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La Salle tops Manheim, wins final Keystone Cup

By Chris Goldberg & Matt Blymier
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 6/7
   MILLERSVILLE – It clearly was not the most impressive performance in a season that featured 31 victories - with some of them for the ages.
    But Friday night at Comet Field, La Salle finished off a season that won’t soon be forgotten as it held off Manheim Township, 7-5, to claim the final Keystone Cup boys’ lacrosse championship.
    The win capped a 31-2 season for the Explorers, who last won the crown in 2004. Manheim finished 19-9.
    The title was the last of an era in which every team in the state was eligible for the “true” state championship. Next year the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) takes over jurisdiction of boys’ lacrosse and teams from the powerful Inter-Ac League will not be involved because they are not PIAA members.
    Since 2000, the champion of the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (EPSLA) has played the winner of the western and central regions for the Keystone Cup. To reach the Keystone Cup game, La Salle had to beat Inter-Ac powers Haverford School (7-6 in double-overtime) and nationally-ranked Malvern Prep (4-3).
    The Explorers, who were ranked seventh in the latest STX/Inside Lacrosse National High School Rankings, jumped to a 5-2 halftime lead but saw Manheim draw within 6-5 early in the fourth quarter.
    La Salle, though, got a key insurance goal from Peter Schwartz and held on for the final minutes as post-season hero Niko Amato (14 saves) continued his excellence in goal.
    “I think we were a little flat,” said La Salle junior Randy Forster, who led the attack with three goals. “I guess we were a little tired, that's not really an excuse. We pulled it out in the end." (CONTINUE)

Explorers, Manheim meet for state championship

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, posted 6/6
    La Salle has captured the Catholic League championship and the final Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (EPSLA) title.
    Tonight at 7:30 the Explorers (30-2) shoot for the last piece of the puzzle when they meet Manheim Township at Comet Field in Millersville for the last Keystone Cup crown.
    La Salle (30-2) is gunning for its first state title since 2004. The Explorers advanced by edging top-seeded Malvern Prep, 4-3, Tuesday in the EPSLA finals.
    Manheim Township (19-8) won the Central Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (CPSLA) title and then handled western region champion Mt. Lebanon, 11-4, in the Keystone Cup semifinals Tuesday. The Blue Streaks appeared in the Keystone finals in 2006, but were dumped by Malvern Prep, 15-5.
    The Blue Streaks are led by middies Chris Zielinski (Colgate signee) and Danny Wertz (52 goals), attacker Conner DuBois (35 goals) and defender/face-off specialist Nick Sizemore. Zielinski, who had three goals in the win against Mt. Lebanon and has 65 in all, was named the CPSLA Player of the Year and recently earned All-American honors.
    Also for Manheim, Chris Gorham is a solid goalie and freshman Quint Miller has emerged as a major scoring threat. Another talented freshman is Mark Stratton, the younger brother of Tim Stratton – who graduated last year after setting a national career scoring record of 589 points.
    Junior DuBois is the younger brother of John DuBois, who scored 118 goals last year and went to Towson University this year along with Tim Stratton.
    La Salle features five All-Americans, including EPSLA tourney MVP Niko Amato, a junior goalie who made the key saves in Tuesday’s title-clincher and has committed to Maryland. Other All-Americans are middies Conrad Ridgway (Penn State signee) and Peter Schwartz, defender Tucker Durkin (junior commited to Bucknell) and long-stick middie Tyler Knarr.
    Knarr – a strong defender and face-off specialist who has commitetd to Georgetown - went down six weeks ago with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee, but La Salle has found two players to fill his spot. Junior Tyler Houchins has joined Durkin, junior Mike Noone and senior Eric Heisner on the defensive side and junior Derek Bogorowski has filled the hole on the face-offs.
    Also on offense, La Salle has great balance with juniors Westy Hopkins and Randy Forster (committed to Penn State) and freshman Kevin Forster while senior Matt Lynch is a key at midfield.
    The Keystone Cup will be retired after the season. Next year the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) takes over jurisdiction of boys’ lacrosse and will institute a state-wide tournament with one classification. La Salle will become a PIAA member next year along with the rest of the Catholic League.
    NOTES – The field in Millersville is located at 101 Wabank Road. The stadium, which is new and has turf, seats 1,000 spectators in the stands and is situated in a bowl so many more fans can sit comfortably with a good view.

