By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 6/18/10
Bradlee Lord said he really didn’t notice the large group of college coaches sitting in lawn chairs down the entire sideline of the south half of Franklin Field at Penn Thursday night in the 2nd Annual Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (EPSLA) Showcase.
Lord did not notice such big-name mentors as Bill Tierney (Denver) or Dave Pietramala (Johns Hopkins) taking notes. Instead, the Conestoga rising junior was happy for the opportunity to play with many of the top players in his class in the Philadelphia region as 89 players in all competed in one of the year’s top recruiting events.
“It was awesome,” said Lord, who helped the Public All-Stars defeat the Private stars, 7-6, by tallying a team-high three goals. “It’s really fun playing with a bunch of kids and getting to know (new) people.
“A lot of the ‘Stoga kids have played with these guys with PennStar. It’s a nice bunch of kids – all good players. We connected really well.”
Lord was one of four members of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) champion Pioneers to be chosen for the Showcase after a tryout of over 300 candidates Sunday. The others were Jamie Ikeda (defenseman), Adam Goins (midfielder) and attackman Tyler Brooke, who also scored once.
Other Public goals were scored by Sebastian Kerslake (Henderson), Jules Raucci (Garnet Valley) and Eric Rankel (Downingtown West). Michael Barnes (Radnor) was strong at the face-off X, while Stephen Brodeur (Strath Haven) and Harrison Holak (Central Bucks East) each had three saves in goal.
Lord said he was not thinking about college scouts while the game was being played.
“I was playing more for fun, getting the chance to play with more guys that I normally do,” he said. “You don’t really think about that stuff (coaches) when it’s an intense game.”
Lord said when he does think more about the recruiting process, he will look back on the high school season as the perfect example for himself and the rest of the younger Conestoga players.
“It was an incredible season,” he said, “The seniors on the team at Conestoga did everything right. They treated the sophomores so well and they made a real good example. I can’t explain how well they taught us.”
The Sophomore game’s top offensive star was Tyler Odell (Episcopal Academy) of the Private team. Odell poured in five goals and had two tallies in the final 19 seconds to give his team a shot to tie. Odell even had another scoring chance with one second left when Haverford School’s Sam Rohr gave him a nifty cross-crease feed, but the pass did not connect.
“It was a perfect feed; I just missed it,” said Odell. “I rely on my teammates a lot. All of my goals were assisted. It was their hard work – I just finished.”
Odell also said he was not distracted by the presence of the coaches
“I like to focus on the game and whatever happens after the game is (for later),” Odell said. “It was nice to play well in front of college coaches. This is a great stadium and to be under the lights at the end of the game was great.”
Goalies Tyler Morrell (Episcopal Academy) and Jackson Tamasitis (Penn Charter) each posted six saves for the Private team.
In the nightcap, the Private Juniors defeated the Public All-Stars 14-8. This game pitted a Private team that had no less than 13 committed players, many to Top 10 schools. The Public squad had one committed player, but still it led, 5-3, late in the first period when the Private team began to click.
By halftime, the Private stars had taken control of the game and led, 9-6, but the Public team more than held its own. The Private attack was led by Germantown Academy’s Beau Jones (committed to Delaware) and Penn Charter’s Joey Sankey (North Carolina), who each had three goals; while Haverford School’s Brendan McGrath (Princeton) and St. Joseph’s Prep’s Jeff Heath (Delaware) each added two.
Other Private goals were scored by Keegan Lawton (Bishop Shanahan), Julius Mouser (Shipley School), Wes Pancoast (Malvern Prep) and Tyler White (Penn Charter).
Private defenseman Jon Sax (St. Joseph’s Prep) said playing with this collection of talent was a rare experience.
“You have Delaware (Jones), UNC (Sankey) and Virginia (Haverford School’s Carl Walrath) on the attack, Syracuse (Germantown Academy’s Bobby Tait) on the defense and Conor Kelly (of Haverford School) – going to Notre Dame – in goal,” said Sax. “You just can’t beat that!
“It was up and down, everyone has great stick skills. It was amazing.”
Sax, a mainstay on defense Thursday who helped The Prep reach the Catholic League finals, was one of the players on the Private squad that has not committed and was looking to get seen by college coaches.
“They were all lined up on the side, it was amazing,” he said. “I just wanted to get some good exposure. How can you not? All the coaches are there – they’re right there watching you. You just hope you get some good looks and play well.”
Ryan McDevitt (Malvern Prep) made six saves for the Private team while Kelly had five in the second half.
Pennsbury’s Ricky Jutkiewicz was happy to play in the Showcase for a second straight year. Jutkiewicz scored once for the Public team, which bonded well to give an impressive showing.
“It was as much fun or even more than last year,” said Jutkiewicz, who helped the Falcons finish 17-3 this year. “It was nice to come out and play against this type of competition.”
Mike Leyden (Haverford High) led the Public team with two goals while Kohl Batdorf (Owen J. Roberts, committed to Hobart), Dan Kinek (Emmaus), Blair Bonner (West Chester East), Eric Gartner (Great Valley) and Steve Smyrl (Garnet Valley) each scored once. Dustin Keen (Downingtown West) had four saves in goal and Hank Altschuler (Lower Merion) had five.
Jutkiewicz is still searching for the right college fit.
“I’m still waiting for more coaches to send me e-mails and letters so I can get a good feel and go visit and figure out where I am going to go from here,” he said.
“The game is high intensity. We have played with a lot of these kids before on club teams. Then they go to private schools. It’s fun. I think everybody on the team played really well for a bunch of guys that literally got picked and just got together.”
Public Sophomores 7, Private Sophomores 6
Public 3-1-2-1 – 7
Private 0-2-1-3- 6
Private: Tyler Odell (Episcopal Academy) 5g, Jake Glancy (Malvern Prep) 1g.
