The Bellevue and Eastlake Match-up: Second Half Seals the Deal

Eastlakes program has taken some evolutionary steps in returning most of their varisty starters under the tutelage of a new head coach.  Bellevue came to Eastlake looking to prove whether or not the Wolverines belong in the top four teams in division I. After a hard fought first half, Bellevue puts seven unanswered goals on the board to walk away with the win.

Bellevue would get on the board first, with a goal three minutes in that included a ball fake.  Sean Kinzer would answer back at 8:21, scoring on the crease to tie the score at 1 apiece.  Eastlake's defense was very active, including Danny Vais matched up against Cole Nordstrom for the evening.  Brett Mennella would score another Bellevue goal at 5:06 remaining in the first quarter, raising the lead to 2-1 in spite of the jitters on both sides.

The second quarter would see Bellevue possess the ball much of the quarter.  Eastlake's keeper injured himself making contact with a player, and preventing a goal. Going the other way, Eastlake's Zach Shute scored just 30 seconds into the second quarter, only to be followed up by a goal from Drew Douglas 25 seconds later.  Bellevue led 3-2.  Zervas scores another goal at 9:59 in the quarter off a feed from Brett Mennella, and Zervas tallies another off the left pipe, ending a few minutes of transition and making the Bellevue Lead 5-2.  Though much of the possession time would be Bellevue's, Eastlake kept themselves in the game as Patrick Keogh bolted out of the box behind his defensemen, and went straight to the cage, adding another goal to Eastlake's scorecard as the quarter wound down.  After a time-out with seconds left, Bellevue worked their man-up to perfection, and in seconds, finalized Brett Mennella’s shot to go ahead 6-3. Bellevue would take a three goal lead into halftime, and would not look back.

Right as the second half started, so did the rain.  Eastlake would jump out first this time as Brian Quick took it to the hoop doubled up, to make it a 6-4 game at 8:49, Eastlake keeping pace.  Unfortunately, that would be the last goal scored by Eastlake as Bellevue woudl score the next seven unanswered.  At 4:57 Eli Stabler takes it coast to coast, scoring from his defensive position on a ground ball from an Eastlake defender who just tried the same thing.  Bellevue leads 7-4 through the rest of the third quarter, until Brett Mennella receives his hat trick turning the corner from behind the cage at 1:30.  Right afterwards, Stabler faces off, hits Brett Mennella, who finds Spangler on the corner, to burn another one into the net, upping the score to 9-4 as the 3rd period ends.

The fourth period belonged to Bellevue.  Brett Mennella would start the fourth off with more handiwork, tacking up his fourth point on a backside shot on the first possession.  Spangler chalks up another for Bellevue at the 8 minute mark, the fifth unanswered goal for Bellevue, the tally now 11-4.  Zervas finishes a three-pass rotation on the island, and Bellevue leads 12-4.  Omri feeds Spangler on the crease breaking the dam with a 13-4 with 4 minutes remaining.  As the game winds down, Eastlake scored a single goal in the second half, struggling for any possession time. Final Score 13-4 Bellevue wins.

Players of the game

Bellevue
Mennella 4g 1a
Spangler 4g 1a
Zervas 3g 1a

Eastlake
Danny Vais face-offs, held Nordstrom scoreless.