Friday night saw the Campolindo Cougars return to Acalanes for the DAL Championship game. As the Dons quickly discovered, the Cougs had improved since their 14-4 loss to Acalanes earlier in the season. Cougars leader and D3 commit, Harrison Leenhouts kicked the night off with a pair of quick scores followed by a goal from Campo Sophomore Gaeten Avicolli, putting the Dons on their heels early. Luckily, late in the Quarter Senior Cooper Olson and Junior Marshall Anderson found the back of the net, making the score 2-3 and it was game on!
The Second Quarter seemed to be a rehash of the first, with Leenhouts getting close looks at the cage and racking up another 3 goals only to be answered by goals (Cooper) Olson and Anderson. For that matter, both teams put on quite a shooting display throughout the half, keeping both Acalanes Goalie Blake Chehlaoui and Campo Keeper Dante Avicolli busy, with each making 8 saves. By halftime, the Dons found themselves in the unusual and unexpected position of being down 4-6.
Realizing it was now or never, the Dons entered the second half fired up, and kicked their game into high gear. Senior Captain Owen Estee set the tone with a sweet shot between the pipes in early action. Owen was later followed by scores from the Olson twins (both Dylan and Cooper) and Marshall Anderson. Coupled with excellent Defensive play from Seniors George Churchill, John Cain, and Junior Eitan Romick (in for Connor Faust), the Dons went up 8-7 by the end of the Quarter. The Dons had firmly shifted the momentum their way.
Two important battles happened throughout the game worthy of spotlighting. At the X, Acalanes Senior FOGO Ben Foox (Fooox!) battled with Campo Sophomore Chase Kivelson all night, with Ben winning a decisive 14 of 23 (60.8%) FaceOffs. Between the pipes Acalanes Senior Goalie Blake Chehlaoui and Campo Junior Goalie Dante Avicolli were each put to the test throughout the night, with Chehlaoui making 18 saves on 28 total shots (64.2%) and Avicolli making 13 saves on 25 shots (52%).
In the final Quarter of play, the Dons bested the Cougs on both sides of the field. The Dons Offense saw goals from Dylan Olson, then two powerful goals from Simon Appel, and, with 1 minute 50 seconds left, one final ripper from Owen Estee. While the Dons D were too disruptive for the Cougs and Dons emerged victorious 12-10 to take home the title of DAL Champions!
Now 14-2, the boys head into the first round of the NCS playoffs hosting the 6-8 Terra Linda Troys tonight at 7 pm. Go Dons!