Scholastic Notebooks

A close look at the boys' central, western scenes

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 6/2
    While the last Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (EPSLA) playoffs have featured some memorable games, teams in the western and central regions also have produced exciting lacrosse the past few weeks.
    At the same time La Salle was edging Haverford School in a memorable overtime victory in the EPSLA semifinals Friday, championship games in each of the other regions also were decided in the final minutes.
    In the Central Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (CPSLA) title game Friday, Manheim Township (18-8) defeated Cumberland Valley, 6-5, on an overtime goal by freshman Quint Miller.
    Manheim Township, which has won three straight CPSLA titles, had tied the game with just 23 seconds left in regulation. What’s more, the Blue Streaks scored twice in the final 24 seconds of the first half to seize a 4-3 halftime lead. The latter goal of the two came with 1.5 seconds left in the half – that one also scored by Miller.
    Meanwhile, in the Western Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (WPSLA) final, Mt. Lebanon (15-5) won its third straight crown by edging Seneca Valley, 9-8. Mt. Lebanon trailed, 5-4, at halftime and then ran off four unanswered goals before Seneca Valley made a late rush.
    Mt. Lebanon won its sixth WPSLA title since 2000.
    Manheim and Mt. Lebanon meet Tuesday night (6:30) at Millersville University for the right to shoot for the final Keystone Cup. (CONTINUE)

Hurricanes blew away the expectations in 2008

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 6/1
    With only four seniors and a new coach, few would have expected such a strong season for Villa Maria Academy.
    So, even after the Hurricanes were eliminated from the District One Class AA tournament Tuesday at home in a 14-9 loss to Unionville, rookie coach Christa Somits spoke with pride about the 2008 season.
    Villa Maria finished 19-3 overall, went undefeated in the Athletic Association of Catholic Academies League and then defeated defending champion Merion Mercy a third time to win the league tournament title.
    The Hurricanes then won their first district game in several years, a 19-7 victory over Owen J. Roberts, before bowing to the Indians.
    “I am so proud of the season,” said Somits, a Henderson graduate who played on West Chester University’s first NCAA championship team in 2002. “It was a young team and as a whole we did a lot of things Villa has not done in a while.”
    Villa Maria had several impressive victories this year. The Hurricanes beat Ches-Mont National power Downingtown East, 8-4, in the Katie Samson Festival. They also had wins over perennial Pioneer Athletic Conference contender Pottstown, 16-12, and Inter-Ac League power Germantown Academy, 14-12.
    The only Villa losses heading into districts were to Central League heavyweight Strath Haven, 13-11, and undefeated Radnor, the top-ranked team in the Phillylacrosse.com Poll. That helped Villa Maria earn the fourth seed in a strong Class AA field.
    The offense was led this year by Chelsea Fay, Mary Liva, Cathy Young, Kyrstin Mackrides, Jordan Christopher and Olivia Maggitti. Beth Young and goalie Sarah Radie paced the defense.
    “We beat Downingtown East and Germantown Academy and we were very close to Strath Haven,” Somits said. “And then we got past the first round (of districts).
    “It was a neat year and we started a new legacy at Villa. I think we’re going to build from that next year.”

Green Raiders making waves again in post season

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/27
    We’ve seen this before from Ridley. In fact, we saw it last year.
    In 2007, Ridley struggled through a slow start (2-7) and then caught fire later in the season, but held just the 11th seed for the District One Class AA tournament.
    Then, the Green Raiders knocked off Radnor (sixth seed), Abington (third seed) and West Chester Rustin (second seed) before bowing to top-seeded West Chester East, 12-10, in the championship game. That snapped a 10-game Ridley winning streak.
    This year, the Raiders started 3-4, but finished the regular season by winning nine of their final 12 games, and claimed the 10th seed in districts. In Thursday’s first round, they triumphed, 7-4, at No. 7 Downingtown East.
    That sets up Wednesday's battle between Ridley (13-7) at No. 2 seed Downingtown West (19-2). The winner faces the survivor of the contest between sixth-seeded Abington and third-seeded Bayard Rustin.
    Abington (18-1) was cruising along with an undefeated record until being upset by North Penn, 13-12, on May 8, forcing a tie for the Suburban One National Conference crown.
    Abington probably would have gotten the second seed if not for the loss, but, after losing a coin flip with North Penn, it got the sixth seed. The Ghost whipped Council Rock North, 21-3, in the first round and appears geared for the challenge of facing a top seed like Bayard Rustin.
    Also in Class AAA, top-seeded and undefeated Radnor (20-0) hosts Central League rival Conestoga (13-6) and fourth-seeded Boyertown (17-3) hosts North Penn (15-5). The Bears dominated the Maidens, 18-4, in the season’s first game, but should not take the Maidens lightly (ask Abington). (CONTINUED)

