Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 4/5/23 – From Staff Report
Antonio Santangelo scored with 0.6 seconds left in regulation and then won it in overtime today to lift host West Chester Rustin to a stunning 8-7 victory over Bishop Shanahan today in Ches-Mont League boys’ lacrosse.
Santangelo’s heroics – which included five goals – helped Rustin (5-2 overall) improve to 3-0 in the Ches-Mont while dealing Shanahan (7-1, 2-1) its first loss and preventing longtime Eagles coach Jon Heisman from becoming the state’s all-time win leader (he is tied with former La Salle coach Bill Leahy with 512 career wins at three schools).
Santangelo – a Cabrini commit – also helped the Golden Knights overcome a 5-1 deficit and absolute domination by the Eagles at the faceoff X, where they won 17 of 18 draws thanks to Ronan Miller.
Santangelo’s goal with less than a second in regulation came after he saw a quick opening and raced down the middle before scoring low. “There were 5.9 seconds on the clock when I looked at it,” he said. “My teammates started moving a ton off ball and right when the defensemen turned his head I attacked the middle looking to feed and ended up with a low angle shot.”
The game-winner came with 7.2 seconds to play in the first overtime, “I bobbled the ball a little bit but once I got ahold of it I saw there was a short stick on me and went topside around the crease,” he said.
Marek Seaman had two goals and an assist for Rustin while Jake Jackson had a goal and three assists. Billy Carney posted 13 saves.
For Shanahan, Devin Mullen had three goals and four groundballs and Nate Bracken (one assist), Ryan Weber (three groundballs), Joe Devine and Nick Snyder each scored once while Ronan added two assists. Brad Gallahan had seven saves in goal.
Rustin had dropped a 7-6 OT heartbreaker to Manheim Township last week, so Santangelo knew what it felt to lose in overtime.
“It’s always a big win against another 2A team,” he said. “We just lost to Manheim Township in OT. It was great to be on the flip side.”
Rustin is hoping to challenge for the Ches-Mont title and District 1 2A honors.
“Going forward my team and I want it all: leagues, districts, and a run into states,” Santangelo said. “We need to be able to play a full game as one. We can’t come out not ready in the first quarter. But it’s good to know we can dig ourselves out of a hole.”
WC Rustin 8, Bishop Shanahan 7
Shanahan 4-1-1-1-0 -7
WC Rustin 1-1-3-2-1 -8
Rustin
Antonio Santangelo 5g (tying goal with 0.6s left, and OT winter)
Jake Jackson 1g 3a
Marek Seaman 2g 1a
Billy Carney 13 saves
Shanahan
Devin Mullen 3G, 4GBs
Joe Devine 1G
Ronan Miller 2A, 17/18 FO
Nate Bracken 1G, 1A
Ryan Weber 1G, 3GBs
Nick Snyder 1G
Brad Gallahan 7 saves
Ben Rodner-Tims 6 GBs
