Olmsted Falls’ 4-1 lead quickly evaporated against Riverside from the end of the first quarter to a 6-5 Bulldogs halftime deficit May 4. The retooled defending Division II state champion caught its offensive stride in the third quarter to score four goals in the third quarter and the defense played near lights-out for a 11-9 Bulldogs win. “We have been in close games all season. In my opinion, we have gotten blown out twice. We have been hanging in every single game,” Olmsted Falls coach Josh Piepenburg said. “In the third quarter, it’s always a game. We just have to put the pieces together. That’s what’s happening when you have a young team that is just learning how to play. (This win) is the fruit of their labor.” Riverside trailed, 11-8, with 1:24 left in the fourth quarter. Olmsted Falls played the rest of the game with a man down from an illegal body check. “(Riverside) made the effort. We made the right decisions. We watched scouts all week, and we made sure to lock in. … As soon as the lights shone brightest, we showed up,” Piepenburg said. The Beavers scored their only point of the fourth quarter from Dylan Lulow. They were unable to capitalize to force overtime. As Olmsted Falls played keepaway, it limited opportunities for Riverside. “We had different guys than usual running fast breaks. It was what had us have a couple of bad looks down on the other end. We played well. We just ran out of steam at the end,” Riverside coach Dan Adair said. At Olmsted Falls’ X, Jameson Demarco made an immediate impact to score two goals, with two assists in the first quarter. The Bulldogs led, 4-1. “We were going to attack the matchups that we liked and force them to make decisions,” Piepenburg said. “(DeMarco) is a great player (with his) left hand or right. He has been in the shadows of two great attackmen in the past. It is his time to shine, and he is getting after it.” DeMarco is a Division I college commit to Cleveland State. He continued to cause matchup problems and finished with a hat trick. “I really like to match up against the slower defenders,” DeMarco said. “The ones that are not good with their feet. They might have really good stick checks, but their feet are slower. I usually try to take those guys. … I like to move fast with my feet.” Riverside limited him in the after the first quarter. Olmsted Falls responded by using the other offensive talent, such as Jake Bill (four goals, one assist) and Aidan Toth (two goals, two assists). “Normally, I was taking (my opportunities) up-top, or on the wing and beat them with speed,” Bill said. Riverside’s leading scorer was Lulow, with a second quarter hat trick. Beavers’ middie Joe Mackey had two assists and a goal in the second quarter to help lead the charge. Olmsted Falls won its third straight game and improved to 8-7 and will host St. Edward on May 7. It will be one of the Bulldogs last three games of the regular season, as they aim to defend their Division II state championship. “They are playing great and it shows internal motivation,” Piepenburg said. “(This win) shows that we can beat good teams in the area. We wanted to get after it and make sure that we can compete. We have a really tough schedule. Our record doesn’t show the best, but we really want to go out there and prove that we are no joke. When you come to the Bulldogs’ home you are going to have a tough time.” Though Riverside was crowned champion of the Western Reserve Conference  in the same week, it lost its third game of the season for a 11-3 record. The Beavers will host Cathedral Prep on May 8. “I told the guys that it’s never fun to lose. I’d rather lose now than when we go into the playoffs. Eventually, we are going to have to go on the road and face a tough team, get off the bus and play,” Adair said. THE SCORE Olmsted Falls 11, Riverside 9