Check out the recaps for SOL boys’ lacrosse teams in action Thursday. CB West/Wissahickon photos courtesy of Kim Supko, and PW/Interboro photos courtesy of Michael Rice. Check back for galleries of both games: https://solsports.zenfolio.com/f900124885
Non-league
Central Bucks West 9, Wissahickon 8 (2 OT)
Two of the SOL’s best teams turned in an absolute thriller, going into a second overtime before one of the greatest scorers in West history brought home a huge win.
Austin Hahn has scored more goals in a single season than anyone else to ever put on a Bucks uniform, but all year he’d been denied on one specific shot. Naturally, with about a minute left in the second overtime, all his time spent working on it finally paid off.
It was absolutely worth it.
“Basically, me and Matt Jacobsen – our coaches just wanted us to run a two-man game,” Hahn said. “We started up top, didn’t get the look we wanted. The ball was out of bounds, and I actually called our timeout. Our coach (offensive coordinator Scott Mitchell) basically said, ‘Look, Matt, Austin, you guys are going to go to X and run the two-man game. One of you guys are going to score, I just know it.’
“I got the ball at one point – I was at X, I knew it was my time to go. I gave it my best. I’m a right-handed player, so I came around (the net) coming to the left side, didn’t want to put it in my left hand. I went for a little back-handed shovel shot. You can ask everyone on the team – I work on that shot probably… I had yet to put one in all year. That was the time it went, so I was very ecstatic, to say the least.”
The victory, which vaulted West up to the No. 7 spot in the District 1 3A power rankings and in line for a first round playoff bye, did not come easily. For a
quality squad that had finished a game short in the SOL National standings, scrapping to beat an SOL American champion Trojans team that’s also one of the tops in the district led to a raucous celebration.
“To pull it off was definitely – I don’t know, it left me speechless, just being able to get the dog pile for my family, get all the boys hyped, have everyone screaming and yelling. It’s just the momentum, taking down a team like Wissahickon with their talent,” Hahn said. “You look at the teams they’ve beaten, you look at the teams they’ve played. It shows what we got, who we have on our team. We’re always underdogs. We’re a very talented team, and when we put it all together, I genuinely think we’re unstoppable.”
It was fitting that the Bucks turned to Hahn and Jacobsen, the latter having just set the program’s career face-off record in its last game, to make some late magic.
Jacobsen was 14-of-18 on the X, adding two goals while Hahn won all four draws he took and added four goals including the game-winner in a stellar performance. However, Hahn spread a lot of credit around to the rest of his team.
“We have a lot of guys like Sean Kelly and Garin Mangeot – people who are dogs,” Hahn said. “They’re the ones getting their noses dirty, getting the ground balls, getting the behind-the-scenes work done, and it’s just honestly inspirational watching those guys walk out there and bust their (butts) time after time, giving their all and doing the dirty work that doesn’t necessarily give them the recognition they deserve.”
Mangeot, a long-stick midfielder, was part of a defensive unit that had to limit a potent Wissahickon attack led by Penn State-bound senior Kyle Lehman.
“He’s an absolute unit. He just gets it done time after time, shuts down anyone he’s put on,” Hahn said of his LSM teammate. “He’s the best. I love him to death.”
Lehman powered Wiss, scoring five goals and assisting on two others. Andrew Slackman had a hat trick and an assist for the Trojans, who dropped to the No. 6 spot in the district rankings but remained in line for a first round bye as well.
Kyle Cump made eight saves for Wiss with Kyle Doll adding an assist.
Alex Greenspan and Harrison Brownlow each tallied a goal and an assist for West, the Bucks also getting a goal from Sam Greenberg and a helper from Joe Perry.
Will Shandlay contributed five crucial saves for CB West.
“That team (Wiss) has talent and everyone knows they have talent. It was just a battle of who wanted it more,” Hahn said. “Our bench compared to theirs – everyone was barking, they were wild. We’re just a family. At the end of the day, we’re a family, and I couldn’t be happier with my teammates.”
