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COQUITLAM, B.C (July 12, 2008) – The United States claimed its sixth consecutive International Lacrosse Federation (ILF) U-19 World Championship with a 19-12 victory over Canada in Saturday’s gold medal game before an estimated 3,400 fans at Percy Perry Stadium.

The U.S. finished 7-0 in the tournament and extended its all-time record in international competition to 36-0, dating back to the championships’ inception in 1988.

Team captain Craig Dowd (East Northport, N.Y./Northport HS/Georgetown ’10), Dean Gibbons (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City HS/Harvard ’11), and Nick Elsmo (Edgewater, Md/Severn HS/Virginia ’11) led the Americans with three goals each in Saturday’s victory.

"It was a lot of pressure. You try not to talk about it, but there is that pressure to win," said U.S. head coach Chuck Apel. "But the kids had a pretty good handle on it. It’s still lacrosse, and they’ve all played for a thousand years. It’s what they do best."

Team USA built a 7-3 first-quarter lead behind a series of extraordinary individual efforts, including two unassisted goals by Dowd. Six of the Americans’ first seven goals were unassisted.

Canada stormed back in the second quarter, scoring four unanswered goals within the first 10 minutes. Adam Jones (Canisius) used a one-handed cradle and dove as he scored to tie the game at 7 at the 10:48 mark.

Two minutes later, the U.S. answered. After Matthew MacKrides (Newton Square, Pa./Malvern Prep/Penn State '12) hit a pipe, the rebound caromed to Tony Mendes (Chapel Hill, N.C./East Chapel Hill/Maryland '11), who swung it to Elsmo. Elsmo split dodged, faked high and shot high to beat Canadian goalie Remington Steele (Robert Morris) and put the U.S back up by one. An extra-man goal by Mendes made it 9-7 at the 3:01 mark.

On Team USA’s final possession of the first half, Dowd found Josh Amidon (Lafayette, N.Y./Lafayette/Syracuse '11) on a feed from behind the goal with 34 seconds remaining. The U.S. led 10-7 at halftime.

Jones scored the third of his game-high five goals at the 16:57 mark of the third quarter as Canada closed within 10-8. The U.S. responded with three unanswered goals in the next three minutes by Ryan Young (Manhasset, N.Y./ Manhasset/Maryland '11), Elsmo and Gibbons to take a 13-8 lead.

Jones tallied two more goals, the second of which came on a delayed penalty against Ghitelman with 6:12 remaining in the third quarter. In a critical man-down sequence for Team USA, backup goalie Tyler Fiorito (Phoenix, Md./McDonough/Princeton '12) made a point-blank stop on Jones, then stuffed Jones high once the penalty expired.

Team USA led 14-11 after three periods before outscoring the Canadians 5-1 in the final quarter. Tim Donovan (Parkton, Md/Loyola Blakefield/Johns Hopkins ’11) scored twice and Gibbons and Dowd each recorded their third goal in the decisive final quarter.

Mendes (Chapel Hill, N.C./East Chapel Hill HS/Maryland ’11), Donovan and Rhamel Bratton (Huntington, N.Y./Huntington HS/ Virginia ’11) finished with two goals apiece for the U.S. Specialist Matthew Dolente (Phoenixville, Pa./Malvern Prep/Johns Hopkins '11) won 22 of 30 faceoffs, including five straight in the fourth quarter, and added his first goal of the tournament. 

Adam Ghitelman (Syosset, N.Y./Cold Spring Harbor/Virginia) finished with 19 saves in goal for Team USA.

In addition to Jones' five goals, seven other players contributed one goal each for Canada. Goalies Remington Steele (9s) and Jason Crawford combined for 13 saves.

The Iroquois Nationals won the third-place game by defeating England 19-10.


U.S. Goals
Dean Gibbons 3, Nick Elsmo 3, Craig Dowd 3, Anthony Mendes 2, Tim Donovan 2, Rhamel Bratton 2, Ryan Young 1, Matthew Dolente 1, Andrew Feinberg 1, Josh Amidon 1

U.S. Assists
Dowd 2, Young 2, Mendes 1, Donovan 1

All-World Team

A Craig Dowd (USA)
A Emmett Printup (Iroquois)
A Jayson Card (Canada)
M Kevin Crowley (Canada)
M Adam Jones (Canada)
M Matt Dolente (USA)
D Brock Sorenson (Canada)
D Peter Fallon (USA)
D Jason Johns (Iroquois)
G Adam Ghitelman (USA)

Most Outstanding Attackman - Craig Dowd (USA)
Most Outstanding Midfielder - Matt Dolente (USA)
Most Outstanding Defenseman - Peter Fallon (USA)
Most Outstanding Goalkeeper - Adam Ghitelman (USA)

Most Outstanding Player - Adam Jones (Canada)