Explorers earn ticket to Keystone Cup finals

By Ben Skalina
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 6/4
    Winning ain’t always pretty.
    Tuesday night at Garnet Valley, La Salle exemplified that cliché as it used a gutsy effort from its defense and continued fine goalkeeping from Niko Amato to hold on for a 4-3 win over Malvern Prep in the last-ever Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association championship game.
    “We talk about being resilient; resilient in life, resilient in lacrosse,” La Salle coach Bill Leahy said. “We’ve been through adversity by losing (standout) Tyler Knarr, and they always bounce back.”
    La Salle’s first EPSLA title since 2004 was also a result of strong goaltending and the way the Explorers’ defense of Eric Heisner, Mike Noone, Tucker Durkin and long-stick middie Tyler Houchins shut down the explosive Friars in the biggest game of the year.
    The victory vaults the Explorers (30-2) into the Keystone Cup game Friday night against central champion Manheim Township – an 11-4 winner over western region Mt. Lebanon Tuesday – at Penn Manor High (7:30).

    Malvern trailed 2-1 at halftime from Peter Schwartz and Kevin Forster’s goals that preceded Matt Mackrides’ crafty goal from a groundball scrum.

    The Friars’ managed just 13 shots and one goal through the first three quarters, and scored just twice in the fourth quarter despite a 15-shot barrage.
    When Malvern’s shots were on the cage, the junior Amato (Tournament MVP) answered the call for his team, making four of his eight saves in crunch time. (CONTINUE)

Cougars top Pats for 3rd straight Class AA title

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 6/3
    Springfield-Delco coach Keith Broome laughed after being reminded that he could only name four definite starters just before the season began.
    The Cougars – who lost nearly all of their starters from a 21-0 team - may have been an unknown quantity back then. But Tuesday night at Marple Newtown they completed a rare hat trick by defeating Great Valley, 13-11, for a third straight District One Class AA championship.
    Madison Poplawski scored four goals and Sam Tajirian added three while goalie Meghan Kearney turned aside seven shots as Springfield (19-3) scored four unanswered goals to late in the first half and early in the second half to build a 10-6 lead.
    “I have to be honest, at the beginning of the season we did not know who our 12 starters were,” Broome said. “We had graduated so many and we knew we had a large group of juniors coming up to go with our seniors. And they just played good as a unit.”
    Rebecca Hartrum and Sam Tulskie each added two goals for Springfield-Delco while Shannon Burns and Aly Adams scored once. Shannon Doyle played strong defense
    “We have a ton of momentum and we know this is our goal every year – to win the championship,” said Kearney. “We don’t have any other goal.”
    Emily Ellisen led the Patriots with four goals and Keelin Hood added three while Kim Wenger scored two goals. Colleen O’Malley and Haley Sheehan added one tally apiece.
    The Cougars took control of the game when Poplawski and Hartrum scored late in the first half to break a 6-6 deadlock. Poplawski and Burns then scored early in the second half to make it 10-6 and Great Valley never got within a goal the rest of the way as the Cougars’ speed and defensive pressure wore the Pats down. (CONTINUE) 

Raiders top Rustin, finish off perfect 23-0 season

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 6/3
    Many have called this team one of the best in Philadelphia history. Maybe it took a serious challenge from a game Bayard Rustin to learn how good Radnor actually is.
    The Red Raiders rallied form first-half deficits of 5-0 and 8-4 Tuesday to defeat the Golden Knights, 15-11, and claim the District One Class AAA championship at Marple Newtown.
    The win capped a 23-0 season for Radnor, which won its first district crown since 2003.
    “I knew we were going to win,” said Radnor senior Molly Early. “Our motto is confident, not cocky. I knew we’d pull through because I believe in every one of our players.”
    Gabby Miller, Kelly Barnes and Brooke Campbell led a balanced Radnor attack with three goals apiece. Early and Sam Ellis had two each while Kelyn Freedman and Allie Martin added one each.
    Second-seeded Bayard Rustin (17-3) came out strong and seized a 5-0 lead in the first four-and-a-half minutes. The Knights led, 8-4, until Campbell scored two goals in the final minute of the opening half.
    Radnor then scored six of the first seven goals of the second half, winning nearly every draw control.
    “She (coach Phyllis Kilgour) said, ‘You guys are better, play your game,’” Early said of her coach’s halftime speech. “We started playing our game in transition. Then we settled down the attack and the draw controls were so crucial.”
    Allison Tatios and Leanna Brewer each scored four goals for Rustin while Alyssa Gallen added two and Morgan Holbrook scored once. Kelsey Sward had 11 saves.
    “You know as well as I do, you can’t score if you don’t have the ball,” said Rustin coach Dale Watkins. “I just think my kids worked very hard this season and deserved to be here. They’re disappointed, but they shouldn’t be.” (CONTINUE)

