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Conestoga rallies past Wissahickon, programs pay tribute to Jim Simmington

Posted On: Monday, April 19, 2021
By: ldevlin

LOWER GWYNEDD >> As the officials set the opening faceoff of the fourth quarter, Conestoga’s bench really got into it.

The Pioneers were behind by two goals and had trailed all afternoon, but they knew they had 12 minutes to turn things around. An emotional start to the day had clearly lifted host Wissahickon to a quick start and both teams were primed to take it to the final whistle.

Conestoga scored three goals in the final quarter while holding the Trojans scoreless to pick up a 5-4 win Saturday.

“We leaned on what brought us here in the first place, which was celebrating an alumni and a great coach here,” Pioneers senior Aiden Kelly said. “A lot of the guys saw this as an opportunity to show how good we are and how we can play, so a lot of the boys got excited about that and realizing we have a long season ahead and this is just the beginning.”

Saturday’s contest brought the programs together for a reason beyond a good non-league game. Prior to the opening faceoff, the teams came together to remember Jim Simmington, a Conestoga graduate who coached lacrosse and taught in the Wissahickon School District who passed away in December 2019 after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Simmington, who played lacrosse at Conestoga and West Chester University, was a sixth-grade teacher and founded Wissahickon Middle School’s lacrosse program in 2005. He was also an assistant on the varsity staff and helped the Trojans win the SOL American title in 2010.

Former Wissahickon coach Anthony Gabriel and Conestoga assistant John Bickel, who played with Simmington in high school, delivered remarks then presented Simmington’s wife Phoebe and children Jack and Kylie with No. 7 Pioneers and Trojans jerseys.

Current Wiss coach Matt Conway felt the significance of the game helped his team off to a fast start.

“The day itself being a tribute to Jim Simmington, we were fired up and ready to play, plus it’s a great program we’re going against so it all played a part in it” Conway said. “They’re one of the better programs in the area, it was a fight and a mistake here or there is what will cost you in the end. I’m proud of our effort; I thought we did a really good job.”

The Trojans couldn’t have asked for a much better start. Goalie Scott Pfeiffer made a save on Conestoga’s first shot and the hosts turned their first possession into a goal when Kyle Lehman ripped one in coming from behind the net.

Lehman was on fire early, scoring three goals in the opening quarter while the Wiss defense posted a shutout for a 3-0 lead. Conestoga defenseman Andy Marquet, a team captain, felt his team was able to adjust well over the next three quarters.

Click HERE to read the full article.

Conestoga assistant coach John Bickel (Left) and former

Wissahickon coach Anthony Gabriele (right) present jerseys

to Jim Simmington’s wife Phoebe and children Jack and Kylie

prior to their game on Saturday, April 17, 2021. (Andrew Robinson/MediaNews Group)

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