By Teddy Bailey
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/17/15
The Radnor boys’ lacrosse team entered Saturday’s District 1 quarterfinal game at Harriton with full knowledge of Bishop Shanahan’s vaunted defense.
By halftime, though, Radnor’s duo of Jack Norton and Drew Ryan had already solved the Eagles’ defense like rarely before.
Norton led with four goals and an assist, while Ryan added a pair of goals and four assists as Radnor defeated Bishop Shanahan, 9-4, to clinch a state berth and advance to the District 1 semifinals Tuesday against Conestoga at Henderson High (4 p.m.).
Bushop Shanahan will play at Penncrest Tuesday at 4 p.m. in the first round of playbacks. One team from the loser’s bracket will advance to states.
Radnor (16-5), the sixth-seed, controlled the tempo from the start. Goals from Norton, Kyler Albany and Jack Wilson sparked a 3-0 Raider lead that lasted until halfway through the second quarter.
“I just do what I can to get this team to win,” Norton said. “All that matters is that we get the ‘W.’ My teammates were just finding me open and I have to give them credit. My teammates were just finding me and I was able to finish them.”
Radnor also got strong play from goaltender Alex Andersen (eight saves) while FOGO Tom Meyers (15 of 17) limited the Eagle possessions. Pat Corcoran led Shanahan with two goals and goalie Jason Yoquinto made 11 stops.
“We wanted to attack them [Shanahan] behind and use our motion-offense,” Norton said. “Their goalie is pretty good but we were able to work him.”
Meyers faced five different Eagles at the X,but none had success.
“I came out for every face-off like it was going to be my last,” Meyers said. “I knew possession was huge today and that our offense could control the game. We were very confident in our defense as well today.”
“He (Meyers) is an incredible player and he always gives us great boosts,” Norton said. “When he’s working in the X he’s like a mechanic, and it helps our offense in every way.”
Senior defender, and Radnor captain Mike Farnish was credited to holding prolific Eagle goalscorer Alex Wagner to just one score – a beautiful finish in the third quarter.
“We played a team that made plays and had the ball the whole time,” Shanahan head coach Jon Heisman said. “Their face-off man is outstanding.
“We thought we were going to do a little better than we did, but we just didn’t have the ball. Radnor played a great game; we’re just lucky to still be alive.”
Radnor 9, Bishop Shanahan 4
Radnor 1 4 1 3 – 9
Bishop Shanahan 0 1 1 2 – 4
Radnor
Norton, Jack 4g, 1a
Ryan, Drew 2g, 4a
Albany, Kyler 2g
Wilson, Jack 1g, 1a
Thompson, Mike 1a
Meyers, Tom 15-17
Andersen, Alex 8 saves
Bishop Shanahan
Corcoran, Pat 2g
Farrell, Ben 1g
Wagner, Alex 1g
Riccardo, Jerry 1a
Yoquinto, Jason 11 saves
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