Three championship games set for Tuesday

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 6/3
    Championship day has arrived.
    Tonight at two venues, three Philly champions will be crowned in boys’ and girls’ lacrosse.
    At Garnet Valley High (7:30), top-seeded Malvern Prep (21-2) meets second-seeded La Salle (29-2) for the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (EPSLA) title and a chance to play Friday for the Keystone Cup title.
Meanwhile, at Marple Newtown High, two District One girls’ championship games will be held. First at 6:00 in the Class AA final, top-seeded Great Valley (19-3) meets second-seeded Springfield-Delco (17-3).
    Then, at 8:00 in Class AAA, top-seeded and undefeated Radnor (22-0) squares off against second-seeded Bayard Rustin (17-2).
    The boys’ title game has extra meaning because it is the final EPSLA game ever. Next year the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) takes over jurisdiction of boys’ lacrosse and one overall state champion will be crowned – without the powerful Inter-Ac League, which is not a member of the PIAA.
    On Friday, the winner of the EPSLA will meet the winner of tonight’s game between the Central Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association champion (Manheim Township) and Western Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (Mt. Lebanon).
    That game, in essence, will be for the final “true” state champion the state may have in any sport.
    The games tonight not only are between the two top-seeded teams, they feature the top-ranked teams in the Phillylacrosse.com polls. Malvern unseated La Salle as the top-ranked team in the boys’ poll four weeks ago and Radnor has been No. 1 for eight weeks, taking over for Springfield-Delco, now No. 3. Rustin is ranked second and Great Valley is ranked fourth. (CONTINUE)

Great Valley gains revenge over Unionville

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/31
    Great Valley had no trouble getting prepared for today’s District One Class AA semifinal game against Unionville.
    The Patriots were still smarting over the 15-14 overtime loss to the Indians May 14, a defeat that cost them a share of the Ches-Mont League American Conference title.
    Then, after Unionville defeated Villa Maria Academy in the quarterfinals, Indians coach Wendy Landry told the media, “Bring it on,” as a reference to the challenge of a third meeting between the squads.
    Great Valley came to West Chester East bearing freshly printed t-shirts that said, “Bring it on.” And that’s what the Pats did in a 13-6 victory that vaulted them into Tuesday’s title game (6 p.m.) against Springfield-Delco at Marple Newtown
    “We got these shirts made and came to bring it,” said Great Valley senior tri-captain Kim Wenger, who led the attack with five goals. “We played the whole game like we were down one and we were not going to let them back in.”
    In the last game, Unionville rallied from an 11-5 halftime deficit. This time, the Indians did come back from a 5-1 hole and trailed only 6-4 at halftime, but the Pats tallied six straight goals in the second half to take control.
    Emily Ellisen added four goals for Great Valley and Keelin Hood scored twice. Stephanie Berger also made 10 saves in goal.
    “There was definitely a revenge factor,” GV coach Joe Tornetta said. “We lost a bad game, we felt, to them last time. Wendy erally gets these kids to fight to the end. But the senior captains – Emily, Keelin and Kim - had these kids ready to play today and I’m proud of the job they did behind them.”
    Kalyn McDonough led Unionville (12-8) with two goals and an assist and goaie Melissa Lloyd made 11 stops.
    “We just seemed to be a step behind them the whole game,” said Landry. “You can’t be a step behind a team as good as Great Valley. I give credit to Great Valley, but I don’t know what we were waiting for.”
Springfield-Delco 10, Strath Haven 7
    Madison Poplawski, Rebecca Hartrum and Valerie Paolucci each scored three goals and the second-seeded Cougars (18-3) led form start to finish as they toppled the third-seeded Panthers (18-4). (CONTINUE)

