CREVE COEUR – After an early season victory, Chaminade head coach received a congratulatory handshake from former CBC coach Eddie Condon, along with an astute observation.
“He said our team nickname should be ‘Chaos,’ because we just live in it and love it,” Spink said. “It was kind of a moment of revelation where I was like, ‘Yeah, we do live in it, and it’s a lot of fun.’”
James Tighe scored five goals and the Chaminade midfielders wreaked havoc all over the field as the Red Devils defeated De Smet 12-4 Thursday in a Metro Catholic Conference showdown at Don Olhms Field.
Historically, De Smet has been the thorn in the side of Chaminade, winning 21 of 27 matchups. The Spartans had won the previous seven meetings – four by a one-goal margin – and defeated the Red Devils in the state semifinals in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
“Typically, it’s been in the playoffs and it’s always a heartbreaker,” Spink said of the recent history with the Spartans. “It feels really good to get this one.”
With the win, Chaminade (6-0, 3-0 MCC) stands atop the MCC race in pursuit of its first conference title since 2011. The Red Devils already earned victories over SLUH and CBC, and with a win over Vianney (2-2) on Tuesday, they will clinch their second conference title since the inception of the lacrosse program in 2004.
“This has been a very special run for us, and it’s still just April,” Spink said.
‘Run’ is an apt word to describe the feverish pace at which Chaminade played Thursday. The Red Devils’ relentless pursuit of De Smet ball carriers prompted errant passes and ground ball situations, which Tighe vacuumed into his stick.
“A lot of loose balls early, and I had to come up with them,” Tighe said.
A trio of ground ball collections by Tighe led to goals by Ryan Benedict and Ethan Avery as Chaminade took a 2-0 lead less than three minutes into the game.
“I’ve always been keen to put pressure on teams, and this year, we truly have guys across the board who have bought into that as our mentality. We create a lot of turnovers in the rides we’re creating,” Spink said.
The speed of the Chaminade midfielders prevented De Smet from attempting a shot over the first seven minutes. Meanwhile, sophomore Ty Haegele haggled and harangued Spartans’ goalie Peyton Hoerz as he tried to advance the ball out of danger.
“We’re all grit,” Haegele said. “We really wanted this win.”
De Smet finally set up shop in the offensive zone and junior Alex Kelly capitalized, depositing a shot on the run for his team-high 15th goal of the season. The Spartans earned a man-up situation shortly thereafter and started to change momentum.
But chaotic Chaminade showed it could also live in composure. After killing off the penalty, sophomore Cooper St. Eve scored on a straight-line drive to the crease. Tighe gobbled up a ground ball, took a hit and scored to increase the lead to 4-1.
Another possible Chaminade derailment occurred at the end of the first quarter when De Smet freshman Landon Dieck launched a shot that barely the beat the first quarter buzzer. After discussion, the goal was awarded and the Spartans received another boost of momentum heading into the second quarter.
But Chaminade, led by its 17 seniors, remained unfazed.
“That is definitely one of the biggest surprises this year, the maturation of our senior leaders from last year to this year. They have taken control of that space and have bought into it,” Spink said.
Off a restart, Haegele emerged from behind the cage, utilized a pick and flicked a backhand past Hoerz. Moments later, he retrieved an errant De Smet pass and converted again, staking Chaminade to a 6-2 halftime lead.
Haegele consistently used the area behind the net to create scoring opportunities, either for himself or for his teammates slicing to the goal.
“A lot of cross-crease cuts, which are perfect for me,” Haegele said. “When I come up from behind the net, (my teammates) are always right there.”
In the second half, Tighe changed his occupation from ground ball collector to rocket launcher. He fired a 22-yard, lefty missile that clanged the pipe before entering the goal. The echo and reverberation were still felt during the ensuing faceoff.
Less than a minute later, Tighe scored on a breakaway. Then, he snuck a 15-yard zinger short side to complete a personal, three-goal barrage in a 2 minute 8 second span.
“I’m moving off-ball, always looking for open space. I don’t force anything. I just wait for my shot,” said Tighe, who leads Chaminade with 16 goals.
Tighe, an accomplished golfer who carries 290 yards with his drives, likens his lacrosse shot to his tee shot with one exception.
“The ball comes off my golf club faster,” Tighe said.
Chaminade entered the field pregame to the sound of bagpipes – part of a calmer, quieter, locker room environment that suits Tighe just fine.
“I like it,” Tighe said. “I grew up playing golf my entire life, so I’ve always tried to stay as calm and collected as I could.”
And that perfect mixture of composure and chaos has propelled Chaminade to a brilliant start this season.
“We had some really tough competition early, we got into conference play early, and we were able to build that trust right away. It was a perfect storm for us to continue this run,” Spink said.
Haegele added, “We’re rolling, and we’re excited for what this season will be.”
For a photo gallery from this game, visit: https://benvessa.smugmug.com/2024-Boys-Lacrosse/Boys-Lacrosse-2026/De-Smet-at-Chaminade-4-9-26