A 4, a 3 and a pair of 2s beats Aces.
On a cold Monday night in Doylestown – there were flurries in the second half – Central Bucks West got four goals from Michael Rafalowski, three goals from Matt Jacobsen and two goals from both Alex Greenspan and Colton Albrecht to cruise to a 13-3 win over Lower Merion.
“We planned and prepped for a couple of days, and we got a night where everything worked,” said Greenspan. “Our schemes worked. Our defense was clicking and they get a huge shout out.”
A man-up Lower Merion goal with 14 seconds in the first quarter cut West’s lead to 2-1. Greenspan gave the Bucks a 3-1 lead 55 seconds into the second quarter to start a 7-0 West run. Six Bucks scored on the night.
West has to replace attack Austin Hahn, who now plays Division I for New Jersey Institute of Technology. There is excitement at the emergence of two freshman offensive weapons in Albrecht and Rafalowski.
“We have two great freshmen who have stepped up and are already making big plays,” said Jacobsen, a senior. “They have a played a huge role already as freshman, and you don’t see that too often. They are a big part of our offense.”
“I’ve known Colton and Raf for several years because of our club team,” Greenspan added. “Losing Austin is huge because he is a great player and great guy, but Raf and Colton have stepped up. We couldn’t ask for more from them.”
Last year West, who went 15-4 and was the runner-up in the SOL National, beat Lower Merion 14-6.
This year a stingy Bucks defense shut out the Aces in the second and third quarters.
“Three goals in 48 minutes ... that’s different. Our goalie played great,” Greenspan praised. “It was exceptional defense. Without them, we’re not down on the other side of the field scoring.” Goalie Kanen Patel had seven saves.
“We communicated. We slid on time and it was great all around defense,” added defender Jimmy Donnelly, a Holy Family commit. “We came in with a lot of energy and we didn’t give up the energy. We brought it the whole game.”
It helps when you have one of the best faceoff men in the Philly area. Jacobsen, a Richmond signee, won 11 of 12 faceoffs.
The key to a faceoff is “being gritty and trying to win the ball in whatever situation you get in,” Jacobsen said. “The wing help plays a part too.”
The midfielder was the lone Bucks County player on USA Lacrosse’s Southeastern Pennsylvania All-Americans last year, and he was the lone junior middie on the 2023 All-Philly Lacrosse first team.
“(The offseason) was the same stuff as always. It’s working out every day, getting the same mindset every day and hitting the wall,” Jacobsen shared.
West improves to 2-0. After a deadlocked first quarter in its Saturday opener against Easton, West broke the game open with an 11-2 run en route to a 15-7 win. Rafalowski scored five goals for the Bucks. Jacobsen added four and just as importantly dominated the faceoffs, winning 15 of 17.
The Bucks return to action on Thursday, when they host Abington.
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