Buzzer-beaters lift La Salle past Haverford, 7-6

By Ben Skalina
Phillylacrosse.com, posted 5/31
    La Salle saw its season come down to tenths of seconds on Friday night at Garnet Valley.
        The Explorers needed Peter Schwartz’s tally with 0.8 seconds left on the clock to force overtime against a gutsy Haverford School team that thought it had the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (EPSLA) semifinal game won.
    “Peter is a gamer, and he went and got us something big tonight,” La Salle coach Bill Leahy said of his midfielder’s efforts.
Then, in the second extra session, Randy Forster’s desperation pass to the crease off of a restart with two seconds left found a cutting Conrad Ridgway, who elevated and quick-sticked the ball past Haverford goalie Dan Wigrizer with 0.1 showing on the clock to win it.
    The stunning victory moved the second-seeded Explorers (29-2) into Tuesday’s EPSLA championship game (7:30 p.m.) against top-seeded Malvern Prep at Garnet Valley.
    “Randy made a beautiful feed to the crease, I credit that goal completely to him,” Ridgway said. “I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I cut to the crease hoping something would happen and it worked out.”
    For his part, Leahy always felt the game would be close.
    “We expected a one-goal game either way,” Leahy said. “Both teams had their chances, and I thought [Wigrizer] made some unbelievable saves for Haverford.” (CONTINUE)

Patient Bayard Rustin defeats Whippets, 19-10

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/31
    Bayard Rustin midfielder Allison Tatios believes that patience is the key to making an offense work.
    “There is always a good cut, but there is always a perfect cut,” Tatios said. “If you’re patient, you can find it.”
    Tatios and the third-seeded Golden Knights managed to find that perfect pass often enough today to claim a surprisingly-easy 19-10 victory over second-seeded Downingtown West in a District One Class AAA semifinal at West Chester East.
    The win vaulted Rustin (17-2) into the finals Tuesday (8 p.m.) against top-seeded Radnor at Marple Newtown.
    The Knights, who led 8-3 at halftime, were clinging to a scant 8-7 edge when Tatios scored three of her four goals to spark an 8-0 run. The senior, bound for national runner-up Penn, added four assists while Leanna Brewer added four goals and Kelsey Corbet had three. Six other players scored.
    “Our defense was strong and they helped us in the midfield,” Tatios said. “This is big because we want to win for coach (Dale) Watkins (who is retiring after the season).”
    The Whippets (20-3), who got three goals each from Sarah Phillips and Jaymie Tabor, never found a rhythm.
    “Not to take anything away from them, but this was not our day,” said West coach Kelee O’Malley. “This was not the team we’ve seen all season. The kids gave their heart and soul all year; this is hard to swallow.”
Radnor 18, Boyertown 7
    Junior Samantha Ellis scored five goals, Kelyn Freedman added three tallies and goalie Katie Geary recorded 10 saves as the top-seeded Red Raiders improved to 22-0 with the victory over the fourth-seeded Bears (18-4). (CONTINUE)

Malvern uses strong second half to advance

By Ben Skalina
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/31
    At the time of year when the opponents are supposed to be the best, Malvern Prep just keeps making them look inferior.
    The Friars exploded for 10 goals in the second half on Friday night at Garnet Valley against Penn Charter to advance to the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (EPSLA) finals in stylish fashion, 14-7.
    The top-seeded Friars (21-2) will face La Salle in the last EPSLA title game Tuesday (7:30) at Garnet Valley.
    Penn Charter (16-12) kept it close in the first half Friday by taking deliberate possessions and trailed just, 4-2, after the first two quarters thanks to two Colin Still goals.
    “We were trying to possess the ball and stick it when we got opportunities,” PC coach Patrick McDonough said of his 12th-seeded Quakers. “It was working there for a little.”
    After the intermission, however, Malvern took over.
    “We were tight in the first half,” Malvern coach John McEvoy said. “We looked like we were pressing a little bit offensively, and then in the second half, we said, ‘Let’s just get in our comfort zone and go and have fun.’”
    That they did. (CONTINUE) 

