Ramapo moves on in Tournament of Champions as last Bergen County team standing by Sean Farrell of The Record
BRIDGEWATER – Andrew Robbins never expected a season like this.
Ramapo has never had one quite like it.
The Green Raiders became one of only four teams left in the state after getting a 10-3 win over Madison in the Tournament of Champions on Saturday at Bridgewater-Raritan High School.
They will play top-ranked Delbarton in Wednesday’s semifinals, looking to become the third Bergen County boys lacrosse team to ever reach the championship round.
“It’s a little surreal,” Robbins said, of his senior year. “I didn’t really see this coming. We just got to keep fighting and build off this. As good as a win as this is, we just have to put this in the past for the next game.”
Robbins took advantage of an opportunity that once looked out of reach.
Ramapo saved its season late in the Group 2 final by scoring three goals in the last 1:24 of regulation.
The Green Raiders (17-5) wanted to come out strong on Saturday, and did just that.
They scored first for a change, and even held Madison to just one shot on goal in the first quarter.
There wasn’t any overtime or late drama this time around because of the substantial lead built up by Robbins and sophomore Jack Griffin.
“They’re just both incredible talents and incredible athletes,” senior Jack Scordato said. “They’re tough to stop. When they get going, they’re very unselfish. They have great outside shots and can finish in the crease. They really just do it all and have been doing it all year.”
The Green Raiders’ two scoring leaders were again the two best offensive players on the field.
Robbins moved to 65 goals on the season after his second straight five-goal performance and fourth in a row with at least a hat trick.
He gave Ramapo an early advantage by getting a loose ball near midfield, and using a teammate and an official as a pick while rushing down the left sideline.
Griffin scored all three of his goals in the second half during a 7-0 Ramapo run.
And the dynamic 1-2 punch even assisted one another for the last two strikes.
“From the first day I got here, [Robbins] just took me under his wing,” Griffin said.
“When I was a sophomore, Matt Del Duca really helped me,” Robbins said. “So I’ve always wanted to help the younger kids when I got to that position. I really feel that he’s got a great future. I can’t see the ceiling for him yet. He’s going to keep getting better. He’s an amazing player.”
Together, Robbins and Griffin gave more than enough breathing room for the stingy Green Raiders defense.
That unit held Madison without a goal for nearly 31 minutes to end the game.
Coach Tom Albano was even able to take out goalie Johnny Caponi late in the fourth quarter to give Luke Mutterer some playing time.
“I think Jack Scordato is one of the best defensemen in the entire state,” Albano said. “But all three guys are just doing what we need them to do. We’re not telling them to go out and take the ball away. We just want them to play good body position. In the sport of lacrosse, you’re going to give up shots. But if we give up shots that we want to give up, then we know we have a goalie who’s going to make the saves.”
Ramapo is making only its second appearance in the Tournament of Champions and the first since 2006.
At this point, the Green Raiders are surprising even themselves.
“We set high goals for ourselves,” Scordato said. “But I didn’t think we’d be playing now. It’s an incredible feeling.”