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 2 2 4 0 0 1 -9
WISSAHICKON 3 2 1 2 0 0 – 8
Council Rock North 19, Haverford 7
A milestone day for Sam Lewis highlighted a strong all-around effort for the Indians.
The senior attacker posted 10 total points, scoring six times and assisting four goals, surpassing 100 career points in the process.
“Sam is a unique student athlete. He’s been our team leader for the past two years,” CR North coach John Fitzpatrick said. “A senior captain, he is my quarterback on the offense.
“I hope this season never ends, he will be missed.”
EJ Allain controlled the X, winning 18 of 25 faceoff draws and collecting 10 ground balls to go with a goal.
Jake Wellwood played the second option offensively well, putting five shots in the back of the goal. Nick Colavita scored twice and assisted two goals.
Liam Dudley and Andrew Zazoff each contributed two goals and an assist for North with Logan Atkinson also finding the goal for a score.
Rock North (11-6, 7-3 SOL) is 16th in the latest District 1 3A power rankings.
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH – 19
HAVERFORD – 7
Council Rock South 9, Holy Ghost Prep 7
A strong first half paced by a shutout first quarter allowed the Golden Hawks to hang on late and secure the nonleague win.
“Council Rock South raced out to a 5-0 lead with 5 minutes to go in the first quarter,” Hawks coach Michael Murray said.
CRS built an 8-2 lead at half, but any comfort would be gone by the fourth quarter as HGP whittled the lead to two late.
It was the man between the posts who came through time and time again for CR South. Goalie Billy Houser was a wall with 22 saves, posting 11 denials in the third quarter alone to limit the Firebirds to just two goals.
TJ Shores had five points through two goals and a trio of assists while MJ Feeney had a hat trick and assist to pace the Golden Hawks. Wes Waninger had a goal and team-high nine ground balls while South’s freshman duo of Jack Schink and Conner McCaffery contributed two goals and an assist respectively.
Joey Smith added a goal and assist and Owen Dillon also put one in the back of the net.
South (9-9, 3-7 SOL) sat No. 29 in the District 1 3A rankings at night’s end, the top 24 teams making the postseason.
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 5 3 1 0 – 9
HOLY GHOST PREP 1 1 2 3 – 7
Harry S Truman 10, William Tennent 7
The Tigers reversed a halftime deficit into its first win of the season thanks to a strong second half on both ends of the field.
“I’m very proud of the boy’s tonight for their grit and determination to come back from a 6-3 deficit,” said Truman coach Scott Jackson, whose team’ trailed 5-3 at halftime. “Tennent held us off offensively in the first half and they capitalized on our defensive mistakes.”
The victory snapped a 34-game losing streak for the Tigers
Tommy Bryson recorded a milestone, making 18 saves in goal including the 500th stop of his career on his first denial of the game. Matt Ennis also had a save in goal, splitting time in midfield with a goal, an assist and four ground balls.
Patrick Berkery was a dynamo on attack, scoring seven goals on his own to match Tennent’s team output, adding an assist with 11 ground balls and a caused turnover. Nate Cornell helped facilitate with four assists, seven ground balls and a caused turnover and Joe Scheller added two scores, two ground balls and three caused turnovers.
“Senior Patrick Berkery was huge for us tonight, after halftime he came out firing,” Jackson said. “Patrick scored 5 goals in the second half.”
Truman’s defense, which held the Panthers to just two second half goals, was led by Jack Rugarber’s eight ground balls and two caused turnovers and a pair of caused turnovers and four ground balls from Chase Tuttle.
“Senior Jack Rugarber was a force on defense tonight,” Jackson said. “Any time the ball was on the ground on the defensive end of the field it seemed like Jack picked it up and made a great pass to our midfielders.”
Jake Talj won 11 of 21 faceoffs with three ground balls and Lawson Pierce had an assist and ground ball.
