Portsmouth boys lacrosse cruises in win over rival Middletown

MIDDLETOWN – There won’t be a need for a playoff victory to make up for a regular-season sweep this time.

Portsmouth made sure of that Friday, May 8, against rival Middletown. The Patriots were on the wrong end twice against the Islanders last spring before solving them in late May on the way to the Division II boys lacrosse title round.

There was no such mystery on this occasion under the lights at Gaudet Field. Rafe Dionne and Teddy Gersen were sharp in attack from the opening faceoff as Portsmouth zipped to a 10-3 win over Middletown.

Rafe Dionne (3), Portsmouth boys lacrosse

Dionne collected six goals and Gersen added a hat trick to go along with an assist on a Luke Brandariz goal. The Patriots needed less than three minutes to take the lead for good, peppering Islanders keeper Corey Chiodo with early shots and eventually building a comfortable cushion.

“We really wanted to beat them,” Dionne said. “We knocked them out of the playoffs last year – they beat us twice before that. So we really came out here with extra drive today to give it to them.”

Dionne rattled off four straight to begin his night and Gersen struck twice to make it a 6-2 game into the break. Dionne fired home two more in the third quarter as Portsmouth stretched it to a five-goal advantage that was never threatened. Jack Colna made four of his seven saves in the second quarter to prevent Middletown from making an early move.

“We definitely lost some guys due to graduation, but we’re still the same team as we were last year,” Gersen said. “Definitely can make a run deep in the playoffs.”

Gersen’s first two goals came after the Islanders made it a 4-2 game in the second quarter. Jackson Brower fed Grayson Hawkins for a bounce shot in front after just 30 seconds and Matt Stevens ripped one home from distance with 3:18 left to pull Middletown within striking distance. Gersen needed just 18 seconds to answer after flashing out from behind the net and the Patriots reclaimed the momentum into the break.

“I have a bunch of great guys around me and I love all my teammates,” Gersen said. “They do a lot for us.”

The Islanders (5-5) are entering a gauntlet in their schedule that includes East Greenwich, Westerly, a rematch with Portsmouth and Division I Pilgrim over their next four matches. Middletown would currently be ticketed for a semifinal meeting with the Patriots but has work to do before the postseason arrives later this month.