(Inside Lacrosse Photo: Jaclyn Borowski)

It’s only Feb. 8, and we already have a Goal of the Year candidate.

Johns Hopkins’ midfielder Joel Tinney broke the internet last night with this fake-flip goal that had Navy goalie Ryan Kern completely fooled.

Joel Tinney @5tinman21 fools everyone & scores on a hidden ball trick pic.twitter.com/sclLahKUwd — Lacrosse Film Room (@LaxFilmRoom) February 7, 2017

Tinney and midfielder John Crawley deserve all the praise for executing the first jaw-dropping goal of the ESPNU 2017 season, when they conspired on a fake-flip play in the early part of the third quarter of Tuesday’s 15-8 victory over Navy.

Johns Hopkins coach Dave Pietramala alluded postgame that it was Tinney and Crawley’s impromptu decision to call that play, and that he didn’t know what happened until after Tinney scored the goal.

“To be honest with you I didn’t see it. I was busy talking to someone on the sidelines,” Pietramala said. “I don’t even know if its coach [offensive coordinator Bobby] Benson’s call. I think it’s two guys just talking on the sidelines, they see something. It’s like a lob in basketball, it’s eye contact, and you throw it in the air and the guy dunks it. You go off to the sideline, talk about how they’re being played, say hey lets give this a try. Obviously it worked.”

Despite the video showing several Navy defensemen turning their heads to follow Crawley, Navy coach Rick Sowell said that his team knew where the ball was, they just didn’t communicate that to their goalie. Like Pietramala, Sowell said he didn’t see the play happen live.

“Everybody knew where the ball was except our goalie. Our goalie got fooled,” Sowell said. “There should be some communication to let him know who has the ball. I didn’t see it, or I’d be yelling at him. I didn’t see it, they just told me that everybody knew who had the ball except Ryan. So, why don’t we tell Ryan who has the ball. Usually we communicate. That was a pretty good play.”

The goal now enters the annals of notable fake-flip and/or hidden-ball trick goals.

Hopkins pulled off this hidden-ball goal back in the NCAA First Round in 2015.

One of the first viral hidden-ball scores was this one from Maryland back in 2011.

Kevin Cassese and Matt Striebel scored on this ‘old Canadian trick’ with the Philly Barrage vs. the Boston Cannons back in 2008.

And then there is this full-field hidden-ball play from Syracuse back in 2015 that even had the broadcasters fooled.

Finally, there’s this OT hidden-ball score from RIT in 2013 that sent RIT to the DIII title game.

In terms of viral Division I hidden-ball tricks, where do you think Tinney’s goal from Tuesday stacks up all-time?

POLL: In light of @5tinman21's goal from last night, what is your favorite viral hidden-ball trick from DI in recent years? — Dan Aburn (@danaburn2423) February 8, 2017



