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Schools

Kelly's OT Goal Lifts Ridge Into Group 3 Final Championship

Senior captain scores twice as Red Devils advance to face Moorestown in championship.

The Ridge High School boys lacrosse team defeated Morristown 8-7 in overtime in the Group 3 semifinals Saturday night at Lee Field. Ridge captain Kevin Kelly had two goals, including the game-winner.

Second-seeded Ridge will face No. 5 Moorestown, which knocked off top-seeded Ridgewood 8-2 in the other semifinal, in Wednesday night's Group 3 championship game at Watchung Hills High School.

1st 2nd 3rd 4th OVERTIME FINAL MORRISTOWN (17-4) 3 2 1 1 0 7 RIDGE (14-6) 5 1 0 1 1 8

 IN SHORT

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Kevin Kelly took a pass from Connor Meth and buried it into the back of the net with 2:34 remaining in overtime to lift the Red Devils.

Kelly opened up the scoring for Ridge at the 10:25 mark of the first quarter with an assist from Eric Scott. About a minute later, Morristown's Brian Begley scored his first of three consecutive goals. Ridge rounded out the first quarter with four more goals coming from Scott, Jason Mertz, Meth and J.T. Palladino. 

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Mertz added another goal in the second quarter for Ridge and Brad Hersh scored for Morristown. Ridge then settled into a 20-minute scoring drought while Morristown's Stephen DeLargy scored another in the third to tied the game at 6. As the end of regulation loomed, Mertz fired an unassisted goal to break the tie with 3:52 to play. But Morristown's DeLargy knotted the score with his third consecutive unassisted goal with 1:48 left. 

Morristown had an opportunity late in regulation, but the Ridge defense held and the game was sent into overtime. The overtime period saw frantic play from both teams as they battled for ground balls at midfield, but Ridge gained an important possession and Meth found Kelly for the game-winner.   

KEY PERFORMANCES

Kevin Kelly scored two goals, including the game-winner in overtime and also had an assist; Jason Mertz scored three goals for Ridge; Connor Meth scored one goal and added two assists, including the assist on the game winning goal; Brian Begley (Morristown) is a freshman and scored the first three goals for Morristown.

COACH'S TAKE

"We played pretty sloppy in a lot of points in the game. To come back and get the goal in overtime on the play that we set up for our leading scorer, our best offensive player, is what it is all about. When the game was on the line, he got it done. Our defense made some adjustments from the beginning of the game to the end and made it possible for us to win."—Ridge head coach Ken Marsh

THEY SAID IT

"We set up the play and it didn't go the first time, so we just ran through it again.  We know that if we can just stay to our basic offense we can get it done. And we got it done when we had to."—Ridge captain Kevin Kelly

"We are definately ready for the championship.  We battled all season, but we are ready."—Ridge captain Jason Mertz

UP NEXTMoorestown in the NJSIAA State Group 3 championship Wednesday at Watchung Hills, scheduled for 7 p.m.

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