Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 7/16/09
La Salle and Conestoga, the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association finalists, have advanced to the third round of the inaugural LaxPower Boys’ National Online Tournament (NOLT).
The Explorers, the two-time Pennsylvania state champion seeded No. 1 in Group 4, toppled Colorado state champion Arapahoe in the second round. Conestoga, the state runner-up, downed California champ St. Ignatius Prep in Group 3.
Meanwhile, Haverford School was eliminated by New York Catholic power St. Anthony’s.
In the third round, La Salle (21-4 in real season) will meet Ohio champ Worthington Kilbourne (21-2). Conestoga (24-2), the No. 2 seed in Group 2, will face Maryland power Georgetown Prep (20-3).
The tourney results for Day 2 can be found by clicking here. The next round of the tourney is Monday.
The LaxPower NOLT is the first virtual national tournament. The field of 64 was chosen by taking the nation’s state champions as well as the next highest rated teams in the LaxPower Power Rankings. The winners of the games are determined equally by the computer Power Rankings and votes from the LaxPower panel of four “experts,” three of which are from the Philadelphia area.
Here are “game” recaps.
Group 1
(7) Haverford School Fords (PA) 99.00
(2) St. Anthony’s Friars (NY) 99.65
GB: St. Anthony’s – St. Anthony’s in OT.
BM: St. Anthony’s – The Friars were the real deal this year and beat a perennial power in Pennsylvania by at least five.
ES: St. Anthony’s – The end of the road for the Fords screams for another joke.
RR: St. Anthony’s – St. Anthony’s has just too much talent for the Fords to keep up.
Computer: St. Anthony’s
Group 3
7) St. Ignatius Prep Wildcats (CA) 98.95
(2) Conestoga Pioneers (PA) 99.68
GB: Conestoga – Conestoga by three.
BM: Conestoga – The Pioneers are a more complete team and advance.
ES: St. Ignatius Prep – The Wildcats can turn up the tempo to pull off this upset.
RR: Conestoga – Conestoga’s overall depth advance them to the next round.
Computer: St. Ignatius Prep
Group 4 – Round 2
(1) LaSalle College HS Explorers (PA) 99.80
(9) Arapahoe Warriors (CO) 98.75
GB: LaSalle – LaSalle by four.
BM: LaSalle – Hard to pick against the Warriors, but the Explorers’ stellar second half of the season continues.
ES: Arapahoe – The Philly team is playing the role of Apollo Creed here, but Rocky from the Rockies still pulls it off.
RR: La Salle – LaSalle’s defense was the best in the nation by the end of the season, they complete the season sweep of Arapahoe.
Computer: LaSalle
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