Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 7/11/11
The Duke’s Lacrosse Club repeated as Sr. AA champions at the Tri-State National Summer Lacrosse Festival Sunday at Mercer County Park.
The Duke’s L.C. finished 7-1 overall and claimed the title by winning all four playoff games Sunday, including a 5-3 victory over fellow Philly power Mesa Fresh 2012 – the team it lost to in pool play. Dukes defeated previously undefeated Tri-State Black, 10-2, in the semifinals and Team Long Island, 7-4, in the title game. Team Long Island consisted of players from L.I. powers such as Chaminade, St. Anthony’s and Comsewogue.
Duke’s L.C. highlights included:
–Will Gural (Haverford School) and Jon Garino (Episcopal Academy) excelled at the face-off X and scored five goals in the last three playoff games to drive the specialty units.
–Ryan Ambler (Abington) quarterbacked the Duke’s offense and was helped control the flow of the game, notching two goals and four assists in the three games he played on Sunday.
–Ian Robertson (St. Anne’s Belfield, Va.) broke loose from his attack position in the championship game with three goals and two assists as well as two goals and one assist in the semifinal win.
–Dan Kinek (Emmaus/Avon Old Farms) was an overall offensive MVP for the Dukes, contributing in all areas of the attack.
–Trevor Kupecky (Upper Merion) led the team in riding and groundballs and outworked everyone on the field.
–Jackson Tamasitis (Penn Charter) and Tyler Morrell (Episcopal Academy) were strong in goal, with each making some standout saves.
–Defensively, Ryan Guittare (Garnet Valley), Chris Panichelli (Bishop Shanahan) and Austin Pifani (Abington) had big days at close defense/LSM; while Kevin Gulyas (Allentown Central Catholic), Bryan Garrahan (Archmere Academy), Joey Carlini (Malvern Prep) and Jared Jacobs (Conestoga) excelled as defensive middies.
— Ian Strain (Episcopal Academy), Grayson Helm (Wyomissing), Mike Sutton (St. Augustine’s Prep), Chase Miller (Manheim Township) Chris Hilburn (Malvern Prep), Ray Vandegrift (Penn Charter), Nick Valentino (Hempfield), Parker Self (Central Bucks East) also contributed offensively while Chris Duffy (Abington), Mike Paoline (Downingtown West), Max Carroll (Downingtown West), Matt King (Avon Grove), Adam Weaver (Henderson), Mark Gurenlian (Springfield-Delco) and Brian Zappala (Episcopal Academy) also contributed defensively.
Duke’s L.C. now gears for Champ July 21-24 at Johns Hopkins and where it will shoot for its sixth straight crown as “mythical” National club champions. Duke’s is 45-0 in the last five years at Champ Camp, 61-2 over the last seven years and 86-5 over the last nine years.
The Duke’s 2 squad finished a solid 4-2 at Tri State in the Sr. AA Division and fell to Duke’s 1, 6-4, in the Round of 16. The Duke’s 3 squad went 5-2 overall and bowed in the quarterfinals of the Soph Division to to the eventual champion.
