Dowiak comes up big in net as Wolfpack rules Group II

BY JIM HAGUE
SPECIAL TO THE DAILY RECORD
Saturday, June 2, 2007
 
BASKING RIDGE -- He had just made one incredible save after another, using his chest, his ankle, his leg and his stick in the process, but West Morris Central senior lacrosse goalkeeper Jeremy Dowiak didn't remember any of them.

"I don't even remember when I make saves," Dowiak said. "I kind of block everything out."

Asked if he felt any pain after making like a target in a shooting range through the Wolfpack's showdown with Ramapo for the NJSIAA North Group II sectional championship Friday at Ridge High School, Dowiak replied, "I don't feel anything. I feel like I'm top of the world."

It's safe to say that every member of the Wolfpack will remember Dowiak's saves, even if he doesn't. Because it was Dowiak's gritty and gutsy performance in net that enabled West Morris (13-6) to capture the school's first-ever state sectional with a thrilling 8-7 come-from-behind victory.

West Morris survived a variety of obstacles en route to the victory.

Before the game, the Wolfpack overcame several injuries to key players and some suspensions to others. During the contest, they had to endure two lengthy delays due to lightning being spotted -- one of which occurred after Ramapo (12-7) scored the game-tying goal at 2-2 in the first minute of the second quarter, eliminating all positive momentum the Wolfpack gained in the first period.

And West Morris had to withstand the pressure of falling behind 5-2 in the late stages of the second quarter, giving Ramapo a huge shot in the arm right before halftime.

"We were down three goals and any more than that, we would have been in big trouble," West Morris head coach Rob Goodwin said. "We were also down a man to start the second half. We're not a high-scoring team, so we knew that we needed our defense to step it up."

Enter Dowiak, who certainly wore the hero's cape. He made one huge save during Ramapo's man-advantage in the first minute of the second half, but that was just a precursor to what he would do later. However, the first save seemed to give the Wolfpack a much-needed shot in the arm, considering that Brett Bononno scored the second of his two goals to cut the lead to 5-3, then Scott Thurber scored the first of his two at the 7:32 mark to slice the advantage to 5-4 and give the Wolfpack life.

It was at that point where goalie Dowiak turned the game around. He made four straight saves in a span of 2:25, all from point blank range. One was a spread-eagle kick save, a la Martin Brodeur, although Dowiak wasn't wearing any protective skates.

"I always love the hockey references," Dowiak laughed.

The fourth save in the sequence came right off Dowiak's chest. Everyone in attendance let out a groan. The goalie just kept on playing.

With 3:09 left in the third, John Williams, who began the season on the bench for the Wolfpack, scored his second goal of the game. Forty-seven seconds later, Williams added his third goal, giving West Morris an unthinkable 6-5 lead with 2:15 left in the third period.

"Four unanswered goals," a West Morris player chanted from the sidelines. "Four unanswered goals. No one thought we could do that."

"We came out flat after the second delay (which was 35 minutes)," Goodwin said. "I knew that if we made a stop to start the second half, I thought we could be able to come back. But four unanswered goals? It's unheard of."

The four-goal run was clearly ignited by the momentum gained with Dowiak's heroics.

"Basically, he had to give us a lift back there," Goodwin said. "If he doesn't come up big there, we don't win. Those are the kinds of things that give you momentum in a game like this. We needed him."

Ramapo did come back to tie the game at 6-6 with 7:31 left in the third quarter on a goal by Chris Jones, but Thurber made a beautiful run of approximately 15 yards, then fired a shot from 22 yards out with just 22 seconds left in the period to give the Wolfpack the lead for good.

Tyler Berntsen scored an insurance goal, off a pretty feed from Evan Guarini (three assists), with 10:21 remaining, giving West Morris a two-goal lead.

Ramapo gave it a game effort down the stretch, cutting the lead to 8-7 with 2:18 left on Seamus Schofield's second goal of the afternoon. It led to some tense and trying moments in the closing seconds.

"I don't think my heart was beating," Dowiak said. "I think it totally stopped for that last minute."

Ramapo had one last chance to tie the game, but Dowiak's ninth and final save of the game, a stick save off All-State middie Jeff Hogan, sealed the deal with just 24 seconds left.

"That's perhaps the only save I remember," Dowiak said.

"I saw it the whole time and somehow got my stick on it. It was a very poignant save."

"I just go wild when he makes saves like that,"Williams said. "As the game went on, Jeremy kept getting bigger and bigger."

And he was the biggest man when the final horn sounded.

West Morris now takes its first-ever state sectional crown into the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions, where it more than likely will be seeded sixth and face No. 3 Hunterdon Central in the first round.