Conestoga holds off Avon Grove to advance in District 1 Playoffs

TREDYFFRIN – Two of the better boys’ lacrosse programs in the state met up in the postseason once again on Saturday.

Conestoga and Avon Grove headed into the District 1 3A Quarterfinals with high-octane attacks, but a classic defensive battle ensued at Teamer Field. The host Pioneers managed to score just half of its usual output but still escaped with a 5-4 decision that wasn’t decided until the final seconds.

“It was a hard, grinding game,” ’Stoga junior attacker Brendan Murphy. “Every time we play Avon Grove, it’s a battle. I can’t remember one game where it wasn’t close. They always come to play.”

The second-seeded Pioneers improve to 16-3 overall and advance to host No. 6 Radnor in the district semifinals on Tuesday. And in the process, Conestoga secures a spot in the upcoming PIAA Tournament.

“We’re automatically in states now, so we are over that first hurdle,” Murphy said. “Our next goal now is to win the district and then go on and win the state title.”

It was the lowest scoring output of the season for the Red Devils (12-5 overall), who averaged nearly 12 goals an outing in the regular season. Seeded seventh, Avon Grove drops into the playbacks with a chance to earn its way into states.

“Now it’s win-or-go-home,” said Devils’ head coach Eric Jackson. “Our guys understand that.”

Trailing 5-3 with less than a minute on the clock, Avon Grove staged a frantic comeback that came within inches of sending it into overtime. First, junior midfielder Jackson Muller scored on a breakaway to cut the lead in half with 45 seconds to go. And then, with just three seconds remaining, senior Zach Augustine uncorked a shot that hit off the nearside post and bounced harmlessly away.

“This has developed naturally into a rivalry,” said Pioneers’ head coach Brody Bush.” Eric (Jackson) informed me that his team had never actually played a game on this field. I was shocked at that.”

That’s because the ’Stoga and the Devils have frequently collided in the postseason. In 2017, for instance, Avon Grove nipped the Pioneers in double overtime to win the state crown.

“The guys back from a few seasons ago were upset we lost to (Avon Grove) in the state final, and I think they were out for some revenge,” Bush said. “But we did graduate 20 guys from last year, so this is a young team.”

Sophomore midfielder Joey Allen was still in middle school in 2017, but he acknowledged that it provided some incentive on Saturday.

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