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Still winning

The Bedford High School boys lacrosse team was expected to win Wednesday’s game against Merrimack, but the Tomahawks didn’t do themselves any favors.

The Bulldogs scored the first dozen goals of the game, leading 6-0 at the end of the first and 11-0 at halftime on the way to a 14-4 win in a Division II game in Bedford.

Merrimack (1-1) didn’t get on the board until the final 90 seconds of the third quarter, turning in a performance that left coach Brian Miller less than pleased.

“I was very disappointed with our effort in the first half,” Miller said. “I don’t think anyone who was here (Wednesday) saw what my team is really about. That was a different team and I’m not happy at all with how we played, but that’s not us.”

The Bulldogs (1-0) got five goals and three assists from Dan Colella while Dakota Clark added three goals and Tyler Sullivan had two goals and an assist. Patrick Simpson also had a goal and three assists and Samuel Stanton, Colby Gendron and Justin Irvine each added goal. Matt Howe added eight saves.

“It’s an important way to start the year,” Bedford coach Matt Guerard said. “I was very happy with the way we started the game. Leading up to that first goal we gave up, we were playing very good on offense and defense. Our clearing game was great, our riding game was great, so I’m very happy with the start of the game.”

The Bulldogs got on the board under three minutes into the game and scored three more times in the next four minutes. Then, in the final 2:48 of the first half, Bedford added three more goals and led 11-0 at the break, with Colella having a hand in seven of the goals.

“Dan Colella scored most of our goals, and he does a good job of being a quarterback back there,” Guerard said. “We don’t design the offense around any certain one guy. We design the offense around the set, around the six guys on the field, so the parts are interchangeable, but when he gets the ball on his stick, he’s dangerous. He’s shifty and smart. Other guys can step in and do the same.”

Merrimack’s Pierre Watt put his team on the board with 1:28 left in the third quarter and Connor Cyr, Matt Brewster and John Tiano each scored in the fourth quarter. Robby Todd made 13 saves, and the Tomahawks outscored Bedford 4-3 in the second half, but it was too late.

“At that point, the game had changed,” Miller said. “Substitutions are happening, and the effort changes, and it’s just a different game. I mean, it was 4-3 us. We were flat, super flat, the most flat we’ve ever been. Our guys are usually ready to go and excited to be here, and the atmosphere of playing a program like this got to us.”

“It’s week four and it’s a long road. If I were to bury my head in the sand, I guess I’d be a bad coach. We got to practice (Thursday) and work hard and get back at it.”