TopLaxRecruits.com, Posted 4/28/17
Staff Report
Senior face-off specialist Anthony Giuliani went 16 of 20 at the X to spark La Salle (PA) to a 10-6 victory tonight over DeMatha (MD) in the 7th Annual Fallen Heroes Game at Banner Field at the Under Armour headquarters in Baltimore.
Anthony Giuliani
The game honors the memory of two true American heroes: First LT. Travis Manion (La Salle), who died in Iraq in 2007; and his best friend and roommate from the US Naval Academy, Navy SEAL, Lt. Brendan Looney (DeMatha), who died in Afghanistan in 2010.
When Travis died he was originally buried in a family plot near his hometown. However, after Brendan passed away, the decision was made to bury both men side by side at Arlington National Cemetery.
La Salle (11-1), ranked No. 1 by Phillylacrosse.com, has won nine straight games. DeMatha, of the DC WCAC, fell to 11-7.
Giuliani was named the winner of the prestigious Travis Manion award as the La Salle player that best exemplifies the spirit and determination shown throughout Travis’ life on the playing field and in service to his country.
“Playing in honor of Travis and Brendan is something that cannot exactly be put into words,” said Giuliani, committed to Penn. “Speaking on behalf of both teams, I think we are honored to even have the opportunity play on behalf of such respectable heroes.”
La Salle jumped to a 5-1 first-period lead behind the scoring of Matt Clibanoff (three goals) and Ethan LaMond (three goals), a junior Naval Academy commit. Chris Hladczuk and Brett Baskin each added two goals.
DeMatha did pull within 7-5 late in the third period, but Baskin made it 8-5 and Clibanoff and LaMond added tallies in the fourth quarter to make it 10-5.
“There were many reasons for our success today, but I believe it all boiled down to own thing, which I have mentioned already,” said Giuliani. “Recognizing the importance of this game and playing to the ability in which we knew Travis and Brendan would have, pushed us to try our hardest on every play.
“My personal success, at the X, can be attributed to the memory of the fallen warriors in which we were playing for, as well as my teammates. I knew I had to work hard, to the extent that I knew every one of them were working.”
La Salle 5-1-2-2- 10
DeMatha 1-1-3-1 – 6
La Salle
Chris Hladczuk 2g
Ethan LaMond 3g
Matt Clibanoff 3g
Brett Baskin 2g
Anthony Giuliani 16 of 20 FO