Boys Lacrosse: Garnet Valley returns to District 1-3A semifinals, escapes Perkiomen Valley 8-7

PHOENIXVILLE >> Finally, the comparisons are welcome.

The Garnet Valley boys lacrosse team has spent the season being compared to last year’s Jaguars, a District 1-3A semifinalist and PIAA 3A quarterfinalist, in ‘not so good of a way,’ as Jaguars goalie Jason Rose tells it.

This year’s Jaguars may not have been able to duplicate the Central League success of the 2017 edition, but that is further and further in the rearview mirror after Saturday’s District 1-3A quarterfinal matchup with upstart Perkiomen Valley at Phoenixville.

Garnet Valley got a hat trick from Mitch Lachman and came up with the goods defensively down the stretch to hold off Perkiomen Valley, 8-7, to advance to the district semifinals and lock up a place in the PIAA tournament.

Danny Bradley had a goal and four assists and Jake Morin had two goals and an assist for the Jaguars (14-8), who are more than happy with being underestimated.

“We keep being compared to last year’s team in not so good of a way. But we’re in the same place they were and our team’s really come together,” Rose said. “We’re really embracing the underdog role. Everyone’s counted us out and we love it.”

The No. 15 seed Jaguars, which upset No. 2 seed Central Bucks East on Thursday, advance to take on No. 3 Upper Dublin in Tuesday’s semifinals.

Saturday’s quarterfinal was a matchup of teams that weren’t supposed to match the accomplishments of the previous year’s team, yet both have or have the chance to surpass their predecessors.

That was also the case for Pioneer Athletic Conference finalist Perk Valley (14-8), which is in the process of its deepest run into the district championships in program history. The Vikings’ season is still alive with a playback for a PIAA berth upcoming on Tuesday at No. 6 Central Bucks West.

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