Methacton rises to the top in only three seasons

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/25
    While eight teams remain in the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (EPSLA) playoffs, one team that barely missed the tournament is savoring a successful 2008 campaign.
    Methacton, in only its third year of varsity play, finished in a tie with Upper Dublin for the Suburban One American Conference championship.
    The Warriors, under coach Sean Weston, went 12-2 in the conference and 13-4 overall.
    Unfortunately, Methacton dropped a 15-6 decision to Upper Dublin in the next-to-last game of the year, denying the Warriors an outright title. Then, they lost a coin flip to the Cardinals, who received the only conference berth in the EPSLA playoffs.
    Still, for Weston, a member of Penn Charter’s state championship team 25 years ago, the season was a grand success.
    “We got a plan and put together a philosophy to believe in,” Weston said. “We wanted to help these guys turn into winners. The first thing was to build confidence in themselves.
    “We tried to teach them to play together and use the few guys who knew how to play the game. They all listened, got in line and we came together. We had a goal this year of winning the league and going to the playoffs, and we almost got there.”
    In its first two years, Methacton went a combined 11-25. This year started in disappointing fashion with a 10-9 double-overtime loss to Plymouth Whitemarsh in the league opener. (CONTINUE...ALSO READ ABOUT EPSLA PLAYOFFS)

CB East wins its fourth straight Suburban 1 title

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/19
    It could not have been a more perfect way to clinch another championship for Central Bucks East.
    The Patriots used their annual Senior Night game Wednesday to pummel rival Central Bucks West, 12-3, and win their fourth straight Suburban One League championship at War Memorial Field.
    The win gave the Patriots a final mark of 11-1 in the Continental Conference and 13-3 overall. East has won both Continental titles since the league split into three conferences two years ago and also had claimed the previous two overall league titles.
    A victory by West (9-3) would have forced a three-way tie for the crown with Hatboro-Horsham (10-2). But the Patriots bolted to a 4-0 lead late in the first period and never looked back, using strong defense and a balanced attack to earn a berth in the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (EPSLA) playoffs.
    “What really gave us the luxury of putting all those balls in the net was the defense,” said East coach Bruce Garcia. “The defense was stellar and it never gave them an opportunity to get in any kind of rhythm.
    “Their tempo never got set; they were always disrupted after the second pass, and then the ball was brought back down to the offensive side of the field.”
    There were many stars for C.B. East. Junior middie Rich O’Brien (two goals) controlled the midfield and senior attacker Kyle Quist pumped in four goals while junior attacker Matt Hughes added three scores. (CONTINUE)

Boyertown uses experience to win PAC-10 again

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/18
    Boyertown coach Pam Wernersbach said it was simply a matter of experience.
    Wernersbach’s Bears used a strong second half and steady goaltending from Ashley Harman to claim their fifth consecutive Pioneer Athletic Conference championship Friday night with a 14-8 victory over Spring-Ford at Owen J. Roberts.
    Top-seeded Boyertown (17-3) held just an 8-6 lead over the Rams (13-7) early in the second half when its veteran players took control. The Bears have gone undefeated in PAC-10 play in each of the past four years.
    “You never know going in who is going to perform to what capacity,” Wernersbach said. “Our kids went in and played with confidence.
    “I think just because we have a little more experience, we were able to maintain a stronger performance throughout 50 minutes. At the point they got it close, our kids stepped it up and got it done.”
    Boyertown’s ace scorer, senior Maggie Tamasitis (headed to Notre Dame) tallied two of her five goals to make it 10-6 and junior standout Sam Mazzie notched two of her four goals to make it 12-6.
    Denver-bound Harman (12 saves) made several key stops in the following minutes and the Bears’ defense – paced by seniors Megan Corrigan and Lindsey Crits and sophomore Kelsey Smith – kept the Rams’ potent attack off track. Sophomore Emily Austerberry added two goals for the Bears. (CONTINUE)

Cards make it back to the top of Suburban One

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/12
    Upper Dublin has endured a roller-coaster season – but Thursday the Cardinals reached the summit.
    Behind a five-goal outburst by Jimmy Trentini, host Upper Dublin whipped Methacton, 15-6, to move into a first-place tie with the Warriors in the Suburban One American Conference race.
    The win left both teams atop the conference with 11-2 records. Each has one more league game Tuesday; Methacton hosts Cheltenham (0-10) and Upper Dublin plays at Wissahickon (7-5).
    Methacton had defeated the defending champion Cards, 12-7, when the teams first met April 16. A win last week would have given the Warriors their first league crown ever.

    This time, though, UD coach Jon Levine said his team played smart.
    “We didn’t make any mental mistakes,” he said, “We feel we have the talent to win, as long as don’t beat ourselves. We have to make the other team beat us.”
    There were several other heroes in the win over Methacton. Timmy Duke scored three goals and senior captain J.S. Duke, Timmy’s brother, dished off three assists. Senior captain Bryne Hetznecker and junior Eric Breuninger each added two goals and an assist, and senior goalie Greg Brody had 14 saves and one assist.
    The Cards also got a boost from sophomore middie Matt Gordon, who had played only one week after missing the entire season with a lacerated spleen. Gordon was strong at midfield and won several key face-offs.
    “They gave us some bulletin board material and we wanted to play our best game,” Levine said. “We’re used to being at the top; we felt that’s where we belong. Obviously, we proved that on Thursday.” (CONTINUE)

