By Alex Frazier
Highlighting…David Cutler
For three years Pennsbury’s David Cutler has had to be content playing the role of backup varsity goalie.
As a freshman, he played backup to Brian Cummins.
As a sophomore, he played behind Sean Matthews, and as a junior Chris Shubert stood between the pipes.
Cutler’s role might not have changed in this his final year, considering that Shubert is only a junior and was the first team National Conference goalie last year as a sophomore.
It has been Cutler’s misfortune that Pennsbury has had the best goalie in the National Conference for five years running.
But as they say, nothing is certain except death and taxes.
At the end of tryouts this year, Cutler learned that Shubert had come down with mononucleosis.
Presto!
Just like that, his dream came true.
“Coach Curtis always taught me to be patient and my chance would come, and that’s exactly what happened,” said Cutler. “I got my chance and ran with it.”
Pennsbury coach Dean Curtis told him that he would be starting the first game and “we’d see where it went from there.”
Cutler was understandably nervous for his first varsity game against Plymouth Whitemarsh.
“I was probably the biggest wreck ever,” he said. “I had so much building on me because I seriously thought if I messed up there, I would never get a chance ever again. I put everything out on the field and ended up doing well.”
The Falcons knocked off PW, 13-8, and Cutler came up with four solid saves.
Even with a game under his belt, Cutler didn’t feel comfortable in goal until the eighth game of the season.
On the same day Shubert came back, Cutler tallied 10 saves in a solid performance against Council Rock North in a 10-3 win.
“Coach came over and told me I was a starter and that put so much weight on my shoulders that if I messed up I’d make a fool out of him and out of myself, showing I didn’t really deserve a spot, but I ended up playing really well,” said Cutler. “That really got me set up. My confidence is up there.”
“He’s really played well,” said Curtis.
Cutler has been playing lacrosse since starting in the Lower Bucks Lacrosse League in third grade.
And he’s always been a goalie.
His role model has been Dallas Eliuk, former goalie for the Philadelphia Wings.
“I saw him play one of the greatest games against the Toronto Bandits,” said Cutler. “From then on out, I wanted to be a goalie and I wanted to be in that position where the team was either going somewhere or staying put because of what I did in the net.”
Four years ago when Cutler was in sixth grade he got the chance to meet Eliuk when his team played at halftime of a Wings game.
“That was one of the biggest things of my life,” he said.
It’s not by accident that Cutler wears the same No. 35 as Eliuk.
Cutler also had the opportunity to meet another pro goalie in Brian Dougherty of the Philadelphia Barrage.
“He was a big guy, heavy-set like I was,” said Cutler. “He made it look like if he could play goalie than I could be just as good as he was.”
While Shubert was cleared to play again on April 13, he won’t immediately reclaim his starting spot.
“Coach Curtis told me I earned the spot and I was going to be starting the rest of the season unless I did something stupid,” said Cutler.
“David’s one of those kids that never quit,” said Curtis. “He’s continued to work hard and he’s always realized he’s one play away from being the next guy in, and for a high school kid in my mind to have that attitude and be able to sustain it just doesn’t happen with kids today.”
Next year Cutler will attend Chestnut Hill College, where he will continue to play. He plans on majoring in secondary education with the goal of becoming a history teacher and, of course, a lacrosse coach.
So far Cutler is averaging 8.94 goals against and has an overall 54 percent save average, 75 percent in league play.
“I have to work hard everyday in practice like I’ve been working hard all three years,” he said. “That’s one thing I’ve never stopped doing. If you’re going to do it, you have to work for it.”
While Cutler’s stats aren’t overly impressive, he is keeping the Falcons in the thick of things in the National Conference.
“Coming in he wasn’t the best at clearing the ball, but he’s learned and he’s gotten a lot better handling the pressure during the clear,” said Curtis. “When he got that opportunity, he’s really taken hold of it.”
As of April 20, Pennsbury sits atop the standings at 4-0, with Abington at 3-0 and a game in hand.
