Top Playmakers in Landon's OT Win Over Gonzaga

Landon took down Gonzaga in a thrilling 9-8 overtime win on Monday afternoon in Bethesda. The Eagles threw everything they had at the one-loss Bears in hopes of pulling off the upset.   Defensively, Gonzaga came in with a game plan. The Eagles double-poled Landon's midfielders, constantly changed looks between man-to-man, zone, and hybrid defenses, and applied relentless pressure with a fierce 10-man ride that tested Landon's poise and execution. Despite the disruption, Landon found a way to weather the storm.   In the end, it was the Bears' key playmakers who rose to the occasion. Goalie [player_tooltip player_id='127283' first='Stephen' last='Riso'] stood tall in the cage with clutch saves, while [player_tooltip player_id='23674' first='Sean' last='Murray'] and [player_tooltip player_id='127316' first='Jonas' last='Hawkins'] sparked the offense with timely dodges, smart ball movement, and patience under pressure. [player_tooltip player_id='125772' first='Devin' last='Stewart'] delivered key goals, including the overtime winner, and [player_tooltip player_id='127285' first='Logan' last='Cassidy'] anchored the defense with physical, lockdown play.   It was a complete team effort and a gritty win that showed why Landon remains one of the top teams in the country.    Stephen stood tall in front of a homemade sign that read “Stone Wall Riso”, an apt description of his performance that day. Set to attend TCU, the senior posted an impressive 70% save percentage, racking up 19 stops to anchor his team. Gonzaga's relentless 10-man ride challenged both his stick skills and decision-making, but Riso remained composed under pressure, consistently making the right reads and clears. The defining moment came in overtime, after Gonzaga used a timeout to draw up a final play. With the game on the line, Caleb Oliver came barreling down the alley—but Riso wasn't fazed. He made a massive save when his team needed him most, sealing a statement win and proving why the “Stone Wall” nickname was well-earned.     Devin, a natural righty, showcased a new weapon in his arsenal: his left hand. He scored two goals on the day — both with his left, proving just how much his off-hand has developed. One of his most impressive moments actually came before his first goal. In the third quarter, he dodged a pole, rolled back to his left, and launched a jump shot aimed at the goalie's off-stick hip. It was a high-level play, but the goalie made an equally impressive save. Devin wouldn't be denied for long. Later that quarter, he attacked down the alley with his right, rolled back left, and fired a low sidearm shot that found the back of the net. The Penn commit consistently showed speed, dynamic changes of pace, and a physical edge that set him apart throughout the game, and those traits were on full display in overtime. With the game on the line, Devin caught the ball in his right, dodged to the middle, split to his left hand, and buried a perfectly placed shot to the off-stick hip, sealing the win in style.     Landon relies on [player_tooltip player_id='127285' first='Logan' last='Cassidy'] to do it all: lock down the opposing team's top threat, play the role of the bruiser, and push the tempo by causing chaos in their ten-man ride. The Penn commit delivered on every front in a high-stakes matchup against Gonzaga. Tasked with covering Rutgers commit [player_tooltip player_id='18839' first='JM' last='Costa'], Cassidy held him in check until Costa left the game with an injury. Known for his relentless on-ball pressure, Cassidy makes life miserable for dodgers, constantly on their hands, never giving them an inch. He's the kind of defender who forces opponents out of rhythm and into mistakes. Cassidy also brought the physical edge Landon counts on, putting multiple Eagles on the turf with clean, punishing hits. Whether he was locking down matchups or creating disruption in the ride, Cassidy left his mark all over the field.     The uncommitted junior showcased his full offensive arsenal — dodging, feeding, and finishing — in a tough loss to Landon. In the second quarter, he popped off the crease, took a feed from [player_tooltip player_id='18839' first='JM' last='Costa'], and buried a shot to the off-stick high corner. Keeler stole the show for the Eagles in the fourth quarter. With goals hard to come by, the Eagles found a spark by isolating Keeler against Landon's short-stick defensive midfielders. He took advantage of the matchup, notching his second goal of the day on a sharp dodge from behind the cage. Landon adjusted by sliding early to Keeler, but he made them pay—finding a wide-open Cullen Larrabee for a step-down shot that tied the game. Whether scoring himself or setting up teammates, Keeler proved he could be a go-to playmaker when it mattered most.     The Yale commit was a standout not only in the Eagles' man-to-man and zone defenses but also between the lines, making key plays on the wing during faceoffs and wreaking havoc in their ten-man ride. Cicotello acted as the Eagles' ultimate chess piece when they threw everything but the kitchen sink at Landon. It felt like every time the Bears turned the ball over, Cicotello was somehow involved-disrupting passing lanes, applying pressure, or scooping up ground balls. After the Eagles tied the game in the fourth quarter, Coach King sent Cicotello up to the wing for the ensuing faceoff, and the move paid off immediately. While he may not be the most athletic defender on the field, Cicotello more than makes up for it with his physicality, high IQ, and elite anticipation. He was everywhere the Eagles needed him to be, and then some.

Landon took down Gonzaga in a thrilling 9-8 overtime win on Monday afternoon in Bethesda. The Eagles threw everything they had at the one-loss Bears in hopes of pulling off the upset.