This is one of a regular-day series of boys’/men’s and girls’/women’s stories looking back on this date in lacrosse history)
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/31/20
5/31/08 – EPSLA semifinals: Malvern Prep uses strong second half to advance
By Ben Skalina
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/31/08
At the time of year when the opponents are supposed to be the best, Malvern Prep just keeps making them look inferior.
The Friars exploded for 10 goals in the second half on Friday night at Garnet Valley against Penn Charter to advance to the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (EPSLA) finals in stylish fashion, 14-7.
The top-seeded Friars (21-2) will face La Salle in the last EPSLA title game Tuesday (7:30) at Garnet Valley.
Penn Charter (16-12) kept it close in the first half Friday by taking deliberate possessions and trailed just, 4-2, after the first two quarters thanks to two Colin Still goals.
“We were trying to possess the ball and stick it when we got opportunities,” PC coach Patrick McDonough said of his 12th-seeded Quakers. “It was working there for a little.”
5/31/08 – EPSLA semifinals: Buzzer-beaters lift La Salle past Haverford School, 7-6
By Ben Skalina
Phillylacrosse.com, posted 5/31/08
La Salle saw its season come down to tenths of seconds on Friday night at Garnet Valley.
The Explorers needed Peter Schwartz’s tally with 0.8 seconds left on the clock to force overtime against a gutsy Haverford School team that thought it had the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (EPSLA) semifinal game won.
“Peter is a gamer, and he went and got us something big tonight,” La Salle coach Bill Leahy said of his midfielder’s efforts.
Then, in the second extra session, Randy Forster’s desperation pass to the crease off of a restart with two seconds left found a cutting Conrad Ridgway, who elevated and quick-sticked the ball past Haverford goalie Dan Wigrizer with 0.1 showing on the clock to win it, 7-6.
5/31/10 – Wigrizer (Haverford School), Conners (Malvern Prep) and Duke win men’s national championship, 6-5, in OT over Notre Dame
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/31/10
Freshman goalie Dan Wigrizer (Haverford School) made five saves and sophomore CJ Costabile scored the game-winning goal five seconds into overtime and the Duke Blue Devils captured their first-ever NCAA National Championship with a 6-5 win over Notre Dame on Monday afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
Freshman defenseman Billy Conners (Malvern Prep) also contributed as a reserve with one groundball as the Blue Devils (15-4) ended years of frustration.
“The bottom line was staying composed and confident,” said Wigrizer after celebrating the championship. “During the whole game I didn’t let myself get nervous.
“Billy Conners kept coming up to me saying, ‘It’s just like Haverford-Malvern.’ This feeling is surreal.”
5/31/15 – Delaware state championship: @SalesianumLax erases memory of 2014, routs Cape Henlopen, 16-5
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/31/15
Staff Report
Salesianum School senior AJ Witherell had a hard time forgetting the pain of the 2014 state championship game defeat to Cape Henlopen – especially as his Sals prepared for Saturday’s title-game rematch with the same Vikings.
“We’ve been waiting all year for this game,” said Witherell, after Sallies routed Cape, 16-5 at Caravel Aacdemy for its fourth crown in five years. “It’s great to get a second chance; it’s not too often you get a second chance. Last year’s game was heartbreaking; and we knew it wouldn’t happen again.”
Last year Cape Henlopen won, 9-7, after getting off to a good start. This time, the Sals scored three goals in the first 90 seconds and dominated the entire way. Witherell had six goals and Mike Drake added five goals and three assists.
5/31/16 – Phillylacrosse Boys’ Rankings: PIAA playoffs begin Wednesday
By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/31/16
The Phillylacrosse.com Boys’ Rankings:
1. Haverford School (20-5) Prev. No. 1: The Inter-Ac League champion Fords fell just short in the Inter-Ac Challenge finals, 8-7, to Culver Academy.
