PA – Central Athletic League | Archive | May, 2018

RADNOR >> Alyssa Long opened up to chase a groundball in the first minute of play Thursday afternoon, then pulled up in pain at midfield. Her Springfield teammates knew then — as the star midfielder who’d missed the better part of the last month with a hamstring strain and was only cleared for a return to action this week, hobbled off the field in tears — that they’d have to tackle the challenge of Conestoga in the second round of the District 1 Class 3A tournament without her.

“It’s hard because she’s such a big part of our midfield, taking the ball from the defensive end to the offensive end,” teammate Dana Carlson said. “We had to kind of adjust to it. It was hard seeing her walk off.”

As if to prove just how difficult it would be, the second-seeded Cougars took most of the first half to sort out the rotation without the dynamic Long, spotting Conestoga a three-goal lead in the process. Along the way, though, they summoned the resolve to flourish without her, then hang on as the 18th-seeded Pioneers (a staggering indictment of the district’s seeding system if ever one there was) gave them their best shot late.

Carlson scored five goals, and Erin Gormley picked up much of the slack for her fellow sophomore Long in midfield to key an 11-10 win for the Cougars in a battle of Central League elites at Cabrini University.

Springfield (16-3) advances to the quarterfinals to take on No. 7 seed Downingtown East, a 13-6 winner over Central Bucks East Thursday. Conestoga (12-8), which had beaten Springfield 13-11 in their regular-season meeting, sees its season end shy of states.

The response to Long’s exit had to be instantaneous against an opponent as strong as Conestoga, irrespective of the seeding for a team in the state’s toughest league with a daunting nonleague slate. And for a moment it seemed that Springfield found the counterpoint via Gormley. Two and a half minutes into the game, she scooped a groundball near her crease and jetted the length of the field to tie the game at one, momentarily quelling the emotion of Long’s exit.

“We have to think about what we had to do on defense, who we were going to put back there and what midfielder was going to go back there if we were going to do a four-man middie (after Long left),” Gormley said. “We get really nervous when we lose her because she’s a big factor to our team and really contributes to our team a lot. It’s a struggle without her, but we adjust really well and all work together through it.”

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Springfield’s Dana Carlson fires a shot past Conestoga defender Amelia Kienzle, left, and goalie Christin Ealer for one of her five goals in the Cougars’ 11-10 District 1 Class 3A playoff victory over the Pioneers Thursday. (Digital First Media/Pete Bannan)

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CONCORD >> From the head-turning music to the hooting and hollering as they pass the iconic Shack bordering the athletic field, the Garnet Valley girls’ lacrosse team sure knows how to make an entrance.

Four PIAA championship banners decorating the fence complete the intimidating atmosphere. Think Fear Factor.
The way the top-seeded Jaguars disposed of Abington, 13-7, in the second round of the District 1 Class 3A playoffs Thursday, you cannot help but wonder if those championship pennants are going to get company.

The Jaguars (16-2) dominated in every phase before giving way to the substitutes, who surrendered most of the goals to a scrappy group from Abington (12-7).

Riley Delaney scored three goals, Regan Nealon tallied three goals and one assist and Kamryn McNeal contributed two goals and two assists to power the Jaguars, who host Owen J. Roberts Saturday.

Jaguars coach Jenny Purvis smiled when reminded that there was a gap in the championship string, the last lacrosse title coming in 2015. After all, she’s guided the Jaguars to the final four the past two years, losing to eventual state champ Archbishop Carroll last year. And one of her assistants, Mark Clark, was the coach of Garnet Valley’s 2016 PIAA championship volleyball team, which by the way, is the most recent pennant on the fence next to The Shack.

“Every March, actually every September I should say, is when we kind of set our goals, and the girls get really excited for the season,” Purvis said. “The state championship is always our goal. But we start small and think Central League championship and then district championship and then state championship. We try not to get too ahead in terms of what we’re looking for. It’s kind of a one-game-at-a-time mentality. And I’m glad we took care of today. And we’ll move forward to Saturday.”

The Jaguars took over from the opening draw control, one of nine won by Madi McKee, who contributed two goals. The Ghosts hustled but were no match for their opponent’s precision passing and disciplined defense.

The Jaguars led, 10-0, at the intermission. And it would have been worse had they not hit posts or had Aileen Hughes not stood so tall in goal for the Ghosts.