Confidence pushes C.R. South to its first crown

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/11
    Council Rock South coach Kara Muenker claims the difference between her team from last year to this season is basic confidence.
    “I think confidence plays a huge role,” she said of a team that finished 10-10 in 2007. “Last year we lost a lot of games by one or two goals.
    “We just didn’t have the confidence to know we could fight back and come back and win. This year we have been down quite a few games and yet they’ve been confident that we could come back.”
    That competitive edge helped this year’s Golden Hawks achieve their first league championship in the six-year history of the program. One game after edging Hatboro-Horsham, 13-12, CR South clinched the Suburban One Continental Conference crown Thursday with a hard-fought 14-12 victory over Central Bucks West.
    The win raised the Hawks’ record to 11-0 in the league and 16-2 overall. They close their season Monday at home against second-place Souderton.
    “I was very optimistic coming into the season,” said Muenker, a Central Bucks East graduate who starred for West Chester University when it won its only NCAA Division II championship in 2002. “We definitely have some strong players, but you never know what to expect and how they will mesh.
    “You always have some injuries, and some did occur, but they pulled themselves together and I am very proud of what they have accomplished. We came out a little slow against West, but we got fired up in the second half and really (played well).”
    The Golden Hawks did lose their top defender, junior Dani O’Connell, to a torn anterior cruciate ligament during a difficult 16-13 loss April 21 to Pennsbury, the team’s first defeat. But others have enjoyed standout seasons.
    Junior Madison Hurwitz, who had eight goals in the title-clincher over CBW, has 108 goals this year and over 200 already in her career. Junior Samantha Hurley, who had three goals in the West victory, has been a key in directing the team’s transition game.
    Muenker also cited sophomore center Lee Britton for her hustle and aggressive play, freshman goalie Taylor Hurwitz (Madison’s sister) and senior captain Lizz Brubaker for her steady play on defense. (CONTINUE)

League races heat up in season's final weeks

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/5
    As the boys’ season winds down to its final weeks, here is a small recap of the league races.
    -La Salle (12-0 league) and St. Joseph’s Prep (11-0) appear to be on a collision course for the Catholic League title with the regular season now over. The Catholic League quarterfinals begin Friday; the finals are May 15 at Plymouth Whitemarsh.
    -In the Inter-Ac league, Malvern Prep (8-0) can win the crown by winning at Germantown Academy (5-3) Tuesday or at Penn Charter Friday. Haverford School is in second place at 6-2.
    -Ridley (7-1) can clinch the Central League title with a win over visiting Strath Haven Tuesday. Radnor (6-2), Springfield-Delco (5-2) and Lower Merion (5-2) are close behind.
    -In the Suburban League, Downingtown East (6-0) and Downingtown West (5-0) are still unbeaten. They play at West on May 16.
    -Owen J. Roberts (9-1) can clinch the top seed in the Pioneer Athletic Conference playoffs by defeating either Perkiomen Valley (5-5) Tuesday or second-place Lansdale Catholic (8-3) Thursday. Both are home games for OJR, which will host the PAC-10 playoffs May 14 and 16.
    -Holy Ghost Prep won the Northeast League crown with a 6-0 mark, capped by Friday’s 11-6 win over Academy of the New Church. Shipley (5-1) was second.
    -Garnet Valley (5-0) has clinched the Del-Val crown again. The Jaguars finish their league season May 8 at home against Sun Valley.
    -Two of the Suburban One League races will come down to a showdown; the other race is nearly decided. Abington (7-0) is running away with the National Conference title, and is three losses ahead of the pack.
    -In the American Conference, it appears the title will be decided when Upper Dublin (9-2) hosts Methacton (9-1) on May 8. Methacton won the first meeting, 12-7, on April 16. Upper Dublin recently dropped a key 12-11 decision to third-place Plymouth Whitemarsh (8-3).
    -In the Continental Conference, rivals Central Bucks East (9-0) and Central Bucks West (8-1) and are the top teams and met Monday night at West. They play again at East May 12 in the season finale. Hatboro-Horsham, which recently beat C.B. West, 11-5, is next at 8-2. (CONTINUED)

Upper Dublin's Cross leads Cards back to top

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/5
    Dee Cross sounds like a giddy young lacrosse coach who is just getting started on a new career that shows great potential.
    In fact, the second-year Upper Dublin coach is now in her second coaching tour after a successful 13-year stint at Abington. But getting to coach two of her daughters now, with possibly her other two on the way, has made this experience even more special for one of the most respected contributor to Philadelphia lacrosse.
    Cross, a graduate of Norristown High and Shippensburg University, is a member of the Philadelphia Chapter of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame. She played on the U.S. National Lacrosse team for nine years and was a member of two World Cup teams in the 1980s.
    She had much success as a coach at Abington, but left the post in 1999 to focus on raising her four daughters.
    A business teacher at Abington from 1984-94, Cross returned to the classroom as a health and physical education teacher at Upper Dublin three years ago. She was an assistant coach her first year, but last year she took over the reigns and her team went 10-9 and finished second in the Suburban one American Conference.
    This year’s team, though, is 10-0 in the league (12-2 overall) and needs just one win to clinch the American Conference championship. What’s more, daughters Ali (senior goalie) and Amy (sophomore midfielder) have been mainstays on the field.
    “I really have enjoyed it,” Cross said. “It (coaching her daughters) adds a different flavor. Sometimes Ali forgets, and says, ‘Mom…’ I think everybody is learning as we go. It has been good; there’s only been a couple times where my husband says, ‘Enough, I don’t’ want to hear anymore about lacrosse. He’s been very supportive.”
    Last year the Cards had an up-and-down season. They were 10-2 in the Suburban One, losing twice to league champion Cheltenham by one goal. They also suffered a number of key injuries and lost all six of their non-league games.
    “Last year we called it adversity ‘07,’” Cross said. “Every time we turned around, someone was getting injured.”
    This year’s Cardinals have relied on many newcomers, especially on defense where Kelly Harchut, younger sister Nikki Harchut and Danielle Derr have been solid in front of standout goalie Ali Cross. Amy Cross has been steady at center while Liz Wall (64 goals) and Julianne Speese lead the attack. (CONTINUED)

