The future is now for Robbinsville boys lacrosse.
Despite entering the season with one of the youngest rosters in recent program history, the Ravens have never lost sight of their expectations: compete hard in the Colonial Valley Conference and make a legitimate run in the state playoffs. On Wednesday afternoon at the Steven J. Mayer Athletic Complex, they took the first bold step toward that goal — and did it in emphatic fashion.
Fifth-seeded Robbinsville dismantled 12th-seeded Sterling, 19-4, in the opening round of the South Jersey Group II tournament, combining high-octane offense with swarming defense to make a definitive postseason statement.
Next up: a quarterfinal clash against CVC rival and fourth-seeded Allentown on Monday — and Robbinsville has every intention of keeping the momentum rolling.
🗓️ Next Game: Monday vs. Allentown
📍 Where: At Allentown
🏆 What’s at Stake: Quarterfinals of the South Jersey Group II Boys Lacrosse Tournament
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🔥 Young Guns, Big Game
Head coach John Demkovitz has guided Robbinsville to four state tournament wins in his seven seasons, but this year’s victory felt different — not because of who they beat, but because of how they did it.
“We’ve been focused on building something all season,” said Demkovitz. “We wanted to play playoff-level lacrosse before the playoffs actually started, and it’s starting to show.”
Robbinsville entered the postseason battle-tested. After finishing the regular season with a gauntlet of tough opponents — including heavyweights like Southern, Clearview, and Haddonfield — the Ravens came out on Wednesday both fearless and prepared.
Seven players scored goals. Eleven contributed points. Robbinsville wasn’t just relying on one star — they played as a complete, cohesive unit.
🌟 Embley & Alexander Lead the Charge
Among the many standout performances, junior Nolan Embley and sophomore Jack Alexander lit up the scoreboard with identical stat lines: five goals and two assists each, matching their season highs in points.
“Jack and Nolan have put in the work day in and day out. They’re the type of players who don’t always show up in the stat sheet, but they do all the little things right,” Demkovitz said. “Now that the goals are falling, it’s great to see that hard work pay off.”
Senior leader Liam Butler also showed up in a big way, tallying four goals and an assist to push his team-leading point total to 77 on the season. His presence drew defenders, opening up lanes for Robbinsville’s younger attackers to make plays.
Also adding to the offensive explosion:
- Freshman Travis Sikorski: 2 goals
- Sophomore AJ Hanuscin: 1 goal, 2 assists
- Junior Kyle Strand and freshman Ryder Horan: 1 goal each
💪 Dominance Across the Field
The only moment of vulnerability for Robbinsville came late in the first quarter when Sterling strung together three straight goals to briefly tie the game at 3-3. But instead of panicking, the Ravens responded with poise.
Sikorski dodged his way through defenders and fired a momentum-shifting goal with just 17 seconds left in the quarter, reclaiming the lead. From that point forward, Robbinsville slammed the door shut — outscoring Sterling 16-1 the rest of the way and not allowing a single shot on goal in the second quarter.
Much of that dominance came thanks to sophomore Max Guzicki, who won 17 of 25 faceoffs, keeping possession firmly in Robbinsville’s favor.
“When we win faceoffs and move the ball with pace, we can play with anybody,” said Demkovitz. “Once we settled down and cleaned up the details, we got into our rhythm and never looked back.”
📊 Final Stats Recap
Final Score: Robbinsville 19, Sterling 4
Shots on Goal: Robbinsville 46, Sterling 12
Faceoffs: Robbinsville won 17 of 25
Goalie Saves:
- Robbinsville’s Anthony Savoca – 5
- Sterling’s Hoffman – 5
Robbinsville Goal Scorers:
- Jack Alexander (5), Nolan Embley (5), Liam Butler (4), Travis Sikorski (2), AJ Hanuscin (1), Kyle Strand (1), Ryder Horan (1)
Assists Leaders:
- Giordano (3), Alexander (2), Embley (2), Hanuscin (2), Butler (1), Truglio (1), Strand (1), Inverso (1)
🏆 On to the Next One
The journey continues Monday as Robbinsville faces off against a familiar foe: Allentown, a CVC rival with plenty of firepower. It’s a showdown that promises grit, emotion, and high stakes — everything that defines high school playoff lacrosse in New Jersey.
For a team that’s still finding its identity, Robbinsville’s ceiling seems to rise higher every game. They’re not just playing to win — they’re playing to prove that youth can lead, and the future isn’t something to wait for… it’s already here.
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