Last EPSLA Final Four is tonight at Garnet Valley

Phillylacrosse.com, posted 5/30
    The battle lines are drawn for the final Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (EPSLA) championship as four teams gear for the semifinals.
    Tonight at Garnet Valley, Malvern Prep faces Penn Charter (6:00) and La Salle meets Haverford School (8:00) in a classic Final Four.
    Malvern Prep (20-2) is the top seed, the No. 1 team in this week’s Phillylacrosse.com Top 10 Poll and the eighth-ranked team in the most recent STX/Inside Lacrosse National High School Rankings.
    The Inter-Ac League champion Friars have won 12 straight games. They advanced to the semis by blanking Springfield-Delco, 12-0, in the quarterfinals and beat Penn Charter twice this year in the Inter-Ac, by scores of 9-5 and 12-7.
    The 12th-seeded Quakers (16-11), ranked ninth by Phillylacrosse.com, are the Cinderella team of the tourney. They have knocked off fifth-seeded Germantown Academy (9-8 in overtime) and fourth-seeded Ridley (7-5) to reach the semis.
    The other semifinal teams met way back on March 18 when the Fords beat the Explorers, 3-2, at Haverford. La Salle (28-2) went on to win 27 of its next 28 games, claimed the Catholic League crown and reached the semis by whipping league rival St. Joseph’s Prep, 13-3.
    The second-seeded Explorers, ranked second by Phillylacrosse.com, were ranked seventh in the last National Rankings.
    Third-seeded Haverford School (17-6) is ranked third by Phillylacrosse.com and has been ranked at times this year in the national poll. The Fords, also a member of the Inter-Ac League, advanced with a 6-4 triumph over defending state champion Downingtown East.
    The semifinal winners will meet Tuesday (7:30 p.m.) at Garnet Valley for the final EPSLA title. That winner will play next Friday against the West/Central champion for the last Keystone Cup (state) championship.
    Next year, of course, the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) takes over jurisdiction of boys’ lacrosse and a state tournament will be held, with one classification. Teams from the Inter-Ac are not members of the PIAA.

Inter-Ac League teams continue success

By Ben Skalina
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/29
    In the last year that the Inter-Ac League schools will be able to compete for the boys’ state title – at least for the foreseeable future – they are making their presence felt.
    That much was sealed Wednesday night when The Haverford School capped off the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (EPSLA) quarterfinal round with a 6-4 win over defending state champion Downingtown East at Central Bucks West’s War Memorial Field.
    The Fords will join La Salle, the winner of Wednesday night’s early game, and Inter-Ac rivals Malvern Prep and Penn Charter in the last-ever EPSLA Final Four Friday night at Garnet Valley.
    “We’re psyched to be there, we’re psyched there’s four private schools in the Final Four,” said Haverford coach John Nostrant, whose team will meet La Salle at 8 p.m. “We feel like we’re playing the best lacrosse we’ve played since March.”
    The low-scoring nightcap featured some sloppy play on both sides, but Downingtown East coach Tom Slate felt his side ultimately made too many mistakes.
    “Really just fundamental errors, catching and throwing, we could never really get in a groove,” Slate said. “(If) you can’t catch and throw, it’s tough.”
    The Cougars’ mistakes allowed third-seeded Haverford (17-6) to control possession for most of the second quarter, and the Fords used Mike Rufo and Craig Owen’s goals to push their advantage to 3-0 just over two minutes into the frame. (CONTINUE)

Bears, Whippets move to Class AAA semis

Phillylacrosse, Posted 5/29
    Megan Fisher scored with three minutes, 50 seconds to play to give host Boyertown a 12-11 victory over North Penn Wednesday in the District one Class AAA quarterfinals.
    The win advanced the fourth-seeded Bears (18-3) into Saturday’s semifinals against top-seeded Radnor at 11 a.m.
    Maggie Tamasitis led Boyertown with three goals while Sam Mazzie, Emily Austerberry and Lyndsey Babilon had two goals apiece. Ashley Harman made 14 saves.
    Fifth-seeded North Penn (15-6) got six goals from Lauren McDermott and two from Abbie Hartman. The Maidens – who were crushed by Boyertown, 18-4, in the season’s first game – outshot the Bears, 30-20, and rallied after trailing, 9-5, at halftime.
    “I knew the team we saw at the beginning of the season was not the team we would see today,” said Boyertown coach Pam Wernersbach. “We had to be prepared. North Penn made a run for it. Fortunately, we got the late lead and held the ball at the end.”
Downingtown West 15, Ridley 9
    Jaymie Tabor pumped in five goals while Courtney Sicinski and Sarah Phillips had four apiece as the second-seeded Whippets (20-2) moved into the semifinals against Bayard Rustin. That game will be Saturday at West Chester East at 2 p.m.
    Kelsay Tabor added two goals for Downingtown West and Ali MacNeill had eight saves as the Whippets expanded on an 8-6 second-half lead with three straight goals.
    Maryann Miller paced the 10th-seeded Green Raiders (13-8) with four goals and Danielle Abbruzzese had 16 saves.