Girls' league races are heating up for title runs

By Chris Goldberg & Willie McGonigle
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 4/29
    As the season winds down to its last few weeks of regular-season games, the league races in girls’ lacrosse are heating up. Here is a rundown on the title chases.
    The two Central League heavyweights, Radnor and Springfield-Delco (both 6-0 in league) meet today (3:45 p.m.) at Springfield. The winner takes command of the chase since no one else has less than two defeats.
    There are also several key games in the Ches-Mont League conferences this week. In the American Conference, first-place Bayard Rustin (3-0) travels to Great Valley (2-1) Thursday. Rustin won the first battle, 11-10 in overtime.
    In the National Conference, Downingtown West (8-0) travels to Downingtown East (6-1) Thursday. West won the first duel, 15-13.
    Things are not so close in the Pioneer Athletic Conference where Boyertown (8-0) is undefeated and no other team has fewer than two losses. Episcopal Academy (6-0) has also taken charge in the Inter-Ac league where no other team has fewer than two losses.
    Villa Maria Academy (7-0) has practically wrapped up the Catholic Academies League regular season title by virtue of its two wins over Merion Mercy (6-2).
    The Suburban One League races also have little suspense right now. Abington (7-0) has dominated the National Conference, but still must face North Penn (7-1) on the road May 8. Upper Dublin (9-0) is two games ahead in the American Conference while Council Rock South (7-0) is two losses ahead of the field in the Continental Conference.
    Archbishop Carroll (5-0) is once again running and hiding in the Catholic League race. The Patriots have won 102 straight league games and beat their top competition, Archbishop Wood (6-1), 13-5 last week.
    In the Del-Val League, Harriton (4-0) and Interboro (3-0) appear to be the top contenders. The teams were slated to play Monday at Interboro, but the game was postponed and will be rescheduled. The Bucs and Rams will also meet next Tuesday at Harriton.
    The Friends Schools League features three unbeaten teams: Shipley (4-0), George School (2-0) and Germantown Friends (2-0).
    The District 1 tournament – which features 16-team fields in classes AA and AAA – begins May 22 with games at the higher seeds. The title games are slated for June 3 at Marple Newtown.
Carroll looks strong in win over Ridley
   Archbishop Carroll (9-2), which recently dropped a non-league decision to No. 9 Boyertown, made a statement at the Katie Samson Festival by handing Ridley a 16-3 defeat.

After the game was tied, 2-2, the Patriots used their speed to strike quickly and take control of the transition game.
“We knew it would be a rough, scrappy game, Ridley has a reputation of being a strong team” said Carroll senior Gabby Capuzzi, who led all scorers with three goals. “My teammates made good passes. We felt a lot of transition would help us today.” (CONTINUE)

Fourth-ranked La Salle has a bigger goal in mind

By Chris Goldberg & Willie McGonigle
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 4/27
    La Salle is ranked fourth in the nation, according to the latest STX/Inside Lacrosse National Scholastic Poll.
    Are the Explorers basking in the impressive recognition? Not really.
    After La Salle defeated Ridley, 9-4, for its 20th straight win Saturday at the Katie Samson Lacrosse Festival, nobody on the team was too concerned about national rankings
    “We’re not too worried about the polls right now, we’re just trying to play hard,” said La Salle junior Westy Hopkins, who led the way with four goals. “Really, all we want is to win the state championship and we’re not going to stop until we get there.”
La Salle is also ranked first in the area by Phillylacrosse.com and in the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association Coaches Poll. Ridley (13-2) is ranked fourth in each poll.
    The balanced Explorers also got goals Saturday from Matt Lynch, Kevin Forster, Randy Forster, Pete Schwartz and Gordie Wells. Steady goalie Niko Amato had nine saves.
    Ridley came into play with a seven-game winning streak and had allowed only five goals per game.
    “Our coaches did a great job of preparing us and we had a real physical week of practice,” Hopkins said. “The defense is doing a great job and the offense can get better.”
    Explorers coach Bill Leahy said the national ranking means nothing compared to the quest of taking the final EPSLA title and the last Keystone championship before the PIAA takes over jurisdiction of boys’ lacrosse next year and the Inter-Ac League powers are not involved in the state tournament.
    “We want to be the last EPSLA champs, unless they’re going to give it to us free because we’re fourth-ranked,” said Leahy. “We still have things to work on.
    “I don’t think we’ve played our best lacrosse, which is a good thing. Our shooting percentage in terms of finishing is very average. We shot an awful lot for scoring nine goals.”
St. Joe’s Prep enjoys win over Radnor
    St. Joseph’s Prep, ranked eighth by Phillylacrosse.com, improved to 14-3 at Katie Samson by defeating Radnor, 9-3, as Brendan Glynn scored three goals while Kenny Lankford and Brendan O’Donnell added two apiece.(CONTINUE)