“We’re very cohesive when we play together,” McNeal said. “We’re always looking for that extra pass. I think we have a very good team mentality.”

McNeal is a sparkplug for the Jaguars. She scored to give them a 2-0 lead while crashing to the ground, courtesy of a collision. A few moments later she made the extra pass to McKee, who backhanded the ball into the back of the net for a 4-0 bulge.

And it was the defense inspired by senior Abby Kalish, who caused three turnovers, and goalie Sam Hamalak, who notched seven saves, that seemed to kickstart the attack.

“I think our defensive unit especially did a really great job especially in that first half of holding them to zero goals and really containing their threats on attack,” Purvis said. “I was really impressed with what we did there.”

The Ghosts played to the final horn, as they scored with 2.8 seconds remaining. Senior Natalie McNamara, who led the squad with four goals, was proud of the way they finished.

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Garnet Valley’s Kamryn McNeal, seen in a game against Radnor earlier this month, scored two goals and two assists as the top-seeded Jaguars beat Abington, 13-7, Thursday in the second round of the District 1 Class 3A Tournament. (Digital First Media/Pete Bannan)

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RADNOR >> With its top midfielder out of action, the Radnor boys lacrosse team has challenged itself with each passing day.

Not one player can fill the void left by Connor Pierce, a Division I-bound offensive midfield who hasn’t played since the middle of April due to stress fracture in his leg.

“Our coaches have made it an important matter,” junior attackman John Austen said. “Connor is clearly a great player and not just one person can replace him. We just have a next-man-up mentality. As the coaches have told us, it starts with everyone doing one little thing to make us all better.”

Among the players who have improved their overall games in Delaware commit Pierce’s absence are Austen, Drew Brown and Jackson Birtwistle, who buoyed the Raiders’ impressive win Thursday. Austen had five goals, Birtwistle notched a hat trick and two assists, and Brown tallied two goals and five assists as No. 3 Radnor earned a 12-3 decision over sixth-seeded Pope John Paul II in a District 1 Class 2A quarterfinal.

“We just know that everyone has a job to do,” Birtwistle said. “Losing a player like Connor … it’s not easy.”

And yet, the Raiders make things look rather simple Thursday. To illustrate the dominance, you’d have to look no further than Birtwistle’s fancy, behind-the-shoulder goal in the third quarter. Birtwistle played it coy when asked how he goes about executing such an awesome shot.

“I guess it’s just a feel,” he said.

Radnor stumbled in the first quarter as Pope John Paull II frequently found itself in Raiders’ territory. A costly turnover enabled Kyle Donovan to score the Golden Panthers’ third goal late in the opening stanza. For a brief moment, the Raiders were rattled.

To say Raiders dominated the rest of the way would be an understatement.

They ramped up the attack, and their defense — led by Ryan Bernicker, Kyle Addis, Cole Schwartz and two-way middie Ryan Peter — suffocated the Golden Panthers and forced a bevy of turnovers.

“Our defenders really turned it up at the end, and our goalkeeper Archer (Darrach) did great,” Austen said. “I think it all started with our offense, though. We had a couple of early turnovers that led to transition for them. Obviously our defense, we trust very well on six-v-six possessions rather than on fast breaks. It helped them out big time.”

After the first 12 minutes of regulation, scoring chances for the visitors were sparse, if not totally nonexistent.

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Radnor’s John Austen, seen in a regular-season game against Springfield, scored five goals Thursday as the Raiders downed Pope John Paul II, 12-3, in a District 1 Class 2A quarterfinal. (Digital First Media/Pete Bannan)

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MIDDLETOWN >> Nothing has ever stopped Grace Harding in her pursuit for athletic excellence, whether it’s on a basketball court or a lacrosse field.

The Penncrest senior is the catalyst of the lacrosse team’s push to a district championship. Harding scored three goals, including the game-winner, in the Lions’ 16-13 decision over No. 14 Springfield (Montco) in the opening round of the District 1 Class 2A tournament. Third-seeded Penncrest is back in action Thursday at 6 p.m. when it hosts No. 11 Upper Moreland in the quarterfinal round.

Harding has started every game since her freshman year. Due to her talent and contributions in multiple sports at Penncrest, she has earned 11 varsity letters.

Not bad for a kid who was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at a young age.

“I was diagnosed two days before sixth grade started, so I’ve had it for a little while now,” Harding said. “Now it’s just like my normal life. I guess it’s different because I have to worry about checking my blood sugar before every game and make sure everything is fine. Not everyone else has to do that.”

