Ramapo comes back to win Group 2 title in overtime thriller by Sean Farrell of The Record
WEST LONG BRANCH – The comeback kids are champions again.
Ramapo defied the odds to win the Group 2 boys lacrosse state final and keep its historic season alive.
Sticks and pads flew into the air, just moments after sophomore Jack Griffin became the hero in overtime.
The Green Raiders earned a wild 12-11 win over Rumson-Fair Haven in the championship game by scoring the last four goals of the day.
They stayed patient even after getting off to a slow start. They kept calm in a game that required them to score three times in the final two minutes of regulation.
It’s why they are moving on to play in the Tournament of Champions on Saturday.
For the first time since 2006, the Green Raiders are state champions.
“Next to my wedding, this is one of the greatest days of my entire life,” coach Tom Albano said. “I told the boys last night to take it all in. This is a memory you’ll talk about for the rest of your life.”
Ramapo wins Group 2. Jack Griffin is the hero. 12-11 in overtime over Rumson-Fair Haven. Unbelievable.
The win is the culmination of a growing process under Albano.
His team has gone further in the postseason in the each of the last four years.
The Green Raiders (16-5) even reached the Bergen County final this spring with nearly all of their starters back from last season.
The latest win required them to dig out of another hole, as they did in the sectional final.
“The feeling is just amazing,” sophomore Matt Karsian said. “We’ve started slow in some games in the first quarter. But all we kept telling ourselves is to not lose focus. Stay focused. We came back and got it done. I’m so proud of my team. We couldn’t have done it without all 36 guys standing right here.”
The Bulldogs took an 11-8 lead with 2:26 left in the game.
But in a game of runs, Ramapo delivered the final one.
“As a senior, I wasn’t going down in overtime in a championship game,” Andrew Robbins said. “It was a team effort. We didn’t force anything. It didn’t matter who put the ball in the back of the net. We just kept fighting.”
Robbins produced another exceptional performance in a season full of them.
One of Bergen County’s best players led Ramapo with five goals because of his ability to score from long-range.
His 60th of the season started the comeback with 1:24 left.
Mike Graff chipped into the lead just 11 seconds later, then Karsian forced overtime with his wrap-around goal with only 19.2 seconds left.
Each of the final four goals came from different players.
“We have balanced scoring on offense,” Albano said. “For any defense, it’s tough to say who you’re going to take out because every kid can score at every second.”
Ryan Sisti started the final play of the game by roaming around behind the net.
Sisti curled around the right side before finding Griffin, who cut in between two defenders.
It left Rumson-Fair Haven’s goalie with no time to react.
The ball was in Griffin’s stick for just a second.
But the shot he buried into the net will be remembered for years to come in Franklin Lakes.
“I don’t think you can put it into words,” Griffin said. “I’ve never really felt this before. This means everything to us.”