Abington gearing for key matchup with La Salle

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 4/21
    Abington coach Randy McNeill says his team had not played the type of lacrosse he was expecting all year until Saturday.
With a huge game today looming against neighborhood rival La Salle, the area’s top-ranked team, the push could not have come sooner.
    McNeill’s Ghosts played what he claimed was their best game of the year Saturday in the 16-8 rout of Strath Haven. After Monday’s 11-5 Suburban One National Conference triumph at Pennsbury, the Ghosts stand at 8-2 heading into today’s home grudge match with the Explorers.
    La Salle, ranked first by Phillylacrosse.com and the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (EPSLA), is 17-1 and has won 16 straight games. The Explorersy defeated Abington, 12-5, in the second round of the EPSLA playoffs last year.
    “We are not as far along as we wanted to be,” McNeill said. “I was hoping we’d be playing better defense. I definitely think the talent and potential are there when we play together.
    “Saturday was our best performance by far this year. It was a whole team effort and so far the only game where we put our whole game together.”
    Abington, the defending Suburban One National champion, has lost only to teams ranked by Phillylacrosse.com, 10-9 to No. 10 Germantown Academy and 10-6 to No. 6 Conestoga.
    The Ghosts’ offensive leaders have been seniors Mike Vandergrift (four goals against Pennsbury) and Johnny Casey (two goals) and sophomores Rich Rambo and Joey Jones. The defense has been balanced and first-year varsity John Cairone has shown strong development.
    “We’ve lost some guys to injuries,” said McNeill, an Abington and St. Joseph’s University graduate who is in his sixth year at the helm. “We have a mix of seniors and sophomores with some juniors thrown in. Our guys have finally stepped up lately.”
    Just how far the Ghosts have come will be revealed today against La Salle.
    “This is a big neighborhood rivalry and these guys have played with each other and against each other,” McNeill said. “I think a game like this is about getting respect.
    “They are probably ranked No. 1 and this is about them respecting us and our ability to play. It’s an opportunity for us to show people we can play."
Hird first Shipley player to go Division I
    On April 10, Shipley School senior co-captain John Hird signed to play at Wagner College in Staten Island, N.Y., becoming the first from his school to sign a Division I letter-of-intent. (CONTINUE)

Beers, Carroll win 100th straight league game

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 4/20
    It was back in 2000 when Lorraine Beers took a tremendous risk and decided to take a shot at coaching high school lacrosse at Archbishop Carroll.
    “I was coaching with the Rose Tree Optimist club team and I saw Carroll needed a lax coach,” said Beers. “I had just started a job in the business office at Agnes Irwin, and it was on kind of a whim that I even FAXed over my resume.
    “I had no idea what I was doing when I started, other than I understood lacrosse.”
Eight years, the woman who claims “I had no idea what I was doing,” has led the Patriots to a streak that could compare with any scholastic dynasty in the nation.
    In 2000, during Beers’ first season at Carroll, the Pats fell to St. Hubert in the Catholic League title game. Since then, Carroll has won 100 straight league games – including the regular season and playoffs – and claimed seven straight league crowns.
    The 100th win came Wednesday against Littler Flower, a 17-4 rout that touched off a healthy celebration and many calls ands e-mails from former players and supporters.
    After the game, the team’s seniors threw their beloved coach a small surprise party, with flowers, signs, balloons, cupcakes and pizza.
    “It was very nice,” said Beers, whose team is 5-2 overall and ranked sixth by Phillylacrosse.com. “And what was really nice is that some alumni parents were there, and I got so many e-mails from people.
    “You have to have the horses, and we have the kids here. We have good parents and they feed off each other. Everybody gets excited about lacrosse.”
    The story behind Carroll’s success is amazing. The Pats have never had a true feeder program and typically teams from the Catholic League have a tough time competing with the powers from the Central League or the Main Line private schools.
    But Beers, a graduate of Haverford High who did not play lacrosse until attending Drexel University in the 1970s, has been able to build a powerhouse mostly with players who never played until ninth grade. Her players and followers of girls' and women's lacrosse consider her one of the most respected coaches in the Philadelphia area.
    Beers likes to tell the story of her first great talent in 2000, Paige Andrews, who personally took it upon herself to become the school’s first Division I recruit and blazed the path for many to follow.
    “Paige was a maniac,” said Beers, known for her blunt but guiding approach. “She wanted to go to college and play Division I lacrosse. She had great stick skills and she was self-taught.
    “She slept with her stick and was constantly doing left hand and right hand drills. She had friends on the field hockey team, Jen DePetris, Kristen Dwyer, Jen Rauscher and a few others and her desire to play lacrosse in college was her whole life.
    “This became infectious. You couldn’t help but get excited and get on board. We’d go to Princeton and Maryland to see college lacrosse games. Our girls were athletes and they were loaded with talent.” (CONTINUE)

