Boys Lacrosse: Veterans Bonnett and Kinnard carry Penncrest past Ridley

MIDDLETOWN >> All season, the Penncrest seniors understood the plan when they had the ball. Integrating a freshman, a sophomore and a handful of juniors around two senior captains would have its rough patches and unsightly edges that still need smoothing 19 games into the season. Two-on-six was never a sustainable plan of attack night in and night out in the Central League, that elder duo knew. But there would be opportunities where a healthy dose of selfishness would be called for and boldness would be rewarded. So it was Tuesday night, as Alex Bonnett and Ryan Kinnard powered a 10-8 win over Ridley in the first round of the District One tournament, guaranteeing the seniors at least one more game in their storied careers.

Nine of the Lions’ goals came via Bonnett and Kinnard. Their 11 combined points is tied for the most they’ve had in a game this season. The 10th was scored by Max Daugherty, the sophomore, after a cross-crease feed by Bonnett that left Daugherty a head-fake and a shot over Ridley goalie Brendan Risely’s shoulder. Most of the seniors’ haul came via those try-to-stop-me moments, bulling through screens or forcibly shedding defenders, that they used to deliver a PIAA title two years ago.

“When you’re hot, you’re hot in lacrosse,” said Bonnett, who scored five times. “It’s a game of momentum, and when the momentum is going your way, you kind of just keep it going your way and things will fly your way.”

Kinnard recorded a hat trick in the first half, his unassisted rip with 3:54 left in the second quarter giving No. 15 seed Penncrest (10-9) its biggest lead of the night at 5-2.They seemed to time their scores for whenever 18th-seeded Ridley (8-11) yo-yoed to within one. Bonnett feathered a pass to Kinnard with seven seconds to play in the first half, 28 ticks after Brock Anderson had cut the margin to 5-4.

Cade Stratton, who posted a hat trick, triple-pumped one home midway through the third quarter to winnow the lead to 7-6, but Bonnett furnished the answer, lulling the defense to sleep before taking four stealthy steps from behind the cage to create the angle and flick a shot past Risely.

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Penncrest’s Alex Bonnett, right, and Ryan Kinnard, here working around the defense of Ridley’s Chris Durning, combined for nine goals as the Lions bested their Central League rival, 10-8, in the first round of the District One boys lacrosse tournament Tuesday. (Digital First Media/Robert J. Gurecki)