plan. We really wanted to evaluate those guys that are right there and see them in game action,” Amplo said. “You can’t duplicate what happens on a field during a 60-minute game that much in practice. It’s those intangible plays that guys need to be in to get the experience. That’s going to help their development in the days, weeks and months to come.”
Amplo cited Ripley, an Archbishop Spalding graduate, as an example of a second stringer that was productive while playing increased minutes.
“It’s different in the game than practice. In practice you can work in the black and the white, but everything in between — the gray areas — you can’t really simulate that in practice,” said Ripley, who is a member of the starting extra-man unit.
Navy had 15 goal-scorers and director of lacrosse operations Mark Goers stayed busy keeping track of all the players tallying for the first time at the college level. Nine Midshipmen scored their first career goal and Goers went out on the field each time to collect the game ball to commemorate the occasion.
Three backup attackmen — sophomore Matt Byrnes along with freshmen Alec Gregorek and Ayden DiRocco — all totaled a goal and assist.
Goers was a role player as a senior midfielder at St. Mary’s High in 2023 but has improved dramatically in the two years since. Spending the 2023-24 academic year at the Naval Academy Prep School was huge for his development, both physically and skills-wise. The Chester resident scored his first career goal on a wicked left-handed crank shot that stung the top corner.
“Will has shown us that he’s a really good lacrosse player. He can be a matchup problem,” said Amplo, noting that Goers is getting some minutes with the starters. “As long as he continues to do things the right way, he’s a guy I think we’re going to see more of.”
Amplo said Byrnes, out of Chaminade High on Long Island, “is a kid that makes plays in practice” all the time and just needs more game experience. He described Gregorek as a top recruit out of Shoreham-Wading River High on Long Island who is “extremely talented.”
Backup goalie George Vlahos, a freshman out of St. Ignatius Prep in San Francisco, played nearly 32 minutes and recorded six saves with four goals allowed. Vlahos validated Amplo’s opinion that he is on par with second-year starter Dan Daly.
“For [Vlahos] to get an extended amount of time in a game situation is so valuable, for both him and us, to have the comfort that we have a go we can go to and there is not much dropoff,” Amplo said.
Amplo was also impressed with the performance of freshmen short-stick defensive midfielders Chase Green (McDonogh) and Ryan Trafford, as well as sophomore long stick midfielder Carter King.
Junior faceoff specialist Colin Shadowens, a Severna Park High graduate who battled injuries the previous two seasons, took 10 faceoffs and won half. Sophomore Joey Bucci went 5-for-7 from the stripe.
“For Colin to get 10 faceoffs … that’s terrific. To get him valuable game reps is so valuable because we just can’t rely on Zach,” Amplo said. “We’re going to need Colin and Joey to be there in big moments in the future.”
Navy outshot Iona, 66-32, and won the ground ball battle, 41-24. Iona only had one faceoff specialist and got beaten 22-13 in that department. Goalies Denny Piekutowski and Noah Perea combined for 15 saves while facing the onslaught of shots.
Have a news tip? Contact Bill Wagner at bwagner@capgaznews.com, 443-534-0102 and x.com/@BWagner_CapGaz.
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Towson at Navy
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