Hewlings has Emmaus boys shooting for the top
By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 4/14
    Jef Hewlings has successfully built lacrosse programs from the ground up with fewer tools, so he believes his new job at Emmaus is the ideal place in his return home.
    Hewlings, a 1976 Ridley graduate who turned Penncrest into a highly-respected program in the 1990s, returned from New York state this spring to take over the reigns at Emmaus.
    The Green Hornets have been one of the big stories of the season – although Hewlings would prefer nobody know his team is 7-1 and ranked 10th by Phillylacrosse.com.
    Hewlings has deep roots in Philadelphia lacrosse circles. He started as an assistant coach at Malvern Prep in 1981 and served as head coach there for several years until 1987. He was an assistant at Ridley for a year and then had a strong stint coaching at Penncrest from 1989-99.
    He then moved to upstate New York and started a high school program at Oneonta High while also serving as an assistant coach at nearby Hartwick College. But last year he came back to Fleetwood, Berks County, and was fortunate to land the job at Emmaus.
    The Green Hornets, still a club team, had already emerged as a perennial power in the ever-improving Penn Valley League under coach Andy Scott. But Scott was happy to give the program to Hewlings.
    Next year, when the PIAA takes over jurisdiction of boys’ lacrosse, Emmaus will be a full varsity team. But this year, the Hornets are hoping to make waves in the final season of the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association.
    Emmaus is 3-0 in the Penn Valley League and appears to be the league favorite. The Hornets held their own in an earl-season loss to Ridley, 8-4, and rallied for an 8-7 triumph over a strong Springfield-Delco squad.
    More impressively for Hewlings, he starts seven sophomores and one freshman. Only one senior sees significant time and four juniors are making key contributions.
    “The thing I like best about Andy is that the Emmaus program was built on moving to the next level,” Hewlings said. “I want us to get to the top level, to be a state champion; or at least to be in the hunt.”(CONTINUE)

Youthful Episcopal Acad. girls are starting strong
By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 4/13
    When Julie DiRemigio decided to return home to her roots of Philadelphia after 10 years coaching high school girls’ lacrosse in Virginia, she figured she had a slight rebuilding project at Episcopal Academy.
    The Churchwomen had lost eight key seniors from a squad that won the Inter-Ac with an 11-1 record and went 14-3 overall. This year’s team had only three seniors returning, along with a large group of talented underclassmen.
    “I knew coming in that we had lost a lot to graduation and I was thinking maybe it would be a building year,” said DiRemigio, the former Julie Clyma who graduated from Penncrest (class of 1984) and Dartmouth and spent the last 10 years coaching at Episcopal High in Alexandria. “But instead of them thinking, ‘We’re going to struggle,’ I guess they decided they needed to step it up.”
    Episcopal has done exactly that. The Chuchwomen are 6-1 after splitting two games Saturday in a tournament in Virginia. Some of the early-season victories have been impressive; triumphs over Inter-Ac contenders Germantown Academy (20-13) and Notre Dame (15-11) and a 13-9 conquest of Tower Hill, the top-ranked team in Delaware according to the Wilmington News-Journal.
    DiRemigio credited the team’s lone seniors, Alex Jahnle, Lindsey McManus and Alexa Narzikul for their leadership. Two freshmen, center Taylor Trimble and attacker Blake McHugh, have stood out all year. Others have taken turns on offense.
    Against Notre Dame, Megan Spagnola scored six goals while Sammi Arbitman and Trimble added three apiece. Against Tower Hill, Trimble and McHugh pumped in three goals while Avery Curley and Kate Ivory each notched two.
    In the GA win, Episcopal stormed back from an 8-5 first-half deficit and dominated in the second half. McHugh, Trimble and Curley each netted four goals.
    “The girls were angry at themselves, we couldn’t catch and we couldn’t throw in the first half,” said DiRemigio. “We got our act together in the second half.”
    Episcopal will host Agnes Irwin Tuesday in an Inter-Ac game and then face their biggest test Friday when it hosts undefeated and top-ranked Radnor.
    “The girls just complement each other,” said DiRemigio. “It’s not me, it’s them.”

Jaguars aim to compare to the Central League
Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 4/7
    Just how good is Garnet Valley? Are the Jaguars ready to compete for a Central League championship? We will find out soon enough.
    Even though Garnet Valley is not officially a member of the Central League until next year, the Jags are playing all 10 members of the league this season.
    That’s good for boys' lacrosse fans who want to know if the perennial Del-Val League champion is ready to take its spot among the Central League elite.
    So far this year, Garnet Valley, ranked fourth by Phillylacrosse.com, has dominated its Del-Val foes, Sun Valley, 14-2, Kennett, 11-1, and Interboro, 20-1. The Jaguars also have thumped Avon Grove, 15-3, and the Central League’s Haverford, 12-5.
    Today Garnet Valley plays at Lower Merion and Thursday the Jaguars host Springfield-Delco. They host Hempfield on Friday. Clearly, we’ll know a lot more about Garnet Valley after this week.
    “For the past couple years we’ve played five to seven of the Central League teams,” said Garnet Valley coach Jim Harvey. And we have fared well; last year was better than the past couple.”
    Last year the Jags lost to Ridley and Lower Merion in tight games and defeated Springfield, Strath Haven, Penncrest and Upper Darby.
    This year’s Garnet Valley team is experienced on defense, in goal and at midfield and has talented youth along the front line. The team’s depth is in question. The defense features senior longpoles Ryan Bracalenti and Alex Portale and junior Charlie Bytheway. Senior Steve Seiler is a four-year starter in goal.
    The middies include seniors Evan Babiak, Steve Hatland and Nick Coan, who is just returning from a broken arm. Junior Paul Dunn is also key. The attack is led by sophomores Mike Montella and Eric Warden and senior Kyle Jandrasitz.
    “I think that with the quality of ballplayer we have, I think we could compete with the Ridleys and Conestogas of the world,” Harvey said. “The Central League is where you want to play. (CONTINUE)

