By David A. Willauer
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 4/20/10
Austin Kaut made 14 saves in goal and Colin Keegan scored with 3 minutes and 34 seconds left in overtime, giving host Springfield-Delco a stunning 4-3 victory over Conestoga tonight in a Central League boys’ lacrosse showdown.
The Cougars’ victory kept them tied with Ridley atop the Central League with a 5-0 mark and gave coach Mike Friel his 100th career victory.
Conestoga (8-2, 4-1) came in as the No. 1-ranked team in the PA Media Rankings for the PIAA; Springfield (8-1) is No. 3. Conestoga also is ranked No. 11 in the Under Armour/Inside Lacrosse Power Rankings.
The Pioneers had sent the game into overtime on two fourth-period goals by Tanner Scott.
“There were two really good teams on the field,” said Friel. “It is amazing how good we were defensively. Our kids dug in there at the end of the contest.
“We knew going into the game that Austin Kaut has played as well as anyone in the state. And another one of my seniors, Bobby Gildea, has a good setup play to Colin Keegan for the winning goal. It was a good senior effort; as I wrote on the blackboard tonight, it was the seniors’ turn to shine.”
Springfield-Delco had taken a 1-0 lead on a first-period goal by Bobby Gildea off an assist by Josh Cavanaugh. Zach Jacobs tied the game midway through the period and the game remained 1-1 until late in the half.
But Joe Venit put the Cougars ahead, 2-1, with 1:34 to play in the half off another feed from Cavanaugh. Then, with 15.2 seconds left in the half, Keegan put his team ahead 3-1 with an unassisted goal.
Friel was not surprised to see Conestoga come back.
“You can’t hold them down for too long,” he said. “It was an amazing effort (by us). If you told me this game was going to be 4-3, I would have been surprised.”
Conestoga coach Brian Samson credited the Springfield-Delco defense, especially long stick middie Joe Addona.
“Their ‘D’ played well and Kaut was terrific,” Samson said. “We played a great second half. Our ‘D’ gave us chances, but we couldn’t finish. Hats off to Springfield-Delco, they played very hard.”
