Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 6/1/22 – From Staff Report
St. Augustine Prep standout Billy Hughes knew this Hermits squad was destined.
“We knew this was our year,” said the junior midfielder and Cornell commit. “We’ve built up enough chemistry to win a state championship.”
Today that dream became a reality.
Sophomore Noah Plenn scored the game-winner with 3:57 to play to give the Hermits a thrilling 6-5 victory over Delbarton at Hopewell Valley HS for the New Jersey Non-Public A crown, their first state title in history.
Third-seeded St. Augustine Prep finished 16-1 – with its only loss to nationally-ranked Lawrenceville School.
Penn, who also had the tying and winning goals in a 9-8 semifinal win over Seton Hall Prep, became the hero again after Delbarton’s David Link scored 44 seconds into the fourth quarter to tie the game 5-5.
Genarro Petrongolo had scored a man-up goal in the third quarter to give the Hermits a 4-3 lead. Hughes (two goals) scored off a Petrongolo feed with 4:55 remaining to make it 5-3, but Gray Doyle cut the lead to 5-4.
Hughes said the Hermits thrived on the pressure of tight games in the playoffs.
“We have some good motivational speakers on our team,” he said. “Everybody came together as a team.
“I don’t think I have every experienced anything like this. I had imagined it, but I don’t think I could have ever gotten this feeling. We had great energy from the sidelines, we felt it on the field and it reflects to the fans.”
Hughes said the Hermits’ togetherness was developed through years of playing together in youth and club.
“We’ve all been together a long time and we only lost two (starters) from last year,” he said. “I think we bonded together over the summer and the fall and that really pushed it to win the championship.”
Hughes also was pleased to bring veteran St. Augustine coach JC Valore his first title.
“Coach Valore has done everything for me,” said Hughes. “He helped me with recruiting and his help on the field is insane. I don’t think I’ve ever had a coach like him and others would agree.”
Hermits senior Ryan Demato opened the scoring from Petrongolo 1:08 into play and Luke Scarpello scored unassisted to make it 2-0. But the Green Wave’s Joe Leone cut the deficit to 2-1 late in the period and Jake Melchionnni scored with three seconds left to tie the game. Midway through the second quarter, Leone made it 3-2, but Hughes scored with 53 seconds to make ti 3-3 at the half.
St. Augustine Prep goalie Aidan Peters made seven saves.
St. Augustine Prep 6, Delbarton 5
St. Augustine 2 1 2 1 — 6
Delbarton 2 1 1 1 — 5
SA: Hughes 2g, Demato, Petrongolo, Plenn, Scarpello
D: Leone 2g, Melchionnni, Link, Doyle
