By Rich Chrampanis
RUMSON – Rumson-Fair Haven caught lightning in a bottle on the way to the school’s second boys lacrosse state championship. More specifically, lightning at Bridgewater-Raritan High School forced a two-day postponement of the Group 2 state championship with Summit leading RFH 2-0 at the end of one quarter. The bus ride home allowed coach Marc Moreau’s team to re- group and get a new lease on its post-season life with three quarters to go.
“We know we started slow,” junior Cole Cashion said. “Those three quarters meant the world. It meant whether we were going to be a state champion or not. We watched that film. We really dialed in the last practice and we exploited what we saw on film.”
The Bulldogs had the benefit of moving the game from its Wednesday postponement in Bridgewater Township to a Friday early evening resumption at Borden Stadium and Two River Times field. The return home saw Rumson flip the script on Summit’s early dominance.
The game rebooted with 11:55 left in the second quarter. The Bulldogs got goals from Christian Bockelmann and Quinn Stankovits to tie the game at two heading into halftime.
The third quarter saw Summit score back-to-back goals to build a 4-2 advantage. Rumson returned the favor with a two-goal surge of their own to tie the game. Trailing 5-4, one of the critical moments of the championship came when Cole Cashion had the ball behind the net with just 7 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Cashion sprinted toward the goal and fired a shot just before the horn sounded, hitting the turf following hard contact with a defender. The Yale commit set the stage for a winner take all fourth quarter in a 5-5 game.
Summit is the defending state champion in Group 2 with 12 state championships overall. Many would assume the legacy of one of New Jersey’s best programs would give the Hilltoppers the edge in such a high-pressure spot, but Rumson-Fair Haven ran the gauntlet and played a flawless fourth quarter that earned the Bulldogs an unprecedented status in New Jersey high school lacrosse.
“That fourth quarter is the moment we are working towards and it all came together,” Moreau said. “It was our attitude, it was our effort, it was our composure and it was our ability to make plays that put us over the top.”
Stankovits launched a missile in the opening minute of the fourth quarter for a man-up goal to make it 6-5. Summit is known for its vaunted zone defense but RFH was able to control possession and pick its spots to build upon the lead. Tommy French took a feed from Cashion for another high-rising blast. French’s second goal of the game made it 7-5. Phil Passalaqua aimed low and found the net to give RFH a three-goal advantage. Senior faceoff man (FOGO) Noah Beacher struggled in the first three quarters but won every draw in the fourth and Will Setteducate made a big fourth quarter stop as part of his five-save effort to play a role in Rumson’s incredible final 12 minutes.
When Stankovits closed out the scoring with an empty net goal, he looked toward the RFH bench and pointed to his wrist, followed by showing his ring finger, telling his teammates it was time to get a state championship ring.
“I definitely think that was our absolute best,” Stankovits said. “Every single guy on the field was locked in for the whole entire game and we really put it all together and got the outcome that we wanted.”
The Shore Conference has often been overlooked in the state lacrosse picture. Rumson-Fair Haven is still the only Shore team to win a boys lacrosse state title. This second championship for Moreau is extra special. To beat Summit on home turf with a masterful performance in the fourth quarter was an epic moment for a school that consistently wins championships.
“I think the opponent brings it out of you,” Moreau said. “It’s an iconic program. We’ve been trying to get to this point for a number of years and they’re the group that’s been in our way. They’re our motivation all year long.”
RFH’s lacrosse program is officially at new heights. No further proof is needed than the Bulldogs top seed in the final Tournament of Champions featuring New Jersey’s six state champions. Rumson will have the opportunity to end 2022 as the best team in the state but before that the RFH Dawgpound stormed the field to celebrate a state title and the players took a moment to realize their incredible achievement.
“Ever since I’ve been a freshman I’ve been dreaming of a moment like this,” Beacher said. “At the 1-minute mark I couldn’t even breathe, man. It was crazy. Winning a state championship with my brothers is just one of the best feelings I’ve ever felt and I’m going to remember this the rest of my life.”
This article originally appeared in the June 9 – 15, 2022 print edition of The Two River Times.
