DHS boys lacrosse tops Rams

STOCKTON — After two straight losses — something the program hasn’t experienced since the 2011 season — the Davis High boys lacrosse team bounced back in a big way on Tuesday night, winning 12-8 at St. Mary’s.

The Blue Devils (2-2) scored the first two goals of the game, then answered every time the host Rams tried to cut into the lead.

In the first quarter, the defense of Liam Neville and Rudy Buhlman had St. Mary’s out of sync and eventually set up those early tallies, which came off the sticks of Ryan Amesbury and Daniel Rowen.

Two Rams goals and a DHS net-finder from Sam Eaton in the final minute of the period had the Devils up 3-2 at the beginning of the second quarter.

Early in the period, Davis goalie Will McPherson made a save on a vicious outside shot, before face-off wins by Connal Hart led to goals from Willie Hawkins and Mark Bruemmer, among others, as the locals pushed their advantage to 7-3. When the Rams tried to cut into the deficit in the final minutes of the period, Sam Gellen joined Buhlman and Eaton in thwarting the attempts.

After the break, St. Mary’s briefly tightened the game up, but Rowen found Kian Reno for a tally, then scored himself on a pass from Bruemmer.

With the Blue Devils now ahead 9-5, the Rams’ attempts to come back were thwarted by DHS second-half goalie Vikram Prathap, who made two huge saves. Moments later, Clayton Johnson’s steal set up a goal by Hawkins — off of a Kevin Klenzendorf assist — and the locals surged into the fourth quarter with a 10-5 lead.

Final-period tallies from Amesbury and Bruemmer, who circled around the goal and converted, gave the Devils breathing room and the Davis defense — including one last big save by Prathap — held off the last desperate charge by St. Mary’s.

The Blue Devils got back on the winning track just in time for Break the Record Night on Friday at Ron & Mary Brown Stadium. DHS will try to break the program’s attendance mark as the locals host rival Jesuit at 7 p.m.