La Salle routs St. Joe's, 13-3, in second meeting

By Ben Skalina
Phillylacrosse.com, posted 5/29
    About the only thing that was similar between the first La Salle and St. Joseph’s Prep match-up and the second was the teams that lined up at the start.
    The results were all different.
    While the first pairing of the two teams produced a Catholic League title thriller, their meeting in the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (EPSLA) quarterfinals at Central Bucks West’s War Memorial Field was decidedly one-sided.
    Behind four goals from Kevin Forster and three goals and an assist from Westy Hopkins, the second-seeded Explorers blew the seventh-seeded Hawks away, 13-3. La Salle (28-2) will face Haverford School in the EPSLA semifinals Friday night at Garnet Valley at 8:00.
    The Hawks, who fell to La Salle, 6-5, in the first meeting just two weeks ago, finished at 22-5.
    “We just didn’t have it tonight,” said Prep coach Dan Keating. “La Salle’s a great team, and when you don’t bring it, they’re going to make you pay for it.”
    Keating’s squad kept it close through most of the first quarter, but Pete Schwartz (two goals) and Randy Forster (two goals) each struck for La Salle in the final minute of the frame to triple the Explorers’ lead from 2-1 to 4-1. After that, the rout was on, as both Kevin Forster and Hopkins tallied twice in the second quarter for an 8-1 halftime advantage.
    After the game, La Salle coach Bill Leahy noted the difference between the two La Salle-Prep contests.
    “When you play for the Catholic League championship, that really means something,” Leahy said. “I think there’s a lot of pressure on our kids to not be one of the few La Salle teams that hasn’t won the Catholic League title, so I think our kids played tight and I thought the Prep played great that night.”
    But Leahy noted when it comes to be playoff time that rivalry gets put aside in pursuit of bigger dreams.
    “This is a whole different atmosphere," he said. "This is just another team in the way of getting to the Final Four. That’s the way we approached it.”

Radnor rolls, 12-4, gets high praise from coach

By Willie McGonigle
Phillylacrosse, com, posted 5/28
    There’s no doubt that in her storied career, veteran Radnor coach Phyllis Kilgour has coached some great teams.
    But Kilgour gushes when she speaks of this Red Raiders squad.
    “This is without a doubt the best team I ever coached regardless of how they finish,” said Kilgour, following Wednesday’s 12-4 victory over visiting Conestoga in the District One quarterfinals. “I never had a team this balanced.
    “We’ve got seven players with over 40 goals.”
    It was that balance that helped the Raiders – the top seed and the No. 1 team in the Phillylacrosse.com Top 10 Poll – improve to a perfect 21-0 and give Kilgour her 520th career victory. Radnor will play fourth-seeded Boyertown Saturday at West Chester East at 11 a.m. 
    Gabby Miller scored three goals to lead the attack while Kelly Barnes, Samantha Ellis, Beth Ellis and Courtney Campbell had two apiece. Kelyn Freedman scored once for Radnor, which led only 3-2 late in the first half but dominated the second half.
    “I just go into every game with confidence,” said Miller, bound for Georgetown. “It’s sad that it’s our last home game, but it’s perfect.”
    When asked about her coach’s bold statement about the team, Miller said, “That felt really great. I know she thinks it, but it’s nice she says it because we have really great chemistry.”
    Kaitlin Hildebrand had two goals to lead the Pioneers (13-7) while Murphee Greeley and Taylor Mallory added one apiece. Kim Shoup posted 16 saves in goal. Katie Geary registered five saves in goal for Radnor. 

