Bristol co-op lacrosse wins CCC South championship with incredible comeback win over E.O. Smith Thursday night as a final shot goal delivers a 9-8 victory

Posted By: Jack Krampitz May 24, 2024

The Bristol Co-op boys lacrosse team traveled to E.O. Smith for the CCC South Division playoff championship Thursday. After two regular season losses to E.O. Smith in sudden-death overtime, the Bristol boys were ready for some revenge.

But the first half could not have gone much worse. Bristol was down 6-1 and looking for answers from Head Coach Eric Bell. While they were gaining possession, there was a sloppiness to their passing and catching that the Panthers capitalized on several times. The E.O. goalie was also stopping everything the Bristol team shot his way, even from point blank range.

However, in the second half the boys from Bristol were not to be denied.

Braydon Dwyer was the “man” as he gained possession for Bristol by winning face-off after face-off. Once they gained possession it was a patient offense where Aidan Collins and Brady Bell consistently set the table for others while also looking for their own shots. The result was a 4-1 quarter and the third period ended with Bristol only down by two goals, 7-5. 

Members of the Bristol Co-op lacrosse team celebrate their victory CCC South Championship win over E.O. Smith. | Reader submitted photo

The fourth quarter saw more of the same as Bristol kept the pressure on while Tyghe Collins and Matteo DiMarco provided valuable defensive intensity.

Bristol kept chipping away. They scored the first goal of the fourth to make it 7-6, then tied it up at 7-7, and then finally took the lead at 8-7 with just 3:30 to go in the game.

Vinny Howley was great in goal from start to finish but a couple saves down the stretch really kept Bristol in the game. However, E.O. Smith scored with 1:45 left to set the stage for a potential dramatic finish or dreaded overtime.

A turnover by Bristol was followed by a great stop on defense in a combined effort of Connor Ackerly and Jack Hartley with a quick clear to Hayden Tichy. The ball found its way to Aidan Collins at the top for the Co-op to kill some clock and go for the win.

In the final possession the ball was lost in a scrum for about 15 seconds before Bristol got the ball at the top on a technical foul by E.O. Smith. The last possession again was muddy as the ball popped to Chase Dauphinee who put the ball in the back of the net in the final seconds for the game winner.

Bristol’s co-op has been right on the edge of being champions for the past several years with several All-Conference players leading the way. This year the Co-op crossed the threshold to claim the championship.

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