Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 7/20/09
La Salle (12th) and Conestoga (15th) – the teams that met in the first Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) boys’ championship game – made the final Top 25 National Rankings for Lacrosse Magazine.
The Explorers defeated Conestoga, 7-3, in the PIAA finals, capping a 21-4 season and a second straight state crown. La Salle, coached by Bill Leahy, won 20 of its final 21 games. Last year La Salle was the No. 1 team in the final Lacrosse Magazine rankings.
The Explorers were led by All-Americans Tucker Durkin (defenseman, named Phillylacrosse.com Player of the Year today), Niko Amato (goalie), Peter Schwartz (midfielder) and Tyler Knarr (long-stick midfield).
Also earning All-Catholic League honors were: first-team picks Randy Forster (senior attackman), Westy Hopkins (senior attackman), Mike Noone (senior defenseman) and Gordie Wells (senior midfielder); second-team picks Kevin Forster (sophomore attackman), Derek Bogorowski (senior midfielder) and Tyler Houchins (senior defenseman) and Honorable Mention picks Andrew D’Addona (senior goalie), Mark DiFranigia (sophomore long-stick midfielder), Mike Donohoe (senior defenseman), Ryan Eidenshink (senior midfielder) and Kevin Farrington (senior midfielder).
The Pioneers finished 24-2 and swept through the Central League with an undefeated record of 11-0. They defeated Downingtown East, 7-4, for the first District 1 championship.
Conestoga, coached by Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (EPSLA) Coach of the Year Brian Samson, featured All-Americans Mike Bronzino (senior defenseman) and Austin Rogusky (junior attackman) as well as All-EPSLA pick Ryan Lord (junior midfielder).
Others that earned All-Central League honors included first-team pick Brian Dailey (sophomore long-stick midfielder), second-team picks Paul Mita (senior attackman), Matt Smith (junior attackman), Jason Klunder (junior midfielder), Phil Cuddeback (senior defenseman), Ryan Buttenbaum (junior midfielder/face-off specialist), and Honorable Mention picks Peter Zonino (junior goalie) and Peter Bowers (junior midfielder).
