Montville — The theme of Tuesday’s Eastern Connecticut Conference boys’ lacrosse semifinals: start slow, finish fast.

Six-time defending conference champion East Lyme downed Stonington 17-7 in the opener at Montville High School.

“One thing I’d say our team struggles with is we start off slow, pretty slow, and then we start to pick things up,” East Lyme’s Sean Williams said. “We need to start firing right out of the gates.”

Waterford beat Bacon Academy for the third straight time in the nightcap, 8-5.

“We were putting in the effort and everything (in the first half), but we really needed (better) communication on the field,” Waterford’s Logan Bowdish said. “After the half, we started playing Waterford lacrosse. We were passing the ball, talking, moving, and getting it into the back of the net.”

The top-seeded Vikings (10-7) will host to No. 2 Waterford (16-1) in Thursday’s final at 7 p.m.

East Lyme beat the Lancers 10-7 on May 4 in their only meeting. It has had a stranglehold on the ECC, winning 12 of the last 13 titles, including last season’s 6-5 win over Waterford.

The Lancers fell behind 2-0 before they began methodically taking control. They scored five straight goals to lead 5-2 with over nine minutes left in the third quarter.

Waterford head coach Chris Landry credited the Bobcats for its slow start as well as having played its Senior Night on Monday against Griswold.

“Bacon is a very good program,” Landry said. “They’re well coached. At this point of the year, I don’t think it’s ultra-critical that you have practice before every game. Sometimes it doesn’t happen. Senior Night, we weren’t practicing our normal game plan that we would normally play. People aren’t playing their normal positions.

“Without making it a total excuse, it wasn’t our cleanest moment. But the score was 7-3 the last time we played them (May 16), so this is what we expected. We expected a tight game.”

Bray Griffith had two goals and an assist for Waterford and Justin Pezzolesi had a goal and two assists.

Kyle Cardoza added two assists for the Lancers and Bowdish scored twice.

East Lyme led fourth-seeded Stonington 3-2 with over eight minutes left in the second quarter when it scored four straight goals to end the first half.

The Vikings led by as much as 12-4 in the third quarter.

“It took us a little bit to get going,” East Lyme head coach Gary Wight said. “When things got rolling, we did pretty well. Sean (Williams) was seeing everyone. He played a balanced game both being the creator (five assists) and the finisher (six goals). He was seeing everybody.”

James McCoy had two goals and three assists for East Lyme and Matt Boguszewski and Conner Schofner both had two goals and two assists. Also, Matt Bauman had two goals and an assist and Mack Bentley added 12 saves.

David Bibeau had a goal and two assists for the Bears (11-6). Riley Burnside and Aaron Lahah both scored twice and Kenny Reid had eight saves.

“We played very well in the first (quarter),” Stonington head coach Dean Patty said. “I think our legs let out. (We have) a short bench, compared to East Lyme, which is a much larger school with a lot of talent.

“Some games, unfortunately, you’re outgunned.”

n.griffen@theday.com

2017 ECC AWARD WINNERS / BOYS' LACROSSE

Following is a list of the 2017 Eastern Connecticut Conference boys' lacrosse all-stars and sportsmanship award winners:

Division I

First team — Attack: Noah Reuling (Fitch), Sean Williams (East Lyme), James McCoy (East Lyme); Midfield: Matt Scahill (Ledyard), Matt Bogueszewski (East Lyme), Matt Bauman (East Lyme); Defense: Joshua Bernier (NFA), Nate Mansfield (Fitch), Andrew Noorigian (East Lyme); Long stick midfield: Ian Peitzsch (East Lyme); Short stick midfield: Isaiah Price (NFA); Face-off: Chris Ladyga (NFA); Goalie: Mack Bentley (East Lyme).

Honorable mention — Carter Ward (NFA), Jaedon Brown (NFA), Dalton Franco (East Lyme), Evyn Marquez (NFA), Larry Nolan (East Lyme), Andrew Alden (East Lyme), Christian Snodgrass (Fitch).

Sportsmanship award — Chris Catanzaro (East Lyme), Paul Panciera (Fitch), Cody Crawford (Ledyard), Braydon Golas (NFA).

Division II

First team — Attack: Bray Griffith (Waterford), David Bibeau (Stonington), Ethan Cuadro (Bacon); Midfield: Logan Bowdish (Waterford), Jack Feeley (St. Bernard/Wheeler), Nick DeDominicis (Stonington); Defense: Luke Barrs (Waterford), Spencer Hoagland (Waterford), Brian Egan (Bacon); Long stick midfield: Nick Reid (Stonington); Short stick midfield: Kevin Close (Waterford); Face-off: Sam Kury (Montville); Goalie: Allen Schroeder (St. Bernard/Wheeler).

Honorable mention — Kyle Cardoza (Waterford), Max Mueller (Stonington), Tyler Christianson (Bacon), Michael LaForte (Waterford), Pat Brady (St. Bernard/Wheeler), Dylan Heald (Bacon), Nick Tibbetts (Montville), Emmett Brady (St. Bernard/Wheeler), Jeff DeLapp (Stonington), Luther Wade (Waterford), Chris Consiglio (Bacon), Donny Davino (St. Bernard/Wheeler), Kenny Reid (Stonington).

Sportsmanship award — Tony Tyler (Bacon), Jimmy Arnold (Griswold), Woodie Pritchett (Montville), Anton Smith (St. Bernard/Wheeler), Jon Curtin (Stonington), Mason Mobley (Waterford).