Harding has never allowed the chronic condition to deter her progress in sports or the classroom. You wouldn’t know by watching her take charge on the field that she has battled with the symptoms associated with diabetes for years.

In 2016, Harding had already given her verbal commitment to continue her lacrosse career at Drexel University. And she was a four-year standout power forward/center for the Lions basketball team that qualified for the District 1 tournament in her final two seasons.

“I try not to have it be a whole (big) thing,” she said. “I have learned to live with it every day. The more stable I am, the better I can perform.”

Well, Harding performed to her usual high expectations in Monday’s tournament opener. While she was relatively quiet in the first half, Harding took over when the Lions needed her the most. The second half was a back-and-forth affair until Harding, off a draw control, sprinted 50 yards and fired the go-ahead goal past Spartan goalie Annie Ryan (eight saves). Springfield quickly got even on the scoreboard, but Harding had the answer, scoring her second tie-breaking goal with 13:53 to play in regulation. Her third and final tally of the afternoon was the most impactful, a decider for the game. Juliana George added a pair of insurance goals for the Lions.

Unfortunately, moments after Harding put the Lions in front for good, she was whistled for a dangerous follow-through, her second card of the game. That meant the Lions were forced to hold on without their top scorer.

“I am taller, obviously, than most girls, whether it be on the court or the field,” Harding said. “Sometimes I feel like, maybe the officials will see that I am bigger than most girls and I must be doing something to the other team when in fact it could just be my strength.”

Harding knows only one way to play — full-speed ahead.

“Sometimes it puts us at a disadvantage, but I don’t let it affect me and I keep playing my game,” Harding said.

Thankfully for the Lions, they had other players step up and produce big time. George, maybe the smallest player on the field, was a dynamo for the Lions. She scored a team-high five goals, including back-to-back goals once Harding was sidelined for the rest of the match.

“Of course I didn’t want to sit out the rest of this game,” Harding said, “but I have confidence in my girls.”

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Penncrest’s Grace Harding attacks the defense of Springfield-Montco in the second half of their District 1 playoff game at Penncrest Wednesday evening. Harding had three goals in the 16-13 victory. (Pete Bannan/Digital First Media)

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CONCORD >> With five goals in their favor and 20-some hours to stew it over, the clichés actually served Garnet Valley well Wednesday afternoon. Thinking that its playoff game against Downingtown West, resuming after a lightning-induced suspension Tuesday night, was a 0-0 affair held practical value for the 15th-seeded Jaguars.

It also helped the Jaguars pick up right where they left off.

Ten Jaguars found the net, and the defense pitched a shutout for nearly three quarters in a 14-4 handling of No. 18 seed Downingtown West in the protracted first round of the District 1 Class 3A boys lacrosse tournament.

The win moves the Jags (11-8) into the second round of the tournament Thursday afternoon against No. 2 Central Bucks East, which got a first-round bye. Befitting the wackiness of the schedule disrupted by inclement weather across the region, the Jags Wednesday finished the game, which featured a running clock at junctures in the second half, dropped their sticks and readied for a walk-through to prep for the Patriots.

“We had to make sure we were ready and get ready to go again,” attackman Jake Morin said. “We couldn’t slack off because we were up 5-0. It was still practice for tomorrow either way. … You’ve got to make sure you don’t think it’s over so that you’re ready to come out the next time.”

The Jags’ attack, led by a goal and an assist from Hunter Baar Tuesday night, staked GV to a 5-0 lead after one quarter. But the defense brought it home Wednesday with its lights-out play that limited the Whippets to a mere 13 shots in the game. Garnet Valley was up 12-0 before Downingtown West (10-8) got its breakthrough on offense, courtesy of long pole Gavin Rossman in transition, in the final minute of the third quarter.

Garnet Valley goalie Jason Rose left after three quarters with four saves and just the one blemish, thanks to the effort of the defense in front of him.

“We were fired up and ready to go from start to finish,” defender Austin Patton said. “It adds a little more motivation when you have to come out and it’s rainy and not the best weather, so it’s more motivation to come out here.”