2. Malvern Prep (18-5) Prev. No. 2: The Friars reached the semifinals of the Inter-Ac Challenge, bu fell to No. 1 Haverford School for the third time.
3. La Salle (18-3) Prev. No. 3: The Explorers won the Catholic League and District 12 titles and meet Bishop Shanahan Wednesday in the first round of states at Plymouth Whitemarsh.
5/31/17 – PIAA Class AAA boys: Central Bucks East gains 7-5 win over District 11 champion Parkland
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/31/17
Courtesy of Suburbanonesports.com
Central Bucks East used suffocating defense to claim a 7-5 win Tuesday night over District 11 champion Parkland in the first round of the PIAA Class AAA tournament at Northampton High.
The Patriots (fourth seed out of District 1) showing no ill effects from consecutive one-goal losses to earn an opening round win over the District 11 champion Trojans. East fell to Avon Grove in the district semifinals (10-9) and then dropped a 12-11 decision to Garnet Valley in the third place game.
“You come off of two losses – they’re one-goal games against some of the best lacrosse teams in the state,” CB East coach Bruce Garcia said. “We’re in this, and we’re able to play with some of the best teams in the state. There’s no reason why we can’t win games against these people.
5/31/17 – PIAA Class AAA boys: @LaSalle_Sports topples @SFLacrosse, 14-3
By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/31/17
It would be easy for La Salle’s lacrosse team to look ahead. Last year’s state runner-up entered the PIAA tournament Tuesday as a Top 10 team in all national rankings and by most observers as the favorite in the AAA field.
But the Explorers say they are not looking any further than their next obstacle.
“Our mentality is to look to the next game, the next practice and the next play – in my case towards the next face off – whatever,” said La Salle All-American senior face-off specialist Anthony Giuliani after his team eliminated Spring-Ford, 14-3, Tuesday night at Plymouth Whitemarsh in the first round of the PIAA Class AAA tournament.
The win advanced the Explorers (21-1) to Saturday’s quarterfinals against District 1 fourth-place finisher Central Bucks East at Methacton High (1 p.m.). CB East defeated District 11 champion Parkland, 7-5.
5/31/17 – PIAA boys’ AAA: @sprlax rebounds from slow start to top Trinity
By Matt Chandik
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/31/17
There was an aura of discomfort in the Springfield-Delco fan section at Penncrest High less than five minutes into Tuesday’s PIAA Class AA tournament opener against Trinity.
Down by three goals on three shots, especially when you’re the defending PIAA champion, tends to lead to a little nervousness. Thankfully for the Cougars, though, it also means that there’s plenty of experience in big games and not much reason to worry when things don’t go their way.
Kyle Long dished out a whopping seven assists and scored once and Mike Tulskie and Ben Garcia each fired home hat tricks as Springfield-Delco (19-3) downed Trinity, 12-5, after erasing an early 3-0 deficit. The Cougars advance to Saturday’s quarterfinal to play District 11 champion Allentown Central Catholic, which walloped Lower Dauphin, 15-1. Time and location are to be determined.
5/31/19 – PSU’s Ament (@fords_lacrosse), Princeton’s Sowers (@UDcardsLax) honored as Tewaaraton finalists
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/31/19
Staff Report
Penn State red-shirt junior Grant Ament (Haverford School) and Princeton junior Michael Sowers (Upper Dublin) were honored Thursday night as finalists in the 2019 Tewaaraton Award Ceremony at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.
Loyola senior attackman Pat Spencer received the Tewaaraton Award as the nation’s top player. Maryland senior goalie Megan Taylor was the women’s Tewaaraton Award winner.
The five 2019 Tewaaraton Award’s men’s finalists were:
Grant Ament (Haverford School), Penn State – Jr., Attack
Jared Bernhardt, Maryland – Jr., Attack
TD Ierlan, Yale – Jr., Face Off
Michael Sowers (Upper Dublin), Princeton – Jr., Attack
