Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/28/10
Staff Report
Radnor scored the game’s final four goals and claimed an 8-6 victory over Springfield-Delco today in the District 1 championship game at Henderson High.
The Central League tri-champion Red Raiders (22-1) will face the District 1 seventh-place finisher, North Penn, in the first round of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association tournament Tuesday at a site and time to be determined. the Cougars (20-2) will meet District 1 sixth-place finisher and fellow Central League tri-champion Strath Haven in the first round.
“We really came together as a team today,” said Radnor senior Ellie Kraus, who had two goals in the second half comeback. “We worked really hard and we knew we wanted to come out and show them we could do it. We worked our transition and did what we do best the – the fast break.”
Today’s game was continued from a contest that began Thursday night and was suspended due to inclement weather. The game was stopped early in the first half for 30 minutes Thursday and then again late in the half when it was stopped for the night. The Raiders were leading, 4-3, when the game was called the second time with 2:37 left in the half.
“It was actually funny because we started off in first two minutes yesterday and we weren’t really feeling it,” Kraus said. “We went inside and came out again and we (scored a few goals) and we knew when we went home we needed to come out like that today.”
Springfield-Delco seized a 6-4 lead with 18:55 left in the game on consecutive goals by Val Paolucci (two goals), Courtney Kennedy and Maddy Lynch. But Kraus cut the deficit to 6-5 off an 8-meter shot with 12:58 to go and 17 seconds later Kraus tied it off an assist from Courtney Campbell.
Radnor junior goalie Annie Woehling made several key saves in the second half after notching nine on Thursday. She finished with 13 stops.
Kelyn Freedman (two goals) put Radnor ahead for good with 8:43 to go and Ali Kelly (three goals) salted it with 2:37 to play off a feed from Natalie Miller.
The win for Radnor avenged a loss in the District 1 title game last year to Springfield-Delco. Before then, the Cougars had won the last three District 1 Class AA crowns and the Raiders had won the last Class AAA tile (when the PIAA began sanctioning the state tourney, the classifications were combined into one). Both teams, as well as Strath Haven tied for the Central League crown this year.
“We have these shirts that say ‘Unfinished Business’ and that’s how we looked at it,” said Radnor coach Phyllis Kilgour.
Springfield-Delco coach Keith Broome said the turning point occurred when Woehling stopped an 8-meter shot by Alex Poplawski with 14:09 left to play and the Cougars leading, 6-4.
“We had a chance to go up by three and then we turned it over and they scored and now it’s a one-goal game,” he said. “you think when you hold Radnor to eight goals, you can win. We lost to them, 8-7, the first time this year and now 8-6.
“Radnor played a good game defensively, but our attack just did not get the job done.”
Shannon Burns also scored twice for the Cougars. Allie Martin scored once for Radnor.
