Cape senior Brenner Short scored two of his six goals in the first quarter of the No. 20 Vikings' victory over No. 15 Tatnall in the first round of the DIAA state tournament May 19. AARON R. MUSHRUSH PHOTOS
Vikings senior Grant Conway loads up for the first goal of the first-round contest.
Cape senior Ryan Morgan carries the ball toward X.
Vikings senior Braddock Smith looks to make some magic behind the cage.
I don't think the defense planned to give Brenner Short that much space, but they did, and he scored.
Cape senior Brenner Short throws a quick fake to get the goalie up in the air.
Vikings senior Brenner Short goes low after bringing the goalie up high.
Cape sophomore AJ Grapski launches in his first of five goals in the game.
Vikings senior Ryan Morgan scoops up a ground ball.
Cape sophomore Max Wyshock heads toward the box.
Vikings senior Grant Conway slices through a duo of Hornets en route to the goal.
Cape sophomore AJ Grapski cranks in a goal.
Viking senior Brenner Short barrels toward goal.
Cape senior Brenner Short carries the ball up top.
Give Vikings sophomore AJ Grapski space and you'll be defending a shot very quickly.
Cape senior Eric Uffelman passes the ball.
Vikings sophomore Channing Smith looks for options on the offensive end.
Cape senior Brenner Short contemplates his next move.
Vikings senior Grant Conway fires one in from distance.
Cape senior Grant Conway gets a touch in the box.
Vikings senior Brenner Short, left, celebrates with junior Carter Nemcic in the air while Grant Conway, left, and Liam Crotty slap hands.
Cape senior Grant Conway, left, and Brenner Short jump for joy.
Vikings senior Grant Conway changes plains on this overhead high to low goal.
Cape senior Brenner Short clears a path to the cup.
Vikings junior Patrick Little hops up for a save.
Cape seniro Grant Conway charges toward goal.
Cape senior Brenner Short scored two of his six goals in the first quarter of the No. 20 Vikings' victory over No. 15 Tatnall in the first round of the DIAA state tournament May 19. AARON R. MUSHRUSH PHOTOS
Vikings senior Grant Conway loads up for the first goal of the first-round contest.
Cape senior Ryan Morgan carries the ball toward X.
Vikings senior Braddock Smith looks to make some magic behind the cage.
I don't think the defense planned to give Brenner Short that much space, but they did, and he scored.
Cape senior Brenner Short throws a quick fake to get the goalie up in the air.
Vikings senior Brenner Short goes low after bringing the goalie up high.
Cape sophomore AJ Grapski launches in his first of five goals in the game.
Vikings senior Ryan Morgan scoops up a ground ball.
Cape sophomore Max Wyshock heads toward the box.
Vikings senior Grant Conway slices through a duo of Hornets en route to the goal.
Cape sophomore AJ Grapski cranks in a goal.
Viking senior Brenner Short barrels toward goal.
Cape senior Brenner Short carries the ball up top.
Give Vikings sophomore AJ Grapski space and you'll be defending a shot very quickly.
Cape senior Eric Uffelman passes the ball.
Vikings sophomore Channing Smith looks for options on the offensive end.
Cape senior Brenner Short contemplates his next move.
Vikings senior Grant Conway fires one in from distance.
Cape senior Grant Conway gets a touch in the box.
Vikings senior Brenner Short, left, celebrates with junior Carter Nemcic in the air while Grant Conway, left, and Liam Crotty slap hands.
Cape senior Grant Conway, left, and Brenner Short jump for joy.
Vikings senior Grant Conway changes plains on this overhead high to low goal.
Cape senior Brenner Short clears a path to the cup.
Vikings junior Patrick Little hops up for a save.
Cape seniro Grant Conway charges toward goal.No. 2 Cape fiercely defended its home turf with a 20-3 win over No. 15 Tatnall May 19 in the opening round of the boys' lacrosse state tournament.
The Hornets had trouble keeping up with the Vikings from the first whistle. Senior Grant Conway opened the scoring with the first of his three goals. Brenner Short tallied the next two goals and may have been the brightest star in a sky full of them in the game as the senior led the team with six goals and two assists. While a double hat trick is a heck of a number, the future Yale Bulldog scored his goals within the flow of the offense and was certainly looking to pass before unleashing one of his rockets.
Speaking of things slicing through the air, sophomore AJ Grapski scored a couple of goals in the first quarter, won by Cape 6-1, and went on to score five goals in the contest, mostly from outside snipes. Junior Liam Crotty also scored in a first quarter that set the tone for the rest of the contest.
Another eight goals in the second quarter gave the Vikings a 14-2 edge at the break. The Hornets stung first to start the third quarter, but it would be the last goal the stout defense would allow. Senior Mason Trench had three saves and junior Patrick Little recorded five saves in the dominating performance.
Cape scored the final six goals of the game to advance to the DIAA quarterfinals with a 20-3 win. Short, Grapski and Conway were joined in the hat trick club by senior Ryan Morgan, who led the relentless rides the Vikings executed against Tatnall’s clears. Junior Carter Nemcic and sophomore Grady Trivits each scored a goal in that final run.
Senior Braddock Smith’s two helpers tied Short and Conway’s team high. Matthew Popovich, Nemcic, Grapski, Max Wyshock and Marshall Keys also had assists. Sophomore Channing Smith was spectacular at the face-off X and successfully cleared the ball a few times by himself.
The Vikings will welcome No. 7 Newark Charter, which beat No. 10 Polytech 13-9 in the first round, to Legends Stadium for a quarterfinal match slated to begin at 12:30 p.m., Saturday, May 23.
Cape senior Brenner Short scored two of his six goals in the first quarter of the No. 20 Vikings' victory over No. 15 Tatnall in the first round of the DIAA state tournament May 19. AARON R. MUSHRUSH PHOTOS
Vikings senior Grant Conway loads up for the first goal of the first-round contest.
Cape senior Ryan Morgan carries the ball toward X.
Vikings senior Braddock Smith looks to make some magic behind the cage.
I don't think the defense planned to give Brenner Short that much space, but they did, and he scored.
Cape senior Brenner Short throws a quick fake to get the goalie up in the air.
Vikings senior Brenner Short goes low after bringing the goalie up high.
Cape sophomore AJ Grapski launches in his first of five goals in the game.
Vikings senior Ryan Morgan scoops up a ground ball.
Cape sophomore Max Wyshock heads toward the box.
Vikings senior Grant Conway slices through a duo of Hornets en route to the goal.
Cape sophomore AJ Grapski cranks in a goal.
Viking senior Brenner Short barrels toward goal.
Cape senior Brenner Short carries the ball up top.
Give Vikings sophomore AJ Grapski space and you'll be defending a shot very quickly.
Cape senior Eric Uffelman passes the ball.
Vikings sophomore Channing Smith looks for options on the offensive end.
Cape senior Brenner Short contemplates his next move.
Vikings senior Grant Conway fires one in from distance.
Cape senior Grant Conway gets a touch in the box.
Vikings senior Brenner Short, left, celebrates with junior Carter Nemcic in the air while Grant Conway, left, and Liam Crotty slap hands.
Cape senior Grant Conway, left, and Brenner Short jump for joy.
Vikings senior Grant Conway changes plains on this overhead high to low goal.
Cape senior Brenner Short clears a path to the cup.
Vikings junior Patrick Little hops up for a save.
Cape seniro Grant Conway charges toward goal.



