Bishop Shanahan clinches third straight Ches-Mont title
WEST GOSHEN — Alex Wagner doesn’t understand the feeling of coming in second in the Ches-Mont League.
In Wagner’s three years at Bishop Shanahan, the Eagles have finished first or in a tie for first in the league standings.
On a picture-perfect Tuesday night, Wagner wanted to finish first again. As did the rest of the Bishop Shanahan junior class.
“This class is something,’ Wagner said. “Three in a row and 3-for-3 for us. That really makes us proud. I’m psyched along with the whole team. It’s super awesome.’
Wagner has been “super awesome’ throughout the season for the Eagles, especially in big games. With the Ches-Mont League title on the line, his performance was no different.
Wagner scored four goals, upping his league lead to 54 for the year, as Bishop Shanahan clinched the Ches-Mont championship in a 10-4 victory over West Chester East for the school’s third title.
The Eagles (9-0, 13-1) have won the Ches-Mont championship outright the past two seasons and have a 22-game win streak in league play, dating back to 2013.
Jason Yoquinto is part of the junior class at Shanahan that never has lost a league championship. Yoquinto played a major role in last year’s championship team with outstanding play in the cage after earning the starting job.
This season didn’t make winning any sweeter for Yoquinto, despite knowing his role on the team as the No. 1 goalie.
“It just feels the same and that’s great,’ Yoquinto said. “It’s always great to win a championship.’
The Vikings (3-6, 9-8) gave Shanahan all it could handle in the first half. With a District 1 playoff spot on the line, East did all it could to play spoiler to Shanahan’s championship party.
Jack Wolov scored to tie the game, 2-2, with 1:24 left in the first quarter. With Shanahan starting the game flat, Wagner wanted to give Yoquinto some breathing room after the goalie kept the Eagles in the game with two huge saves to keep it tied.
“Jason really backed us up there,’ Wagner said. “As an offense, we had to just play our game. We were taking bad shots and having bad looks at the net. We just had to calm own and help him out.’
Once Shanahan calmed down and saw good looks at the net, the Eagles rallied off seven unanswered goals to put the game away.
Sam Goforth and Pat Corcoran scored with under four minutes to play in the second quarter to put the Eagles up 4-2 heading into halftime.
Wagner and Goforth took over the third quarter. Goforth fired a one-timer on the man up for his second goal of the game to put Shanahan up 6-2 with 8:04 left in the third. He finished with three for the game.
Wagner followed with his fourth goal of the night in transition off a pass from Eli Goforth to make it 7-2. Eli Goforth added a goal of his own to seal the win as the Eagles led 8-2 with 5:39 to go in the third.
Eli Goforth had two goals and two assists in the game. Yoquinto finished with nine saves.
Wagner, Yoquinto and Eli Goforth are part of a 13-member junior class at Shanahan that has complied a record of 27-2 in Ches-Mont play and 44-8 overall.
The numbers are impressive to say the least, but neither are satisfied. The Ches-Mont title is the first goal accomplished of many Shanahan plans to achieve this season.
“We’re taking it one step at a time,’ Yoquinto said. “I’m worrying about Unionville Thursday and then Perkiomen Valley Saturday. Then it’s on to districts.’
“We want to do better than last year,’ Wagner said. “Clinching the Ches-Mont title is awesome, but we want to win a district title and make a run at states.’
