Avon Grove rips Souderton to set up quarterfinal clash at ‘Stoga
LONDON GROVE – Let’s just say that Avon Grove boys’ lacrosse played on Thursday with a chip on its collective shoulders.
Yes, the Red Devils dropped two of their final three games of the regular season. But it came against Ches-Mont champion West Chester East and the defending state champs from Bishop Shanahan.
In round two of the District 1 3A Playoffs, Avon Grove played more like a very high seed than No. 7 on the way to a truly dominating 14-2 triumph over visiting Souderton. It was as if the Devils were sending a message to the rest of the district: count us out at your own peril.
“We don’t think of ourselves as a seven-seed, but if opposing teams think we are a seventh-seed, hey, we can play like a two-seed,” said senior attacker Zach Augustine.
“We lost two of our previous three games. The message at this point is that we have to start every game fast. Once you score a few – especially how our regular season ended – we need to build momentum.
“Offensively, you have to take it and ride with it. That’s what we did.”
Just two years removed from a state title and loaded with talent up and down the lineup, Avon Grove improves to 12-4 overall and advances to the quarterfinals on Saturday, where No. 2 Conestoga awaits. Faceoff is scheduled for noon.
The Devils and the Pioneers have met often in the postseason, with the biggest coming in the 3A State Title Game in 2017. Avon Grove prevailed, 5-4, in double overtime.
“You might even say it’s a rivalry. We will have to play our best,” Augustine said.
“Conestoga is really good and always well prepared,” added Devils’ head coach Eric Jackson.
Jackson’s squad clearly turned it up a notch to begin its postseason run, scoring the first 14 goals, sitting most of the starters for the second half and outshooting the Big Red 31-8. Souderton’s season ends at 13-6, just two days after notching the program’s first-ever postseason victory.
“Avon Grove is a fantastic team with fantastic players who are well coached,” Souderton head coach Mark Princehorn said. “They are what we want to be. I told my guys that getting to that level you have to play teams of this caliber.
“They are every bit as good as advertised.”
Facing a win-or-go-home scenario was enough to light a fire under Augustine, who is one of eight seniors on the roster. He completely dominated the early going by scoring five of the Devils’ first seven goals, and adding an assist on the sixth.
“This is the playoffs, and we came in with a new mindset,” said junior attacker Mike Russo. “We stepped it up a level.”
How lopsided was it? Well, the lead ballooned to 12-0 before the halftime intermission, which meant that the entire second half was played with a running clock. And Avon Grove took the shutout deep into the fourth before surrendering a few late goals by Cole Witoslawski.
“Our guys did well (Thursday) tonight, but some really tough opponents are ahead,” Jackson warned.
“It’s a whole other season now. Everybody understands that we want to first get into the (state) playoffs, and then try to be peaking.”
When Augustine forced a turnover deep in Souderton territory and scored his fifth goal of the evening less than a minute into the 2nd period, Avon Grove was in total command, 6-0.
“Those were frustrating losses, but now we are in the playoffs and you have to move on and get better,” said Augustine, who finished with six goals.
“It was the last home game of the season, and you always want to play your best game. We came out with a lot of energy.”
And here’s the scary part: it could have been much worse if not for Souderton’s senior goaltender Axell Beskar, who played well and wound up with 17 saves. A first-team All-Suburban One selection, Beskar is a three-year starter and will play next season at Movarian College.
“Axell is our all-time leader for saves in a season and a career,” Princehorn said. “He’s a phenomenal goaltender.”
Russo wound up with two goals and three assists, and teammate Jackson Muller added two goals and an assist for the Devils.
“We are really starting to click on offense,” Russo said.
“Playing here at home is really special,” Jackson pointed out. “It’s really a community and a culture you don’t see almost anywhere. I scout a lot of games and I rarely see this type of atmosphere.”
On Saturday, Avon Grove will be the underdog, which is a role that the Devils rarely play these days.
“You like to be the underdog sometimes,” Russo said.
“We try not to think about what other people say.”
Avon Grove 14, Souderton 2
Souderton 0 0 0 2 — 2
Avon Grove 6 6 2 0 — 14
Souderton goals: Witoslawski 2.
Avon Grove goals: Augustine 6, Haines, Russo 2, Savory, Chastain, Muller 2. DeVoll.
Goalie saves: Beskar (S) 17; Hanway (AG) 4; Balback (AG) 2.
