West Hartford’s Hall High School hosted a tough Joel Barlow team Saturday morning.

Goalie Andy McMullon faced 18 shots in the first half. Hall vs. Joel Barlow boys lacrosse. April 27, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

By Paul Palmer

If you only look at the record you might think Hall boys lacrosse is having a down start to the season.

Now at 3-4, they had a two-game win streak snapped by Joel Barlow, 12-2, on Saturday. The Falcons, however, at 9-2 are the class of Class M and are one of four top-20 teams to have beaten Hall this season. In fact, all of Hall’s losses have come at the hands of top-20 teams this season – Class L’s Xavier and Guilford as well as Class LL Southington in addition to Joel Barlow. For the Titans things are not getting any easier any time soon. Their next six games are all against top-20 teams across Class LL, L and M.

Hall players get ready for Saturday’s showdown with Joel Barlow High School. Hall vs. Joel Barlow boys lacrosse. April 27, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

Saturday saw the Falcons get on the board first before Hall’s Connor Russell tied it up at 8:41 with an assist from Connor McHugh. From that point on it was all Falcons as they ran off 11 straight goals before Bode Smith would get Hall’s final score with :35 to play in the game.

Connor McHugh (6) had the assist Hall’s first goal of the game. Hall vs. Joel Barlow boys lacrosse. April 27, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

After Joey Bonanno (one of three triplets on the Barlow team) scored his second of the game, it was his brother Cole making the first of several big saves on the day for the visitors. Ben Goldstein turned in a terrific solo effort carrying the ball up field, dodging defenders and their stick and finding McHugh 1-on-1 with the goalie. But Bonanno stood his ground and denied the scoring chance to preserve the early 2-1 lead. Ian Lent would use his speed to score twice for the Falcons before the first quarter ran out to give them a 4-1 lead.

Ben Goldstein of Hall shields Sean Gabriel from getting to the Titans cage. Hall vs. Joel Barlow boys lacrosse. April 27, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

Hall started the second period a man down, something they have to work on as they were getting whistled at an alarming rate all game. After working hard to possess the ball and kill off the penalty, the Titans saw the deficit grow to 5-1 when Lent found Sean Rinaldi sneaking out from behind the Hall cage, Rinaldi took the pass, tosses in a few stick dodges on Titans goalie Andy McMullon before scoring. Unfortunately for McMullon and Hall, that scenario would repeat itself several times throughout the game as Barlow used its crisp passing and speed to set up 1-on-1’s against McMullon.

Goalie Andy McMullon was under siege all game in the Hall cage. Hall vs. Joel Barlow boys lacrosse. April 27, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

Spencer Skidell would all but put the game away for Barlow when he scored the next three goals – two from the same spot and one from the opposite side of the net to help his team take the 8-1 lead at intermission. At times, Hall’s passing was sloppy and lead to turnovers and quick transitions for the Falcons who pressed the attack.

Barlow outshot Hall 18-7 in the opening half of the game. “We shot ourselves in the foot in that first half,” said Hall first year coach and former player Keith Blum. “We had too many turnovers so at the half I told them to slow it down.”

They must have listened because Hall opened the second half sharper on offense and defense. McHugh and Smith would both have good scoring chances early on with McHugh’s going just wide and Bonanno stopping Smith. Four minutes in, Hall again went a man down and the Falcons made them pay when Luke Bonanno rotated into attack, split defenders, and beat McMullon. He would score the next goal for Barlow (a pattern of back-to-back goals for Falcon players) when he let a behind the head shot goal from just off the side of the cage as McMullon was coming out to challenge the unmarked player.

Sawyer Hollander of Hall starts the transition for the Titans. Hall vs. Joel Barlow boys lacrosse. April 27, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

After that goal, McMullon turned in a stretch of play that some him turn away five legitimate scoring chances. Using his foot twice, the shaft of his stick, his chest and finally covering a deflected shot in the crease. He opened the final quarter of play much the same with a pair of big saves, the last a sprawling effort to cover a low shot. Blum was proud of the effort in the third and fourth quarters from McMullon and his defense. “They played much better; Andy had some big saves and I thought we did a better job clearing the ball.”

Joshua Orsey of Hall turns back the Joel Barlow attacker. Hall vs. Joel Barlow boys lacrosse. April 27, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

Despite the lopsided score, Blum knows that the one thing that was not missing was the desire by his players. “We played hard to the end. They just didn’t make mistakes and their goalie had a great game.”

At the midpoint of the season, Hall came in ranked 14th in Class L and despite the sub-500 record, is getting standing points from the tough schedule that could be the difference in making or missing the post season. They play six of the final eight games at home, including a stretch of five straight that begins Monday when they host Berlin (2-4) at 6 p.m.

Cole Bonanno of Barlow HS makes the save in goal against Hall. Hall vs. Joel Barlow boys lacrosse. April 27, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

Hall’s Sam Weiner dodges the attempted stick check from a Falcons player. Hall vs. Joel Barlow boys lacrosse. April 27, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

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