“We should definitely be in playoffs this year if not go far into playoffs,” said Cutler. “If this isn’t the year, I don’t know when is.”
Un-sharpshooters – If only they could get the shots on net. In a recent game against Upper Merion, Wissahickon shot just 17 percent in a game the Trojans lost 10-6.
They have lost three one-goal games this year, one in overtime, and won two one-goal games, both in overtime.
“We’ve had a lot of opportunities, but just can’t finish,” said coach Anthony Gabriele. “It’s been our Achilles’ heel.”
Even though the Trojans stand at 5-5, they are a much improved team over last year (10-9) and certainly better than the 5-13 team of two years ago.
The key to this year’s success has been the defense.
Captain Nick Scannapieco, one of only three seniors on the team, has been providing the leadership in the back for second-year sophomore starters Beau Gomez and Tom Bracaqlia, both of whom bring a strong work ethic to the squad. Junior Ward McMasters, who plays defense and long stick middie, is a three-year starter.
Junior goalie Sean Smith is in his second year between the pipes and has worked hard in the off-season.
“Last year in certain games we’d go out and not show up, or go down early and roll over,” said Gabriele. “This year we’ve been in every game. We haven’t given up. We’ve kept ourselves in games that last year we wouldn’t have been in.”
Gabriele is in his second year of revamping the program, which began five years ago when he started the middle school program. He has been coaching this year’s juniors, the backbone of the team, now for five years. They also came up together through the Wissahickon Lacrosse Club
Brian Frankenfield, a two-year starter, and Steve Carrozza, a three-year returner, provide experience in the midfield, along with promising sophomore A.J. Anderson.
Senior Jeff Gebert has three years of experience starting on attack.
The Trojans are hoping to increase their consistency in the second half of the season and make a run at the inaugural PIAA playoffs.
“We’re fighting,” said Gabriele. “There’s still a long way to go.”
Around the league – Pennsbury is making it interesting in the National Conference. The Falcons are 4-0 as of April 21. Abington trails by one game and is also undefeated. The two teams were scheduled to face off on Monday, but inclement weather prevailed. Neshaminy seems to be faltering as the Redskins have two losses.
Central Bucks East continues to dominate the Continental Conference at 6-0. Archrival West trails by only one game and Hatboro-Horsham is two back. The Hatters and West will meet one more time, which could determine second place. North Penn is also beginning to build some steam with three league wins, most recently a 9-4 win over Pennridge.
Like Central Bucks East in the Continental, Upper Dublin is cruising along in the American Conference. Upper Merion gave the Cardinals a decent game last Friday, but Upper Dublin is too experienced to give up another title this year, one the Cardinals want all to themselves after tying with Methacton last year.
Wissahickon is also improving. If the Trojans can find a way to score, they could certainly play the spoiler in the second half of the season.
SOL Top Five
1. Central Bucks East
2. Abington
3. Central Bucks West
4. Pennsbury
5. Hatboro-Horsham
EPSLA Top 15
April 20
Team, LaxPower Record, Last Week, Points
1. Conestoga, 10-0, 1, 225
2. Springfield-Delco, 10-0, 2, 205
3. LaSalle College H.S., 5-3, 3, 19
4. St. Joseph’s Prep, 5-0, 4, 166
5. Malvern Prep, 5-4, 7, 152
6. Radnor, 8-2, 6, 144
7. Downingtown East, 9-2, 5, 142
8. The Haverford School, 8-6, 9, ,131
9. Episcopal Academy, 7-4, 11, 104
10. Emmaus, 7-3, 10, 85
11. Central Bucks East, 7-2, 13, 62
12. Lower Merion, 5-4, 12, 61
13. West Chester East, 8-1, 8, 46
14. Ridley, 8-3, 14, 37
15. Owen J. Roberts, 11-1, NR, 18
Others Receiving Votes (listed alphabetically): Archbishop Wood, Garnet Valley, Holy Ghost Prep, Penncrest, Unionville
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