Tyler Morrell (Episcopal Academy) 6 saves
Jackson Tamasitis (Penn Charter) 6 saves
Public: Bradlee Lord (Conestoga) 3g, Tyler Brooke (Conestoga) 1g, Sebastian Kerslake (Henderson) 1g, Jules Raucci (Garnet Valley) 1g, Eric Rankel (Downingtown West) 1g.
Stephen Brodeur (Strath Haven) 3 saves
Harrison Holak (Central Bucks East) 3 saves
Private Juniors 14, Public Juniors 8
Private 4-5-2-3 – 14
Public 5-1-1-1 – 8
Private: Beau Jones (Germantown Academy) 3g, Joey Sankey (Penn Charter) 3g, Jeff Heath (St. Joseph’s Prep) 2g, Brendan McGrath (Haverford School) 2g, Keegan Lawton (Bishop Shanahan) 1g, Tyler White (Penn Charter) 1g, Julius Mouser (Shipley School) 1g, Wes Pancoast (Malvern Prep) 1g.
Ryan McDevitt (Malvern Prep) 6 saves
Conor Kelly (Haverford School) 5 saves
Public: Mike Leyden (Haverford School) 2g, Ricky Jutkiewicz (Pennsbury) 1g, Steve Smyrl (Garnet Valley) 1g, Blair Bonner (West Chester East) 1g, Dan Kinek (Emmaus) 1g, Eric Gartner (Great Valley) 1g, Kohl Batdorf (Owen J.Roberts) 1g.
Dustin Keen (Downingtown West) 4 saves
Hank Altschuler (Lower Merion) 5 saves
The Rosters
Sophomores (Class of 2012)
Private
Henry Blynn- Haverford School, A
Shane Carr- William Penn Charter, A
Brendan Francis- The Hill School, A
Jake Glancy- Malvern Prep, A
Tyler Odell- Episcopal Academy, A
Pat Swanick- St. Joseph’s Prep, A
Russell Atkinson- Malvern Prep, M
Paul Finley- Malvern Prep, M
William Fleming- St. Joesph’s Prep, M
Kevin Gulyas- Allentown Centyral Catholic, M
William Gural- Haverford School, M
Sam Lawlor- Episcopal Academy, M
Will McNamara- Haverford School, M
Sam Rohr- Haverford School, M
Connor Baily- Haverford School, D
Warner Bailey- Haverford School/Salisbury School, D
Casey Eidenshink- La Salle, D
Paxton Moore- Haverford School, D
Eddie Morris- Malvern Prep, D
Justin Verratti- St. Joesph’s Prep, D
Tyler Morrell- Episcopal Academy, G
Jackson Tamasitis- William Penn Charter, G
Public
Ryan Ambler- Abington, A
Tyler Brooke- Conestoga, A
Jake Durkin- Hatboro Horsham, A
Sebastian Kerslake- Henderson, A
Bradlee Lord- Conestoga, A
David Apruzzese- Unionville, M
Micheal Barnes- Radnor, M
Adam Goins- Conestoga, M
Grayson Helm- Wyomissing, M
Ben Junior- Radnor, M
Billy Miller- Bayard Rustin, M
Eric Rankel- Downingtown West, M
Jules Raucci- Garnet Valley, M
Joesph Taulane- Garnet Valley, M
Dom DeFazio- Hatboro Horsham, D
Jaime Ikeda- Conestoga, D
Ryan Lehman- Garnet Valley, D
Michael Paoline- Downingtown West, D
Christopher Panichelli- Henderson, D
Matthew Ward- Ridley, D
Hank Guittare – Garnet Valley, M
Stephen Brodeur- Strath Haven, G
Harrison Holak- CB East, G
Juniors (Class 0f 2011)
Private
Joey Sankey- William Penn Charter, A
Carl Walrath- Haverford School, A
Beau Jones- Germantown Academy, A
Shane Morrell- Episcopal Academy, A
Hup Hupfeldt- Haverford School, A
Jeff Heath- St. Joesph’s Prep, M
Drew Kennedy- Malvern Prep, M
Keegan Lawton- Bishop Shanahan, M
Brendan McGrath- Haverford School, M
Matt Walters- Haverford School, M
Julius Mouser- Shipley School, M
Tyler White- William Penn Charter, M
Keith Dreyer- Malvern Prep, M
Joe McCallion- Haverford Schoo, Ml
Goran Murray- Haverford School, D
Wes Pancoast- Malvern Prep, D
Bobby Tait- Germantown Academy, D
Jim DeCarlo- La Salle, D
Connor Dent- St. Joesph’s Prep, D
Jon Sax- St. Joseph’s Prep, D
Connor Kelly Haverford Schoo, Gl
Ryan McDevitt- Malvern Prep, G
Public
Steve Smyrl- Garnet Valley, A
Kohl Batdorf- Owen J. Roberts, A
Jeff Puckette- Radnor, A
Richard Kaiser- Unionville, A
Mike Leyden- Haverford High School, A
Dan Kinek- Emmaus, M
Gryphin Kelly- Plymouth Whitemarsh, M
Joseph Palo- Hatboro Horsham, M
Blair Bonnor- West Chester East, M
Ryan Weiss- Easton, M
Ricky Jutkiewicz- Pennsbury, M
Eric Gartner- Great valley, M
Andrew Caldwell- Penncrest, M
Alex Warden- Garnet Valley, D
Anthony Greco- Abington, D
Andrew Visich- Conestoga, D
Benny Baiocco- Garnet Valley, D
Kevin Barrow- Avon Grove, D
Tim Kulp- West Chester East, D
Weston French- CB East, D
Hank Altschuler- Lower Merion, G
Dustin Keen- Downingtown West, G
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