This is part of a continuing series counting down the top Philly lacrosse stories of 2009
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 1/10/10
Philly’s club teams continued to flex their muscles in 2009.
For the fourth straight year, the Duke’s Lacrosse Club won the team title at the prestigious Champ Camp tournament at Johns Hopkins during the summer. That title came after the Duke’s were named as the top boys’ club team in the country by Inside Lacrosse. The Duke’s finished the year ranked No. 3 in the nation by Inside lacrosse.
Patrick Resch, a rising senior at La Salle, scored the game-winner late in the game off a feed from Eric Warden (Garnet Valley, rising senior) as the Duke’s downed Belax (Baltimore Elite Lacrosse Club), 6-5, for the crown. The goal, which came off a slow fast-break, capped a strong comeback by the Duke’s (9-0) – who trailed twice by three goals in the first half.
Not only did the Duke’s Lacrosse Club win its unprecedented fourth straight crown at the 20th anniversary tourney, but four other Philly teams won their divisional titles and placed in the top 13 teams in the 70-team field. Team HEADstrong claimed a 7-6 victory over Philly rival Twist Black in the fifth-place consolation game as Ryan Creighton (Malvern Prep, rising senior) scored the game-winner. Duke’s 2 also reached the quarterfinals and Twist Blue, the club’s sophomore team, stunned many by taking 13th. Meanwhile, Springfield-Delco, comprised of its high school players, went 5-3 overall.
Early in the year, in January, at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions in Florida, Philly teams HEADstrong (third), Rebel Elite (fifth), LB3 (sixth) and Mesa Fresh 2010 (seventh) enjoyed much success by reaching the quarterfinals.
For the girls, PA Express placed a strong second recently in the Gold Division of the Girls’ Scholastic Division at the annual Vail Shootout in Colorado. PA Express fell to M & D Lax, 16-4, in the Gold Championship game, but the team excelled overall with a 5-1 record.
The PA Express 2011 girls’ club team enjoyed a strong 2009 summer season, capping it with a fifth-place finish in the Club National Championships (for rising juniors) at the Maryland Soccerplex in Boyds. PA Express won all four pool play games at the National Championships and finished 6-2 overall in the 72-team field.
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