The Council Rock South boys’ squad was the only SOL team to emerge a winner in Wednesday’s District One Tournament boys/girls lacrosse action. Check the recap.
Boys
#1-19 COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 12, #1-14 PENNSBURY 8
The Golden Hawks ensured themselves a spot in history, winning the program’s first ever district game on Wednesday. It is only the second time South has earned a district berth.
“The first time was 2016, but we lost that game to one of the top seeds, Bishop Shanahan,” Rock South coach Mike Murray said. “We had a pretty good season this year, but we were very excited – we wanted to peak around this time, and they played really well today.
“This is definitely another step for our program.”
A key to the Hawks’ strong showing was once again the play of junior faceoff specialist Chase Patterson.
“We have a dominant faceoff guy, who’s very important to us, and he’ll be playing DI somewhere soon,” Murray said.
Patterson wasn’t the only player to elevate his game.
“We have a couple of seniors that stepped up – Austin Gambino, who’s a midfielder, and Brandon Follis, who had a really good game,” Murray said.
The game didn’t start out on a promising note for the Hawks, who found themselves trailing 2-0 but recuperated quite nicely, going on a 10-2 tear to take control of the game. The Falcons scored just one goal in the second and third periods combined.
“It was a combination of Chase Patterson on the faceoffs and our defense,” Murray said. “I don’t have the numbers, but Chase won over 80 percent of the faceoffs.
“We moved a sophomore, Kyle Gartenmayer, up to the wing, and he did a great job. He and Patrick Rafter were great on defense.”
Follis led the Golden Hawks with six goals. Phillip Mignacca added a hat trick.
“He was very good during the game,” Murray said of Mignacca. “He scored some important goals. He scored the first goal, and he scored the sixth and eighth goals. During our stretch run, he was definitely key.”
Brendan Gambino added three goals and two assists. Adding one assist each were Daniel Scannapieco, Austin Gambino and Jack Fagan.
Rock South goalie Danny Schlupp had 12 saves.
“He was good down the stretch,” Murray said.
Council Rock South (11-7, 5-4 SOL) will travel to third-seeded Upper Dublin for Thursday’s second round game.
“If we take care of the ball and do what we need to do, it doesn’t matter who we’re playing,” Murray said. “Our team is young in some spots. This is the time of year you want to be playing your best lacrosse.
“They’re excited about it, and I think they’re believing that anything’s possible.”
Council Rock South 4-2-3-3 12
Pennsbury 3-0-1-4 8
#1-17 HAVERFORD 8, #1-16 SOUDERTON 5
Souderton’s game against the Fords certainly started out on a promising note for the Indians, who raced out of the gate to a 3-0 lead before the contest was halted Tuesday because of heavy storms. When play resumed on Wednesday, the visiting Fords had the better of play, outscoring their hosts 8-2 to bring an end to a successful season for the Indians.
For the Indians, Stephen Blue scored two goals and assisted on another. Walker Martin, Matt Rauch and Dylan Anderson contributed one goal each. With Wednesday's goal, Martin, a junior, became the program’s all-time leading goal scorer with 103 goals.
Axell Beskar had another superb outing in goal, turning away 21 shots.
Souderton (6-2 SOL) closed out its season with a 12-7 mark.
#1-13 BOYERTOWN 9, #1-20 COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 6
The Indians fought until the final horn but came up just short. Peter Lehman and Luke Walstrom both scored two goals. Ian Watkins and Freddie Germana each added one goal.
Council Rock North (3-6) closed out its season with a 9-10 record.
#1-21 WEST CHESTER EAST 12, #1-12 CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 8
#1-10 PERKIOMEN VALLEY 16, #1-23 NESHAMINY 6
CLASS 2A
MARPLE NEWTOWN 7, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 5
CLASS 3A
Girls
#1-18 CONESTOGA 17, #1-15 CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 10
The Titans found themselves on the short end of a 13-3 halftime score, and it would have been easy for them to go through the motions in the second half.
That didn’t happen.
Although they couldn’t dig themselves out of their early hole, the Titans showed their mettle, outscoring Conestoga 7-4 after the intermission.