HARRY S TRUMAN 2 1 3 4 – 10
WILLIAM TENNENT 2 3 1 1 – 7
Souderton 11, Lansdale Catholic 10 (OT)
The Indians won an overtime thriller in Thursday’s regular season finale. Tyson Bui, who finished with two goals and one assist, scored the OT game-winner.
Peyton Bannak won 11 of 25 faceoffs and also had five ground balls.
“His three wins in the fourth quarter helped spur the comeback,” coach Craig Hunsberger said.
This game was close from the outset. The visiting Crusaders took a 6-4 lead into halftime, but the Indians used a 3-1 third quarter to even the score. The two teams exchanged goals in the four quarter, setting the stage for overtime.
John Martin-Vince and Sean Landis both had three goals and one assist to lead a balanced Souderton attack. Seth Grossman had one goal and two assists and Ty Quintois and Max Ryon both had one goal. Ryon also had six ground balls and two caused turnovers. Ryan Rothenberger was credited with three ground balls and two caused turnovers. Jaden Knize had six ground balls and two caused turnovers while Logan Wrubel scooped up four ground balls and had two caused turnovers.
Matt Malanga recorded nine saves in goal for the Indians.
Souderton (12-6, 6-4 SOL) is 11th in the latest District 1 3A power rankings.
Lansdale Catholic 3-3-1-3-0 10
Souderton 2-2-3-3-1 11
Upper Dublin 12, Ridley 11
Caleb Kelly’s eight-point game led the Flying Cardinals to the tightly contested non-league road win. Kelly scored six goals and added a pair of assists in a strong outing.
The Cardinals, who trailed 3-2 after one quarter, outscored the Green Raiders 6-2 in the second quarter to go into halftime with an 8-5 advantage. They maintained that three-goal lead heading into the final quarter and then held off a late Ridley charge.
Also for the Cardinals, Matthew Shohen had three goals and two assists while Will Bailey added a goal and an assist. Kyle Spirt, Will Hoffmann and Matthew Miller each added one goal, Al Eby had a pair of assists, and Marco Debernardo had one assist.
Nate Fechter recorded nine saves in goal in the win.
Upper Dublin (12-5, 8-1 SOL) is 12th in the latest District 1 3A power rankings.
Upper Dublin 2-6-2-2 12
Ridley 3-2-2-4 11
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 14, INTERBORO 5
SENIOR NIGHT
On a night dedicated to honoring them and their high school lacrosse careers, Plymouth Whitemarsh’s seniors responded by leading the Colonials to a 14-5 non-league win over visiting Interboro. Senior captains Justin Bainbridge (3G, 4A, 1GB, 3 of 3 FO), Jared Kolsun (6G, 3A, 3GB, 3CTO), and Jake Yontef (3G, 1A, 2GB) scored 12 total goals between them to lead the Colonials’ offense. Senior defensemen Dylan McCourt (1GB, 2CTO), along with junior Frank Lynch (5GB, 4CTO) and sophomore Isaiah Bainbridge (4GB, 3CTO) led the defensive effort assisting senior captain and goalie Nate Mascio (6 SV, 4GB, 1CTO) in racking up 6 saves. Junior Ben Backenstose (1G, 1A, 1GB) and sophomore Luke LaViola (1G, 2A, 1GB, 1CTO) rounded out the Colonials scoring with a goal apiece. Senior Jake Hetzel (1GB, 13 of 20 FO) went 13 of 20 on faceoffs and added solid defensive midfield play along with sophomores Dylan Imperial (2GB, 1CTO), Scott Margulies (3GB), Hayden Domers (2GB), and Jackson Budin (2GB). Also contributing were Jack Cooper (2A, 2GB) and Isaiah Bainbridge (4GB, 3CTO)
Head Coach Ryan Bonanni praised his seniors.
“Thank you so much to our seniors for four years of really hard work and dedication to this program. We cannot thank you enough for everything you have done. We wish you nothing but the very best moving forward! Know that we are extremely proud of you,” said Bonanni.
PW 3-5-1-5 14
Interboro 0-0-2-3 5
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