Mountain Lakes' attackman Brian Kasel (21) fires home one of his three goals during Tuesday night's Morris County Tournament final vs. arch rival Delbarton at FDU-Florham. Toppling over a Delbarton defender is the Lakers' Sean Kirwan while the Green Wave's goalie Peter Jones (30) gives it his best in front of the net. (Photos by Todd Mundt. For information on ordering photos from the game, go to our "Links" page and click on actionkidsphotography.com or e-mail at k2lab@optonline.net

Mountain Lakes players celebrate together after winning their 11th Morris County Boys' Lacrosse Tournament title with Tuesday night's 10-8 win over Delbarton.

The next generation of Mountain Lakes lacrosse players get excited, and a bit nervous as well, about how the current Laker laxmen are playing during their championship game vs. Delbarton before a packed house at FDU-Florham.

Delbarton's junior middie Alex White (3), who had two goals and an assist to help keep his team in the mix, makes his move against the ever-present Mountain Lakes' defense. The Green Wave's Nick Doherty (27) keeps an eye on the action from rear.

Mountain Lakes' mark Dobrosky (5), who had thee goals for his team, shows good sportsmanship as he embraces one of the rival Green Wave players after yet another hard-fought and exciting Morris County Boys' Lacrosse Tournament final.

Mountain Lakes players Chase Winter (8) and Brian Kasel (21) "high five" each other.

Delbarton's' senior middie Terry White (11) winds up to take hard shot on goal as Mountain Lakes' Will Thiede (2, right) defends during action-packed lacrosse match.

Mountain Lakes' veteran head boys' lacrosse coach Tim Flynn claps his hands together as he shows the emotions that run deep after a huge victory against a worthy arch rival in previously No. 1 ranked Delbarton in the 2008 MCT final.

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For his efforts, Lakes’ senior net minder received the Most Valuable Player award, while he had plenty of support from his close defense, led by Ryan Warnick and Pat Flynn, along with a bevy of opportunistic scorers, including midfielder Zack Cohen and attackmen Mark Dobrosky and Brian Kasel, who each had three goals.

“Our defense was definitely up to the task against a good Delbarton team,” said Bolland, who had nine of his saves in the middle quarters when the Lakers took over the momentum of the match. “I think we played with a lot of confidence and really showed we’ve made considerable progress since the last time we played them.”

It was Kasel’s first goal of the match, which snapped a 4-0 Delbarton run with just 11 seconds remaining in the first quarter, which seemed to catapult the Lakers in terms of taking over play in those crucial middle quarters.

Trailing 4-2 heading to the second quarter, Mountain Lakes’ close defense enveloped any penetrating Delbarton attackmen and Cohen’s first tally, with 9:48 left in the second, was the only goal scored before halftime as the Lakers trailed by just one, 4-3, at the intermission.

“Down 4-1 at one point there, I think our kids just realized it was time to play up to their potential and really turn it on at both ends,” said Flynn. “I’ll give your seniors credit because they are the leaders out there and they really took over to help us get back into it and eventually take the lead.”

The combination of junior middie Jake Tripucka (one goal, two assists) and Dobroski accounted for two goals and one of their finest moments came with 6:12 left in the third quarter when they combined on Dobroski’s first of three second-half goals to make it 5-4, Lakes.

After Alex White tied it for Delbarton four minutes later, Kasel scored with 27 seconds left in the third on one of his classic, left-handed rocket shots for a 6-5 Mountain Lakes lead heading into the final 12 minutes.

The fourth quarter saw Cohen give the Lakers a 7-5 lead before back-to-back goals by the Green Wave’s Jon Leonos and Peter Wujciak tied the contest at 7-7 with 7:30 left.

Then, it was another terrific Tripucka-Dobroski combo play as the latter sent one home for an 8-7 Lakes lead with 5:12 remaining, and after Delbarton tied matters one more time, 8-8, on Ryan Stevens’ goal with 3:49 left, Mountain Lakes put the game away with goals by Kasel, on a gorgeous deke and blast with 2:03 remaining for a 9-8 lead before Dobroski sealed it with his third tally with 26 seconds left.

“It was a classic game where every possession, ground ball and face-off becomes so monumental,” said Flynn. “You have to tip your hat to Delbarton for playing a great game, and to our kids for coming out on top with a hard-fought victory.”

Wiedemaier, the Princeton-bound Delbarton defenseman, knew that it was ultimately Mountain Lakes’ day.

“They just had more energy than us when it counted today, but it’s always a great game when our teams get together,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ll see them again in the TOC final, but there is still a lot of lacrosse left to play before that can happen.”

Mtn. Lakes 2 1 3 4 --10

Delbarton 4 0 1 3 -- 8

Goals: Mountain Lakes: Zack Cohen 3, Mark Dobrosky 3, Brian Kasel 3, Jaek Tripucka. Delbarton: Alex White 2, Matt Campbell, Nick Doherty, Ryan Foley, Jon Leanos, Ryan Stevens and Pete Wujiak.

Assists: Mountain Lakes: Jake Tripucka 2, Zack Cohen, Mark Dobrosky, Kevin Ryan. Delbarton: Matt Campbell 2, Alex White, William Clarke.

Saves: Mountain Lakes: Ian Bolland 15; Delbarton: Peter Jones 7.

Face-offs: Mountain Lakes 4 Delbarton 18

Team records: Mountain Lakes 15-1 Delbarton 11-3

A Mountain Lakes player raises up one of his teammates in a moment of pure joy following their exciting 10-8 victory over top-seeded Delbarton for the Morris County Tournament championship before 2,500 fans at FDU-Florham. (Photos by Todd Mundt)

Mountain Lakes' lacrosse fans are totally into the action on the field on Tuesday night.

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