Kilbourne Boys LAX Adjusts to Being Targeted

Cory Spencer, James Meager and Charlie Bassani scored 37 seconds apart in the third quarter to lift Kilbourne to a 12-5 victory over Dublin Coffman on April 7.

Spurts like that, according to senior midfielder Conor Igoe, could carry Kilbourne this season.

"It shows us how big of an offense we have and how skillful we can be," said Igoe, whose team was 4-2 overall before playing New Albany last Wednesday. "Our coaches always tell us the game is all about runs and whoever keeps their run the longest is going to win the game."

First-year coach Drew May said the win over Coffman and a 16-6 win over Cleveland St. Ignatius last Saturday have helped the Wolves get past a rocky start.

Last season, Kilbourne won its first 10 games before losing to Bloomfield Hill (Mich.) Brother Rice 13-10. This year, the Wolves lost two of their first four games, matching their loss total from a year ago.

Kilbourne lost to Avon (Conn.) Old Farms 10-8 on March 27 and to Dublin Jerome 9-5 on April 3.

Igoe said being on the defending state championship team can be a challenge.

"It's really hard to go from being the hunter to be the hunted," Igoe said. "We have to be more pumped up from our hearts to beat teams."

"Any time you lose, it totally refocuses you," May said.

The Wolves, who were averaging 10.6 goals through six games, will have to play their best when they visit Detroit to take on Bloomfield Hills (Mich.) Brother Rice on Friday and Detroit Jesuit on Saturday.

Brother Rice, which is Michigan's defending Division I state champion, was 4-1 overall after losing to Winnetka (Ill.) New Trier 13-11 last Sunday. The Warriors are averaging 16 goals a game and have allowed an average of 6.4 per game. Last year, Kilbourne avenged a regular-season loss to Rice with a 9-8 win over the Warriors in the MSLCA A bracket semifinal.

Igoe was a big part of the Wolves' offense against Coffman. He scored two goals and assisted on a third, as Kilbourne outscored the Shamrocks 6-1 in the third quarter to break open a game that had been tied at 2 at halftime.

Igoe, a University of Jacksonville signee, had a breakout season last year, scoring 38 goals with 23 assists as an attacker. The senior was moved back to the midfield this season.

"(Igoe) gives us a different dynamic," May said. "He's not someone who can just blow right by you, but he's really shifty and will break your ankles. He will maneuver himself around you."

By PAUL BATTERSON,

Wednesday,  April 14, 2010 12:11 PM