Rustin holds off Ghosts, 10-9, to reach semifinals

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/28
    Bayard Rustin attacker Alyssa Gallen said her team did not play smart at the outset of Thursday’s District One Class AAA quarterfinal against visiting Abington.
    “Their defense is strong and we started to take it one-on-one in the beginning,” she said after the Golden Knights held on for a 10-9 victory. “We saw it wasn’t working. So, we pulled it out and we worked our cuts and waited for the good cuts.
    “That left a couple girls open. They started to sag in the middle and we were open all over the place.”
    Rustin (16-2) - ranked second by Phillylacrosse.com - advanced to Saturday’s semifinals at 2 p.m. against Downingtown West, a 15-9 winner over Ridley.
    A big reason the third-seeded Knights are returning to the semifinals was surge of five unanswered goals that turned a 3-1 deficit into a 6-3 lead early in the second half.
    Gallen had two of her game-high three goals during the spurt while Kelsey Corbett, Jillian Dougherty and Leana Brewer finished with two goals each.

    Abington (18-2), the sixth seed, pulled within one goal, 6-5, but fell behind, 10-7, before getting within 10-9 on late goals by Kate Cooper (her second, with 4:11 to play) and Kailee Ashby (her third, with 1:26 left).(CONTINUE)

Penn Charter advances to semifinals, 7-5

Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/28
    Eddie Bambino scored two third-quarter goals, Colin Still had two goals and an assist and goalkeeper Danny Carr was brilliant in the cage as 12th-seeded Penn Charter toppled fourth-seeded Ridley, 7-5, Wednesday at Conestoga in the completion of a suspended quarterfinal playoff game in the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association.
    The Quakers (16-11) will face top-seeded Malvern Prep in the semifinals Friday night at Garnet Valley (8 p.m.).
    The game was tied, 3-3, when lightning forced postponement Tuesday night late in the opening half. Joey Sankey scored when play resume to give Penn Charter a  4-3 lead, but Tyler Johnston (three goals) tied it for the Raiders (19-3) early in the second half before Bambino's two tallies made it 6-4.

    PC coach Pat McDonough credited Carr (15 saves) with one of his best games of the year. The Raiders outshot the Quakers, 28-17, but Carr was masterful in the final period when he posted six saves - many at point-blank range

    McDonough also cited the efforts of defenders Ryan McGarvey and Liam Resch and face-off specialist Andrew Murray. Ryan Goldman scored two goals in the first period Tuesday before the lightning. 

    Brett Greer and Brian Hill also scored for Ridley.

Malvern Prep rides Springfield in shutout

By Ben Skalina
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/28
    When Malvern Prep’s Matt Mackrides snagged a loose ball out of the air on defense and sprinted downfield with it for an eventual fastbreak goal in the first quarter of Tuesday night’s Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (EPSLA) quarterfinal against Springfield-Delco, it should have made it abundantly clear that the Friars were going to play a thorough, endline-to-endline game.
    And for 48 minutes of downright dominant lacrosse, John McEvoy’s top-seeded Friars did just that, possessing the ball for huge chunks of time and forcing the young Cougars into turnover after turnover for a 12-0 win at Conestoga that advances them into Friday’s semifinals.
    Top-seeded Malvern (20-2), ranked No. 1 by Phillylacrosse.com, will face the winner of Tuesday night’s suspended game between Ridley and Germantown Academy at Garnet Valley at 6 p.m. That contest was halted by lightning with the score tied, 3-3, late in the first half and will be completed tonight at 4:30 p.m. at Conestoga.
    While most shutouts come from exceptional goalie or defensive unit play, this one was a total team effort. The Friars held Springfield (16-6) to just 11 successful clears on 24 chances with their devastating ride, the Cougars managed just four shots, and goalie Andrew O’Connell made the three saves required of him.
    “We’ve done that all year, we rely on that, it’s kind of who we are,” McEvoy said of his team’s riding abilities.
After the game, McEvoy deflected talk of his team being the favorite to win the last EPSLA crown, noting that Downingtown East was seeded fourth last year.
    “At this point in time there are no more favorites,” he said. “You go in and you do your thing and the tougher, more focused team wins. The guys who make the fewest mistakes will win at this point in time.” (CONTINUE)

Strong second half lifts Unionville past VMA