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Garnet Valley’s Jon Ricci carries past Downingtown West’s Joshua Toth during the first quarter of a game against Downingtown West Tuesday. Disrupted by weather, the game resumed Wednesday and Garnet Valley went on to a 14-4 win. Ricci scored a goal on that second day. (Digital First Media/Pete Bannan)

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The senior second baseman is a skilled batsman, compiling a batting average of .481 with 25 hits (as of May 13) with 13 RBIs, 10 runs scored and only four strikeouts.  Conestoga head coach Matt Diamond noted, “He is also playing phenomenal defense at second base.” The University of South Carolina-bound senior has played the keystone position since his Little League tournament days at age 11.

Fun facts – Owen Margolis

Favorite book: Shoe Dog.
Favorite TV show: The Office.
Favorite movie: Avengers: Infinity War.
Favorite athlete: Chase Utley.
Favorite pre-game pump-up song: Paramedic!
Favorite team: Phillies.
Favorite place to visit: Garden City, S.C.
Favorite pre-game meal: apple slices and peanut butter.
Family members: parents Neil and Susan, sister Mia, brother Randy.

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So much for the anticipated rebuilding campaign. Despite losing several key starters from a team that won the PIAA District 1 Class 5A baseball title and advanced to the second round of states, Marple Newtown improved to 15-0 Wednesday with a 16-0, three-inning romp over Radnor.

“I’m not surprised by what we’ve done so far,” senior first baseman and pitcher Luke Zimmerman said Sunday. “We had a decent amount of talent coming back and we’re a confident group.”

“The guys have responded well to having a bull’s-eye on their backs,” Marple Newtown coach Mark Jordan said. “Some team has to be the hunted one. They enjoy the challenge that goes with it.”

Zimmerman, a lefthanded thrower and batter, struck out 10 over five innings Monday in a  12-2 win at Garnet Valley. The 6-foot, 215-pounder is 5-0 with a 1.20 ERA and 56 whiffs in 35 innings. He mixes a fastball, slider, curveball, and change-up. “He’s good at locating, changing speeds, and varying the movement of his pitches,” Jordan said. Zimmerman fanned 13 in a complete-game four-hitter in a 5-0 win at Strath Haven on April 9. He struck out seven and yielded only one hit in a 4-0 triumph at Conestoga nine days later.

The St. Joseph’s University recruit has also shined at the plate. He was batting .488 with 19 RBIs, 14 runs, five doubles, four home runs, and two triples through Monday.

“I really don’t take a break from getting swings in,” the 17-year-old from Broomall said. “I’m always hitting. I don’t want to lose my rhythm.”

The Tigers, who are 12-0 in Central League play, were batting .378 with 45 extra-base hits coming into this week. “The way we’ve been hitting has been pretty amazing,” Jordan said.

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Luke Zimmerman throws in Monday’s 12-2 win over Central League rival Garnet Valley.

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UPPER DARBY >> If you ask Strath Haven girls track coach Bill Coren about his team’s success, you get one answer.

If you ask some of his athletes, their response might be a little different.

Regardless of the difference of opinions, the fact remains that when it is time for the Delaware County Girls Track and Field Championships, the Panthers are at their best.

For the ninth consecutive year, Strath Haven is county champion. Haven piled up 154 points to outdistance Penn Wood (80), host Upper Darby (79) and Garnet Valley (64) in the race to be the best team in the meet Saturday.

Penn Wood placed second in the team standings for the third year in a row.

“We have a saying: ‘We are Strath Haven; act like it,’” Coren said. “Tonight we really acted like it.”

The Panthers added six first-place finishes Saturday to the one they claimed when the meet began Thursday. They also came up with a pair of runner-up placings and were shut out in only two of the 13 championship events contested on the second day of competition.

“Sometimes he says it’s 95 percent coaching and five percent talent,” Haven senior Taylor Barkdoll said with a smile.
Barkdoll had reason to smile. She helped the 4 x 800-meter relay team that included Ava Crawford, Abby Loiselle and freshman anchor Maddie

Forbes win the first event contested Saturday, then came back toward the end of the meet to capture gold in the 3,200-meter run. Barkdoll held off Loiselle in the 3,200.

“I was sixth last year,” she said. “I did a lot more training this year and doubled my mileage. I had a different attitude and made up my mind to work harder.”

Junior Grace Forbes turned in an impressive double for the Panthers, capturing the 1,600-meter run in 4:54.81, then surviving an exciting duel in the stretch with Radnor sophomore Keara Seasholtz to win the 800 in 2:13.54.

“That was a tough double,” Coren said.

