Bay Boys Lacrosse falls to Mentor despite Messmore’s four-goal effort

Bay Boys Lacrosse dropped a 9-6 decision to Mentor on Wednesday afternoon in Mentor, despite a strong push after an early deficit and another productive outing from John Messmore.

The Rockets were slow to start, a theme reflected in the game summary, but they battled back and stayed within reach behind Messmore’s four goals and one assist. Bay showed the kind of fight that kept pressure on Mentor as the match unfolded, even if the comeback never fully erased the early gap. Without a detailed quarter-by-quarter scoring log, the decisive stretch came in that opening phase, when Mentor built enough cushion to force Bay to chase the game the rest of the way.

Messmore accounted for five points in the loss and led the Rockets’ offense throughout the afternoon. Rocco Ereditario helped Bay generate extra possessions and second chances, finishing with two assists and a team-high 12 ground balls. His work in loose-ball situations was a major factor in keeping Bay competitive, particularly as the Rockets tried to flip momentum after the slow opening.

Bay also got a standout performance in goal from James Honicky, who recorded 15 saves. Honicky’s play gave the Rockets opportunities to settle in and respond, and it helped prevent the margin from growing larger against a Mentor attack that still finished with nine goals. The defensive effort, anchored by Honicky’s stops, gave Bay a chance to stay in striking distance into the later quarters.

In the end, the Rockets’ effort and fight were evident even in defeat. Bay finished with six goals, received key production from its leading scorers and possession players, and showed resilience after falling behind on the road. The result went to Mentor, but Bay’s response after the slow start, along with Messmore’s finishing, Ereditario’s ground-ball work and Honicky’s 15-save performance, offered clear bright spots from Thursday’s matchup.