The Upper Dublin boys team was the lone SOL lacrosse team to win in Thursday’s second round. To view photos of the Upper Dublin/Great Valley girls’ game, please visit the Photo Gallery.
Boys
#4 UPPER DUBLIN 8, #13 BISHOP SHANAHAN 6
Upper Dublin was the lone SOL school still standing after Thursday’s second round action, and as coach JP Banks will attest, this win was anything but easy.
“It doesn’t matter that Bishop Shanahan was the 13th seed,” the Flying Cardinals’ coach said. “We didn’t treat them like a 13th seed. We treated them like a two seed. Every team that’s left right now is good.”
After battling to a 5-5 halftime tie, the Cardinals outscored Shanahan 3-1 in the second half, and that was the difference in the game.
“I think our offense did a good job of possessing the ball,” Banks said. “We played less defense in the second half.
“Our defense got comfortable. They have a couple of very good players, and they have an excellent coach who put them in a good scheme, put them in positions to succeed.
“Early on, we adjusted too slowly, and at halftime, we were able to settle them down, talk to them and get them to trust in what they were doing, and they came out and did a great job.”
Ben Winbrake contributed the hat trick to lead the Cardinals.
“He had a huge play in the ride in the third quarter,” Banks said. “We had a good opportunity at the net, and their goalie made a nice save. They were going to clear the ball at the midfield line and tried to throw it over Ben, who reached up with one hand, grabbed the ball, ran all the way down and stuffed it. Momentum-wise that was a huge goal for us.”
Also delivering a clutch play was Jack Rapine.
“Jack is a freshman defenseman, and he makes a good play on the clear,” Banks said. “He winds up coming down, and they hold up on defense a little longer because they didn’t want to leave (Michael) Rama open, and he stuck a goal to make it 6-5.
“Just gutsy momentum plays at the right time. This game was a battle.”
Rama finished with a pair of goals, and Drew Potts had two goals and one assist. Michael Sowers had three assists. Jack Deragon had 11 saves in goal for the Cardinals, who will face fifth-seeded Garnet Valley at Harriton on Saturday at 4 p.m. in a quarterfinal game.
“It’s a new place for Upper Dublin lacrosse,” Banks said. “We’re excited for our opportunity. We just hope to go out and play well on Saturday.”
Bishop Shanahan 2-3-1-0 6
Upper Dublin 3-2-2-1 8
#1 RADNOR 10, #17 CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 5
The Titans jumped out to an early lead and hung tough into the third quarter to put a big scare into the top-seeded Red Raiders, but eventually succumbed 10-5 in second round action of boys PIAA District One lacrosse playoffs at Radnor high school on Thursday night.
CB South, a huge underdog, came out and scored the game's first two goals to shock the Red Raiders, but the district’s top-ranked team quickly regrouped and scored the game's next three goals to take a 3-2 lead at the end of the first quarter. Playing a zone defense led by long-poles Tim Ross, Tim McCrudden, Conner Bechtel and Kevin Witchey, the Titans hung tough despite a significant disadvantage in shots and time of possession. The teams traded goals in the second quarter to make it a 4-3 Red Raiders advantage at the half.
Radnor came out swinging in the third quarter, and their superior team depth played to their advantage as they eventually wore down the Titans, scoring two goals to CB South's one to take a 6-4 lead into the fourth quarter. With the game still within reach, the Titan's fought hard, but the Red Raiders were able to finish off the underdogs 10-5, with four fourth quarter goals to CB South's one score.
Peter Donato led Radnor's offensive with three goals, teammate Jack Wilson had two and Tom Hemcher had a goal and an assist to pace the Red Raiders. Alex Manderack, Mike Cherry, Conner Burns, and Kevin Reilly each added a goal, while Tom Hemcher and Chris Albany added assists. Brendan Manderack was strong in goal with 11 saves.
For the Titans, Ty Strayline had three goals, while Jake Henze and Ty McGee added one each. Willie Pendleton, Tom DiBrino and Joel Zimmerman added assists. Goalie Ryan Kelly was credited with 17 saves in a game that saw the Raiders out-shoot the Titans 36 to 24.
CB South closed out a highly successful year by matching its best ever record in school history at 14-6. Under second year coach Mike Sharman and his staff, the team accomplished much, including the Titans’ first District One playoff appearance in school history, which resulted in a victory versus Kennett earlier in the week.
Central Bucks South 2-1-1-1 5
Radnor 3-1-2-4 10
#5 GARNET VALLEY 8, #12 CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 3
The Patriots, who battled the Jaguars to a 2-2 halftime tie, received single goals from Zach Kane, Pete Donovan and Matt Schmidt. The Jaguars won the game in the third quarter, outscoring the Patriots 4-0. Sean McGovern was credited with 23 saves for the Patriots, who closed out their season with a 15-4 record.
Central Bucks East 0-2-0-1 3
Garnet Valley 2-0-4-2 8
#8 GREAT VALLEY 9, #9 ABINGTON 5
The Patriots opened up a 4-0 lead at the end of one quarter and took a 6-2 lead into halftime. They extended that lead to 7-2 before the Ghosts scored three goals in the final quarter.