Forbes, who lowered her personal-best time in the 1,600 by seven seconds, didn’t seem to mind being asked to do what she had done.

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GLENOLDEN >> For years, the odds were stacked against Penncrest winning the team title at the Delaware County Boys Track & Field Championships, but not because of a lack of talent.

The problem was that the weekend of the county championship coincided with the senior prom at Penncrest, which pretty much took the seniors out of the mix for Lions, especially on second day of competition when 10 of the 11 track finals take place.

This year, however, that wasn’t the case. Penncrest moved its prom to June 2, which meant the Lions had their full contingent of athletes and the result was the first county title in no one knows how long.

“I think we won one in the ’80s,” Penncrest coach George Munro said. “I think there’s a plaque or something in the trophy case.”

It took a seventh-place finish in the 4 x 400-meter relay to secure a 74-71 victory over Episcopal Academy for the overall county title. The Lions topped Haverford by a point, 89-88, for the National Division crown, while Strath Haven edged EA, 100-98, for the American Division title.

Confused? Well, you should be. The meet is scored three ways, overall and in a two-division format based on enrollment, with the nine largest schools in the National and the 12 smallest schools in the American.

The bottom line is Penncrest is the county champ for 2018, doing so without winning a single individual event Saturday evening at Interboro’s South Avenue Athletic Complex.

“We’ve been banged up so much this week it’s amazing that we pulled it out,” senior Billy Angelina said.
Penncrest won because of its depth. Marcus Troy, Collin and Garrett Tait, and Ahmed Barrie won the 4 x 100, while Brendon Luong, Luke Narbus,

Justin Senackerib and John McGlinn captured the 4 x 800 to account for Penncrest’s only victories on Day 2.

Matt Arndt finished second in the discus (130-0). Avery Lederer took third in the 1,600 (4:27.07). Angelina was sixth in a sizzling 800 (1:58.96), Sam Rose and Christian Gallagher were second and fourth, respectively, in the pole vault with vaults of 11 feet and 10-6.

“I’m very happy,” Angelina said. “I dropped three seconds off my best time and qualified for districts.”

Something that would not have been possible if the prom was this weekend.

“Luckily that got pushed back so we were able to run,” Angelina said. “We were happy because we didn’t have a great meet here last year and this was an opportunity to go crazy and do our best.”

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HAVERFORD >> It’s been several years now that Cole Lukasiewicz and Jack Daly have been playing together in the heart of Haverford’s attack. The pieces around the duo have changed, and they’ve matured from young talents to senior leaders. But in building on two seasons of historic growth for the Haverford program, it’s clear that neither player is ready to see the upward trajectory flatten out yet.

Daly did the bulk of the work Thursday evening, with four goals and six assists, a one-man wrecking crew as the Fords dispatched Ridley, 13-6, in Central League action. Daly had a hand in five of six first-quarter goals to stake the Fords to a 6-2 advantage it never looked in danger of surrendering. Daly made all the right reads. He attacked if Ridley unwisely sent short sticks his way. When Ridley gave him space behind the net, he dished to open Fords. When they pursued, he created distance and an angle to shoot.

“Cole and Daly, they’re generals down there,” defender Tom Fredericks said. “They run the whole offense. You know you’ve got to push out on Jack; Jack’s got a heck of a shot. You just can’t give him space. He’ll shoot, he’ll score every time. It’s just awesome.”

Haverford led 8-2 before Matt Haines scored twice to add some cushion at halftime. But Daly set up Kyle Bennett’s second goal four minutes into the second half on a smart skip pass, then Daly bombed one home at 4:55 of the third to make it 10-4 and remove all doubt. Combined with Lukasiewicz, who scored and dished three helpers, they were too much for Ridley to handle.

“Me and Cole have been best buddies since, I don’t even know,” Daly said. “We play together all the time, and with him moving to midfielder, I think he’s one of the best midfielders around. So we’ve been working well together.”

Daly and Lukasiewicz only accounted for half of the equation, though. Through three quarters, the Haverford defense had allowed just eight total Ridley shots, and the Fords outshot Ridley 39-15 on the day. Part of the reason was the aggression of a unit led by Fredericks, knowing a young and injury-riddled Ridley frontline looked tentative early.

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Haverford’s Jack Daly keeps the ball from Ridley’s Evan Bosak in the first half Thursday. Daly contributed four goals and six assists in a 13-6 Fords win. (Digital First Media/Pete Bannan)

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