Great Valley off to good start in Ches-Mont League

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 4/6
    The move from the Southern Chester County League to the Ches-Mont League did not cause much of a change for Great Valley’s girls’ lacrosse team.
    Already, the Patriots – who went undefeated in winning the SCCL last year - were playing many of the Ches-Mont’s big-school teams such as Downingtown East and West and Henderson. Now, in their first season in the Ches-Mont’s American Conference, Great Valley will have to beat out Bayard Rustin if it wants to repeat as a league champion.
    “It will be a very challenging season in a new league that includes Rustin and Unionville,” said Great Valley coach Joe Tornetta. “Both have very strong squads and are (good enough) to win the Ches-Mont American Division.”
    Great Valley is off to a 3-0 start after three convincing non-league wins and is ranked fourth, right behind Rustin, in the latest Phillylacrosse.com Top 10 Poll. The Pats are led by senior midfielders Kim Wenger and Emily Ellisen and senior attacker Keelin Hood while Haley Sheehan, Carolina Dodds and Colleen O’Malley have helped them average 19 goals per game.
    Defensively, junior Kristina Hahn is a key and senior goalie Steph Berger is a mainstay.
    “Our team returns a lot of experience from last season,” said Tornetta, whose team went 18-3 last year and fell to Strath Haven in the District 1 Class AA semifinals. “Steph Berger has been the team’s starting goalie for the past three seasons and should help to anchor down an experienced defense.
    Great Valley had its non-league showdown against Central League power and No. 2 Radnor postponed last week due to rain. This week the Pats host Georgia power Milton Tuesday and then open Ches-Mont American play Thursday at Unionville before hosting No. 8 Downingtown West Friday.
Downingtown East looking strong
    First-year Downingtown East coach Caitlin Barbakoff is impressed with her team’s 5-0 start. The Cougars – ranked 10th by Phillylacrosse.com - are 2-0 in the Ches-Mont’s National Conference and Tuesday they defeated No. 9 Boyertown, 14-13.
“I am impressed with the speed, sticks skills and just pure athleticism of this team,” Barbakoff said. “Our challenge is to build the team rapport and chemistry quickly.
    "With many younger players and a new coach, there is always the challenge of establishing a style and rhythm, but I think we are well on our way to a strong season this year.”
Conestoga tops Georgia power
    Brooke Campbell scored three goals, Murphee Greeley had two goals and Taylor Mallory added a goal and four assists as host Conestoga (3-1) downed the top-ranked team in Georgia according to Laxpower, Milton, 8-3.
    Kim Shoup recorded five saves for the Pioneers. Milton (8-3-1) has lost only to out-of-state teams.

Philly boys' teams fare well against the elite clubs
By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 3/31
    The elite boys’ teams in the Philadelphia area learned exactly where they stand last week in the national scene.
    Each of the top four teams in the Phillylacrosse.com Top 10 Poll played at least one game against nationally-ranked or nationally-recognized teams from the perennial hotbeds of Baltimore and New York.
    Haverford School, ranked No. 1 by Phillylacrosse.com and 19th nationally by Inside Lacrosse, made the biggest splash Wednesday by downing the No. 1 team in the nation, Maryland’s Loyola Blakefield, 7-5.
    The Fords traveled back to Maryland Saturday to meet the No. 5 team in the nation, Gilman School, Md., and led 5-1 early in the second half before suffering a respectable 11-8 defeat.
    While the Fords (4-1) held their own against the nation’s best, No. 2 Malvern Prep (ranked 11th by Inside Lacrosse) suffered a tight 6-5 loss Saturday to traditional Maryland power McDonogh. Malvern was ranked 11th by Inside Lacrosse and McDonogh was unranked.
    Last Wednesday, No. 3 La Salle (7-1) downed McDonogh, 9-8, in overtime. And on Saturday, No. 4 Downingtown East trekked to New York to face Inside Lacrosse’s No. 2 team, West Genesee, and was handed a 7-4 defeat.
    Earlier in the season, Haverford defeated another member of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA), St. Paul’s, 10-3, while La Salle toppled the same team, 12-4. Several weeks ago, Episcopal Academy dropped a tight 7-5 contest to McDonogh and The Hill School played Loyola Blakefield tough in an 8-4 loss.
    What does it all mean?
    “Our win (over McDonogh) was a great win for Pennsylvania lacrosse,” La Salle coach Bill Leahy said. “For the past three years the Pennsylvania schools have been close to the MIAA schools ... we would win one out of three or four a season, but nothing on a consistent basis ... that is what is making 2008 different.”
    Haverford coach John Nostrant said that playing the top teams will continue to raise the bar.
    “It’s nice to see Philly teams winning some games, but most important is that we are scheduling the best around,” he said “I think from top to bottom, Philly lacrosse has more and better teams than most areas. I think we are better than the New York schools now.”
    How do the Baltimore players feel about Philadelphia lacrosse? Gilman’s standout junior middie, Jack Doyle, had plenty of praise for Haverford.
    "It's awesome. [Wednesday] they (the Fords) beat Loyola, the No. 1 in the country and No. 1 in our league, so first we had to defend the turf in Baltimore,” Doyle said to the Baltimore Sun. “Honestly, I think they're the best team we've played this year. Just to come out like we did and come out as a team ... that's what feels the best." (CONTINUE)

