Check out the recaps for SOL boys/girls lacrosse teams in action on Thursday.
North Penn 9, Souderton 8
A unique thing happens after a goal in lacrosse.
Instead of the ball going to the team that just got scored on, it goes to the middle of the field where a player from each team has an equal shot to win a faceoff and the ensuing possession. Thursday night, North Penn's RJ Macnamara tilted those odds heavily in his team's favor.
Macnamara won 19 of the 23 faceoffs in the Knights' tense win over the Indians, giving his team a big leg up in time of possession.
"The theme of the game was RJ Macnamara at the X really dominating," North Penn coach Rick Smith said. "We had the ball a lot, it took a lot of time for the offense to get going but in the second half, they got going and it was just a matter of finishing."
Indeed, the Knights started slow and trailed 4-1 with a couple minutes left in the first half. A frantic few moments of the half saw both teams exchange a couple turnovers, but it was the Knights who came up with the pivotal one.
After getting the ball back, the Knights got into their offense and Eric Diamond found Andrew Kelly for a goal with about 35 seconds left that cut Souderton's lead to 4-2 at the break. Considering the Knights scored the next four goals after the break, it was a key moment.
"We do our best to always focus on our own guys, if we give up a goal, focus on the next one, if we lose a ground ball, get the next one," Smith said. "Tonight was a story of doing all the little things right but the game of lacrosse is all about momentum and at the end of the first half, we had momentum. I believe it may have been a different story if we didn't score at the end of the first half."
Kelly led the Knights with three goals, including the go-ahead score with about four minutes left in the fourth quarter. Diamond handed out three assists, Dakari Luby and Matthew Dickson each had two goals for the Knights and Lucas Yannul and Danny Payne also scored. Payne scored what held up as the game-winner with three minutes to play.
On the back end, the Knights defensive unit held the Indians scoreless over the final 8:43 of the first half, the first eight minutes of the second half and 11-plus minutes in the fourth quarter.
"The defense came together in the second half," Smith said. "In the first half, they had us too spread out and when we're spread out, Souderton is a really, really good feeding team and they're trying to get you to slide. When our defense was sliding, they got good looks."
Souderton went down 6-4 in the third quarter, but rallied back to take a 7-6 edge late in the period. Stephen Blue led the Indians with four goals, Walker Martin put away two and Adam Booz had three assists. Cole Witoslawski and Brock Azeff each scored a goal while goalie AxelL Beskar made 11 saves.
North Penn didn't start quick Thursday but it didn't have to. The Knights knew they were probably going to get the ball back thanks to Macnamara's faceoff work.
"Tonight was one of his best games of the season, he just did a strong job," Smith said of the sophomore. "He's just so athletic, he's a football player, he wrestles, he plays lacrosse, he puts the whole team on his shoulders. He's chanting to the offense to get him out there again."
North Penn (9-5, 4-2 SOL) will travel to Council Rock South on Friday, and Souderton (10-5, 4-2) will host Plymouth Whitemarsh on Monday.
North Penn 1-1-5-2 9
Souderton 3-1-3-1 8
PENNRIDGE 14, HARRY S TRUMAN 0
The Rams raced out of the gate to a 7-0 lead after one quarter and never looked back.
Jack Lennox led a balanced attack with the hat trick. Nick Fanelli and Logan Lazasz both had two goals and one assist. Shane Hartzell and Tyler Richardson each had a pair of goals. George Aufschlag added one goal and two assists, and Chris Fanelli had one goal and one assist. Tommy Hart had one goal, and Matt Gerheart added an assist.
Tristan Banks (two saves) and Austin Swartley (seven saves) split time in goal for the Rams.
Pennridge (10-5, 5-2 SOL) will travel to Shipley School for a non-league game Saturday, and Harry S Truman (0-11, 0-8) will host North Penn on Monday.
Pennridge 7-2-1-4 14
Harry S Truman 0-0-0-0 0
HATBORO-HORSHAM 15, UPPER MORELAND 2
QUAKERTOWN 18, PERKIOMEN SCHOOL 4
Girls
UPPER MORELAND 14, PENNRIDGE 9
The Golden Bears opened up an 8-3 halftime lead and maintained that lead the rest of the way on their way to the non-league win, but this night was about more than just lacrosse.
“Today's game has special meaning as our game was dedicated to Lax-4-Life to raise awareness for suicide prevention and awareness,” UM coach Kim Frantz said. “Both Upper Moreland and Pennridge were playing for the cause and purchased shirts to help raise awareness for Lax-4-Life. Both teams really played hard and with heart tonight.”
Emma Meakim’s six-point game (three goals, three assists) led the Golden Bears. Meg O’Donnell and Moira Olexa both added two goals and an assist. Meg O’Donnell and Chloe Leiter each added two goals while Jess Flanagan and Bryanna Gordon contributed one goal each for the winners.
“Emma Meakim had a great game and just was a solid player for us today,” Frantz said. “Alexis Lamb also came up big for us tonight with three goals and two key groundballs.
“On the draw controls, Cassidy Hirsch did a great job with seven and was also a solid player for us in the midfield. Both Moira Olexa and MaddieGrace Wood led the team in groundballs.”
The Golden Bears’ coach saw positive signs in the win.
“It has been a long two weeks for our team with things just not coming together the way we were in the beginning of the season,” Frantz said. “We struggled with the fundamentals and basics and just weren't clicking as a unit.
“We are getting back to what we know and how we play and had many more bright moments in this game than the last four. While we still have things we need to fix and work on we are definitely on the right path as we head into the end of the season and playoffs.”
For the Rams, Aubrey Maher and Casey Hefner both connected for a hat trick. Hefner also had a pair of assists.
The Golden Bears held a 22-17 advantage in shots.
Upper Moreland (10-5, 3-4 SOL) will host Cheltenham on Monday, and Pennridge (7-6, 3-3) will host Central Bucks East on Monday.
Pennridge 3-6 9
Upper Moreland 8-6 14
PENNSBURY 18, JENKINTOWN 14
The Pennsbury girls' lacrosse Class of 2018 was honored at midfield before its game against Jenkintown Thursday night. Once the game started, the seniors moved the celebration to the goal.
Pennsbury celebrated its seniors before and during its game against Jenkintown Thursday night, and when it was over, the Falcons had seven different fourth-year players find the back of the net, combining for all but one of the team's goals in an 18-14 win.
Lily Nolan led the way with seven goals and two assists, while Annie Price had a three-goal, three-assist, six-draw control, three-caused turnover evening.
Seniors Kyra Snyder and Natalie Ward each had two goals, their first two of the season, and defender Emily Engeland also had a goal, her first, to go along with an assist. Sarah Mac Davis and Nell Webber, two more seniors, had one each.
Sophomore Emelie Curtis had a goal and three assists.
Pennsbury improved to 7-6 on the season will travel to Neshaminy on Monday.
BALDWIN SCHOOL 23, CHELTENHAM 3
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