Will Dulin (two goals, one assist) and Joey Lomady (two goals) led the Ghosts while Hunter Jones had one goal and one assist and Brian Gallagher, one assist. Eric Goldsborough was credited with 10 saves in goal. Abington closed out the year with a record of 15-5 (10-0 SOL).
Abington 0-2-0-3 5
Great Valley 4-2-1-2 9
Girls
#9 GARNET VALLEY 16, #8 HATBORO-HORSHAM 5
The Hatters have had their share of runs at the expense of their opponents this season. In Thursday’s second round district game, the Hatters were doomed by a 10-1 Jaguar run in an 11-minute span in the first half.
“When you get down six or seven goals – you lose a half step, you’re upset,” coach Duncan Swezey said. “It’s like winding the rabbit up – they’re ready to go, and in the meantime, you’re looking for a foxhole to hide.
“It’s a learning experience. We don’t want the girls to be upset. There’s no reason to be upset. There’s only one team standing, and this team just happened to be standing in Hershey two years in a row.”
The Hatters actually had several opportunities to get on the scoreboard first, but Garnet Valley goalie Paige Mitros turned away shots on two consecutive free positions.
“I think that made a big difference for us,” Jaguar coach Jenny Purvis said. “We were hoping to get those first several possessions. Paige, our goalie, came up with some great saves, and I think that really made a difference in terms of the confidence in our defenders and then in our transition moving up the field.
“That’s how lacrosse is – if one draw goes one way or one ground ball, it could change the whole pace.”
The pace of the game changed dramatically after Emily Mathewson broke a scoreless tie with a goal at the 20:34 mark of the opening half. The goal sparked a 10-1 Garnet Valley run in a stretch that saw the Jaguars win 9-of-11 draws.
“That’s the game,” Purvis said. “We have been playing really well the last couple of weeks, and I credit that to our draw controls. If you have possession, you can do something with it.
“It’s a very difficult game to win when you’re not winning those draws.”
The Hatters trailed 13-5 by halftime and never threatened, but it didn’t take long for the players to put Thursday’s season-ending loss in perspective.
“With us losing all those seniors from last year, we didn’t expect to have the year we did,” junior tri-captain Maria Guerra said. “We were (17-2) coming into tonight, which was phenomenal. We honestly did not think we would get this far.”
West Chester-bound Ashley Pyle led the Jaguars with four goals and three assists while Dana Davis and Mathewson each had three goals and one assist.
For the Hatters’ Rachel Rausa had a pair of goals, and Colby Eldridge added a goal and assist. Guerra and Annette Desipio both had one goal. Sydeney Rausa had an assist.
Extra shots: Twice over the course of the game, Rachel Rausa, a junior tri-captain, left the game with a bloody nose – the first the result of a crosscheck while going to goal and the second on the follow through of a Garnet Valley shot while playing defense…for Garnet Valley coach Jenny Purvis, Thursday’s game was a homecoming. The 2007 grad, who went on to have a standout career at Penn State, is in her first year at the helm of the two-time defending state champions. Her team’s run through the playoffs has included plenty of familiar faces. In Tuesday’s opening round game, the Jaguars defeated Souderton. Purvis – a student teacher at Souderton in the fall of 2011 - knew many of Souderton’s players since she assisted with the field hockey team that fall. Then came Thursday’s game against at Hatboro squad coached by the parents of her best friend and Hatboro alum Taylor Swezey. The trip down memory lane doesn’t end there for Purvis, whose team will take on Radnor in Saturday’s quarterfinal round. Last spring, Purvis was an assistant at Radnor…Thursday’s game marked the end of Jackie Giovinazzo’s four-year varsity career in goal for the Hatters. “She’s always been our rock in goal,” Guerra said. “We have to figure out who’s going to be that rock next year. I’m really sad that Jackie and our two other seniors are going to leave us.” Giovinazzo was credited with eight saves.
#2 GREAT VALLEY 17, #18 UPPER DUBLIN 2
Coach Dee Cross knew her young team would have its hands full against the second-seeded Patriots. She was right. By halftime, Great Valley led 9-1 and was in complete command.
“They were just that good, and we knew it,” Cross said. “We never gave up, but we just couldn’t match what they had.”
Junior Julie Cross scored both goals for the Flying Cardinals. Sophomore goalie Sarah Gallagher was credited with 10 saves.
“Great Valley was fast and pressured all over the field, and we just could not adjust,” coach Cross said. “Our players saw the intensity that these girls bring because every game they play is that intense. It was one of those things where we knew what they were going to do, but we just couldn’t stop them.”
The Flying Cardinals closed out the year with a 15-5 record (13-1 SOL).
#3 SPRINGFIELD-DELCO 17. #19 PENNSBURY 4
The Cougars, looking every bit the part of the tournament’s third seed, sprinted to an 11-1 halftime lead and never looked back. The Falcons had no answer for Emily Santana, who led the Cougars with six goals and one assist.
Alyssa Matthews and Carson Smith both scored two goals for the Falcons. Joy Hopkins added one assist.
Goalie Liana Eyre was credited with 10 saves for the Falcons, who saw their most successful season in program history come to an end. Pennsbury captured the program’s first ever SOL National Conference title and advanced beyond the first round of districts for the first time ever. The Falcons closed out the year with a 13-4 record (8-0 SOL).
- Log in to post comments