Radnor's Kilgour shares milestone of 500 wins
By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 3/30
    Radnor coach Phyllis Kilgour said many people can share in her milestone of 500 career wins.
    Kilgour reached the amazing plateau Friday when her Raiders opened with an impressive and shocking 21-0 rout of defending District 1 Class AAA champion West Chester East. Kilgour, who has coached at Radnor for 42 years – 29 as head coach after 13 years running the middle school program – reflected back on her career, which has included five state championships and many standout student-athletes.
    “I really have had just tremendous kids,” she said. “I still remember our first state championship team in 1986 and I still hear from some of them.
    “A lot of them have gone into coaching, and now I am coaching a lot of their daughters. That’s a lot of longevity, but I have had great people helping me, too, from coaches in the recreational league on up.”
    Kilgour admitted that this team is loaded with talent. The Raiders already have five players signed on for Division I scholarships and they showed Friday they are out to redeem themselves after being eliminated early in districts last year by Central League rival Ridley.

    East, an uncharacteristic 0-3, graduated 17 seniors from last year’s team and is down in numbers since the West Chester school district split into a third high school.
    “We have a very strong team this year,” said Kilgour. “The score Friday came from the combination of us being strong and them being a little down. I didn’t expect this kind of a victory.”
    After the win, Radnor’s players and fans feted Kilgour for her accomplishments and endless years of service.
    “The girls had a card and read me a poem,” Kilgour said. “They had some pictures, and they all had written something. There were flowers and balloons and there was a nice little celebration.”(CONTINUE)

Malvern Prep has high hopes for 2008 season

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 3/24
    After two impressive wins last week in Virginia, the Malvern Prep boys’ lacrosse team faces an early test Tuesday (3:45 p.m.) when it hosts defending state champion Downingtown East.
    The Friars, ranked second in the first Phillylacrosse.com Scholastic Boys Top 10 Poll, opened with triumphs over St. Anne’s-Belfield (13-5) and Collegiate School (17-7). The third-ranked Cougars (2-0), opened with a 5-3 win over defending Colorado state champion Fort Collins and a 9-8 conquest of Deerfield Academy (Mass.).
    Malvern, the 2006 state champion, was 17-5 last year and fell to La Salle, 12-7, in the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association semifinals. Coach John McEvoy, in his sixth year at the helm, returns several major Division I recruits in middie Chris Layne (committed to North Carolina, 35 goals, 35 assists last year), All-American attacker Matt Mackrides (Penn State, member of Team USA U-19 squad) and attacker Colin McGeehan (Holy Cross).
    The key for Malvern may be the defense, which returns only junior Bill Connors, who has verbally committed to Duke. Senior Chris Creighton also has some experience, but the rest are newcomers to varsity play.
    McEvoy also lists sophomore middie Ryan Creighton, senior middie Matt Conte and junior attacker Conor Steidle – who has been saddled with injuries the past two years – as other mainstays.
    “We'll need to win face-offs and defend well to compete,” McEvoy said. “A lot of attention will be spent at the defensive side; we have many athletic kids, but not a lot of game experience. Certainly, we should be better toward the end of season.”
Ridley opens with two wins
    Ridley, looking to be a contender in the Central League, opened with two victories. The Raiders ripped Perkiomen Valley, 13-1, as Rob Lamey tallied four goals and four assists while Kyle Blakemore, Tyler Johnson and Brett Greer each recorded two (CONTINUE)

Springfield-Delco looks to reload for 2008 season

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 3/23
    It was a near-perfect season for the Springfield-Delco girls’ lacrosse team.
    The Cougars went 21-0, breezed to the Central League crown and won a second straight District 1 class AA championship. They finished seventh in the final Lacrosse magazine national poll and were 10th in the Laxpower.com national poll.
That was 2007.
    Midfielders Jackie Eastman (Penn State) and Julianna Jeffers (Delaware) and goalie Sarah Geary (Old Dominion) have moved onto major Division I programs. Seven other seniors who made major contributions also have graduated.
    Is anybody feeling sorry yet for Springfield coach Keith Broome?

    Hardly!
    “Last year’s team was unbelievable with players like Julianna, Jackie and Sarah,” said Broome, whose team has won four of the last five Class AA titles. “We were blessed, and we had a lot of great role players. I never had to push them; it was just an outstanding group of girls.”
    The Cougars, who open Thursday at Penn Charter, will rely mostly on senior midfielder Aly Adams (committed to Penn State), senior midfielder Samantha Tajarian (Richmond), senior attacker Rebecca Hartrum (Old Dominion), senior goalie Meghan Kearney (Shippensburg) and junior midfielder Madison Poplawski. After that, most of the spots are open.
    “I really think we have skilled players in key positions in this year’s group,” Broome said. “That is always a plus. If someone tells you it’s a rebuilding year, you usually think it will be a tough year.
    “I really believe the key for us is leadership. We had these great kids and all these leaders for three years. It will be interesting to see who on this team steps up and becomes a leader.”
    With its success in the past decade, the Cougars have gained a strong national reputation. That helped Broome build a strong schedule that will further test this year’s team.(CONTINUE)

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