Lacrosse power Mountain Lakes hogs ball to top Bergen Catholic
Source: nj.com
TL;DR
- Mountain Lakes dominated possession to beat Bergen Catholic 11-7 in a top-20 lacrosse matchup.
- Lakers controlled the ball nearly 10 minutes in the first quarter, outshot Crusaders 52-26.
- Win marks ninth straight over Bergen Catholic, boosts Mountain Lakes to fourth consecutive victory.
The story at a glance
Mountain Lakes (No. 16, 4-1), a perennial lacrosse power, used long possessions to pull out an 11-7 road win over Bergen Catholic (No. 20, 4-2) in a North Jersey Interscholastic Lacrosse League-Gibbs Division game Wednesday in Oradell. Key contributors included Lawson Fagan with three goals and one assist, and Holden Gillespie with two goals and four assists. The game is reported now as part of early-season top-20 clashes highlighting possession strategies.
Key points
- Junior Jayden Hernando won the opening faceoff for a 2:40 possession ending in Fagan's goal off Gillespie's feed, setting the tone.
- Mountain Lakes held the ball almost 10 minutes in the first quarter to build a four-goal lead.
- Lakers led 8-3 at halftime after back-to-back goals by Vinny Cina in the final 58 seconds.
- Bergen Catholic trailed 10-5 after three quarters despite being outshot 46-12; they rallied late with 12 shots in the final eight minutes.
- Hernando won 13 of 19 faceoffs; Eli Forman had five saves; opponent Lucas Bucher made 15 saves.
- Other Mountain Lakes scorers: Hudson Chang, Carson Fitch, and Cina with two goals each.
- Bergen goals from Thomas Fobare (two) and Cole Bielen (one).
Details and context
Mountain Lakes turned the game into "Keep Away" by limiting Bergen Catholic's offensive chances early, forcing the Crusaders to battle from behind even when the score stayed close. Their defense was effective in short bursts rather than constant marking, while physical play and faceoff control kept possession high.[[1]](https://www.nj.com/highschoolsports/2026/04/perennial-lacrosse-power-hogs-possession-time-to-outlast-foe-in-key-top-20-clash.html)
This victory extends Mountain Lakes' streak to nine over Bergen Catholic, underscoring their road success against a hot opponent. Fagan, a Dartmouth commit, led the attack amid some new faces on the roster.
Key quotes
- "They were hootin’ and hollering, so we knew from the start we just wanted that first possession to be long. We’ve got a couple new faces out there," Lawson Fagan said.[[1]](https://www.nj.com/highschoolsports/2026/04/perennial-lacrosse-power-hogs-possession-time-to-outlast-foe-in-key-top-20-clash.html)
- "Our defense played really good, our goalie Eli (Forman) played really good, and, you know, we just physically dominated them," Fagan said.
Why it matters
Top-20 clashes like this shape early rankings and expose strengths in possession and defense for playoff runs. For North Jersey lacrosse fans and teams, it shows how controlling the ball wears down opponents in tight leagues. Watch Mountain Lakes' next games and Bergen Catholic's response for signs of adjustments.[[1]](https://www.nj.com/highschoolsports/2026/04/perennial-lacrosse-power-hogs-possession-time-to-outlast-foe-in-key-top-20-clash.html)