Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 6/22/11
The Duke’s Lacrosse Club claimed the team title Tuesday and went 10-0 overall at the Blue Hen Challenge at the University of Delaware.
In the final, the Dukes downed St. Joseph’s Prep, 6-4, after the Prep had toppled Delaware’s Team 302 All-Stars in the semifinals. Mike Sutton (St. Augustine Prep) ld the Dukes with three goals while Owen Evans (Henderson) had his best game of the tourney with a goal and an assist. Jeff Cimbalista (New Hope-Solebury) scored and John Pennell (Owen J. Roberts) assisted Jeff Odiorne (Haverford School) on a nice give and go inside.
Adam Weaver, Hayes Nolte, Stefan Bergman, Charles Giunta, Liam O’Donnell, Connor McCann and Kevin Rogers all contributed defensively, while Kevin Murphy and Nick Wojdak were strong as d-middie transition players.
St. Joe’s got strong goaltending and solid play from Andrew Benedict at close defense and Robert Kuhn (one goal, one assist) at offensive middie.
Overall, the Dukes Offensive MVP was Dan Kinek (Emmaus/Avon Old Farms); Defensive MVP (shared )-Chris Duffy (Abington), Max Carroll (Downingtown West) and Sean Brown (Hill School); Overall MVP- Sutton.
Duke’s clinched the overall No. 1 seed beating Southern MD Select All Stars, 8-3, to finish 8-0 leading into the playoff round.
In the semis, Duke’s beat Golden Gate (Cal.) All-Stars, 5-0, in a dominating defensive performance. Matt Barrett (Malvern Prep) and Brian Zappala (Episcopal Academy) shared the goaltending duties and Carroll, Carson Scott (Conestoga) and “Razor” defender Tim Langerhans (Conestoga) led the defense.
Brown, from his D-middie transition position, had multi full-field rushes with a goal and an assist, while Jared Jacobs (Conestoga) and Tyler Haab (Episcopal Academy) dominated the face-offs.
Cimbalista and Zack Schleicher (Emmaus) had timely scores while Ian Strain (Episcopal Academy), Matt Senft (Hempfield), Mike Pettit (Tower Hill, DE) and Tyler Fuhrman (Boyertown) were offensive catalysts.
The Duke’s L.C. coaches included Ebe Helm, Jason Christmas, Dan Deckelbaum and Matt Baker.
