Souderton, Plymouth Whitemarsh each rounding into form
WHITEMARSH >> Lexi Krebs spoke of how amazing it is to have a senior season of lacrosse.
Given that opportunity, Souderton is having a season to remember, sporting a 7-2 record and right in the thick of things in the tough Suburban One League National Conference.
Friday’s 7-2 victory over Plymouth Whitemarsh underlined a growing bond within the team.
“I couldn’t be more proud of my teammates,” Krebs said. “I think (in the final moments) we just finally realized that we could trust each other as teammates.
“We’ve been playing together for so long and I think at times, sometimes we don’t know each other’s strengths and I think today, we just put our full faith into everybody. And that’s how we were able to kind of work together and get the ball in the goal.”
It’s a versatile attack for Big Red, and with the goals pouring forth in the first half — Souderton jumped out to a 7-3 lead, possession and ball control were key for the Indians in the second half. Big Red was able to keep it away from PW just enough when the Colonials mounted their comeback.
It’s been a long time coming for spring sport athletes, as 2020 was wiped out due to the pandemic, and Krebs and the Indians are savoring the opportunity.
“That was such a bummer,” Krebs said of last spring, “but we worked really hard in the offseason. And I’m just so thankful that we were able to get games in.
“We have a lot of girls with different strengths and grade levels. We’re not a heavy upperclassmen team or lowerclassmen team. We just have a mixture of everybody and I think we work really well together.”
Getting There >> The puzzle is beginning to come together for young Plymouth Whitemarsh.
The Colonials fell 10-9 on Friday in a battle of Suburban One League powers, as Souderton continued its surge.
PW had a second-half comeback that fell short, but showed several flashes of what it would like to do moving forward through the schedule.
“They can do it,” Colonials coach Ellen K. Reilly said of her squad. “The draw hurt us initially. We were losing possession, but then later on, we weren’t doing too bad on the draw.
“It’s about getting the girls to really understand the game. I have a lot of young kids out there. They really need to understand where to go, anticipate what’s happening, and on defense, you have to really talk as a team.”
Communication is key, especially in the big moments.
“You have to understand what’s going on and it’s hard for some of these young girls to comprehend it all,” Reilly said.
PW again showed it has quite a stopper in keeper Clancy Lynch.
“I thought my goalie did an excellent job today,” Reilly said. “She kept us in the game. So we were able to fight and come back.”
Mackenzie Leszczynski was relentless in the second half, scoring the bulk of her game-high four goals.
The Colonials had a chance in the final seconds but it was not to be. However, there are plenty of components the Colonials look to fine tune.
“One game at a time, one thing at a time,” Reilly said. “They are slowly starting to understand it. But it’s when they get out there and get excited. They throw the ball away, and possession is key.
“They’re learning. And Souderton’s a tough team.”