“We are so proud of the girls and how they came back and won the second half,” coach Janique Craig said. “A 14-5 record with such a young squad is fantastic, and we could not be more proud.
“Conestoga has always been a premier program, and they played exceptional lacrosse tonight.”
Junior Anna Green had another big night for the Titans. The Cincinnati recruit scored eight goals and assisted on another. She also had five draw controls. Senior Kasey Dietzel had one goal and three assists and also had nine draw controls. Francine Richick added a goal and an assist.
Laura Robinson was credited with eight saves in goal for the Titans.
Central Bucks South (6-2 SOL) closed out the season with a 14-5 record.
Conestoga 13-4 17
Central Bucks South 3-7 10
#1-12 PERKIOMEN VALLEY 12, #1-21 NORTH PENN 10
The underdog Knights gave the Vikings all they could handle, battling to a 5-5 tie, but the Vikings came back to outscore their visitors 7-5 in the second half.
“We finished the season with a hard fought game,” coach Heather Mellow said. “Our team played well together today. We just came up a bit short in the end.”
Senior Kelly Macnamara led the Knights with four goals. Senior Bri O’Donnell added three goals, one assist, four ground balls and three draw controls. Kristin Varilla had a pair of goals, and Grace Sacchetti added a goal, three ground balls and three draw controls. Heather Shannon had five draw controls.
North Penn (6-2) closed out its season with a 9-8 record.
North Penn 5-5 10
Perkiomen Valley 5-7 12
#1-14 WEST CHESTER HENDERSON 22, #1-19 PENNSBURY 7
The Pennsbury girls lacrosse team will have to settle for nearly tripling its win total from last year to this year.
The Falcons won four games in 2017 and this year won 11 games during this regular season, earning a trip to the District 1 playoffs as the 19th seed. It would be there that Pennsbury would see its turnaround season end in a 22-7 loss to West Chester Henderson.
Sophomore Emelie Curtis led Pennsbury with four goals and two assists, giving her a hand in six of the seven Falcon goals. Curtis nearly pulled of a 40-40 season, finishing with 37 goals and 40 assists to run her two-year career totals to 59 goals and 56 assists.
The game marked the end of the careers of Pennsbury's 10 seniors, including Lily Nolan, who had two goals in her final game. Nolan, who will play at Franklin & Marshall next year, finished the season with 77 goals and her high school career with 202. Annie Price, who is bound for Princeton next year, finished her career with 101 goals and 53 assists for 154 points while leading the team in caused turnovers each of the last two years.
Freshman Maddie Spratt scored her 20th goal of the year to go along with 12 assists.
Pennsbury's other seniors are Nell Webber, Sarah Mac Davis, Mia Doron, Emily Engeland, Natalie Ward, Kyra Snyder, Gillian Dysart and Sydney Plunkett.
Pennsbury (4-4 SOL) closed out its season with an 11-7 record.
CLASS 2A
#1-3 PENNCREST 16, #1-14 SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 13
It wasn’t a win, but as losses go, the Spartans three-goal loss to highly regarded Penncrest was a good one as they gave the Lions all they could handle.
“I could not be more proud of the way my girls played today,” coach Maggie Canavan said. “They played their hearts out for 50 minutes against an incredible three seed Penncrest team. They never gave up or hung their heads.
“I’m very sad that it was my seniors last game: Allie Cottone, Ellie Hamilton, Lindsey Smith and Emily Henry (manager). We’re going to miss them tremendously but I am honored to have been their coach the past four years. Their teammates look up to them and I know they will make them proud next year.”
Emily Walsh led the Spartans with six goals, one draw control, two ground balls, one interception and two caused turnovers in a stellar showing. Smith, who will be taking her talents to St. Joseph’s University, had another big game for the Spartans, finishing with five goals, 10 draw controls and four ground balls. Hamilton added a goal, five assists and three draw controls. Allie Cottone added a goal and Sophia Perry had one assist. Molly McGoldrick scooped up one ground ball.
Spartan goalie Annie Ryan was credited with 11 saves.
Springfield Township (6-3 SOL) closed out its successful season with a 12-6 record.
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