GEOGHEGAN: From no coach in February to state finalist in June, Kennett did plenty in 2021
WEST GOSHEN >> It ended up being one seismic boys’ lacrosse milestone too far.
But before lamenting Kennett’s 10-2 loss to Radnor in the PIAA 3A State Title Game on Saturday, let’s take time to celebrate exactly all that the Blue Demons accomplished over the course of the last two months. Which was a whole lot in a shockingly brief amount of time.
“It’s tough for it to end this way, but I couldn’t be prouder of our guys,” said Kennett head coach Bob Allvord. “I’m thrilled for what they’ve done for our school and our community. It’s been a great ride.”
And when one of the most glorious campaigns in school history finally concluded – which was certainly on-par with Kennett’s state basketball crown in 2002 – Allvord sounded more grateful than anything. For this, his first season at the helm following a seven-year hiatus since his initial stint as the head coach, it’s pretty clear that Allvord is a Kennett lacrosse lifer.
“Bob’s seen it from the beginning,” said Blue Demons’ Athletic Director Sean Harvey. “He’s talked about lining fields out at Legacy before they were turf fields. He’s seen the program from the start to this point and I am so happy for him and the kids.”
It may be difficult to imagine, but last February Kennett was actually without a head coach and the season opener was approaching. Former head coach Jim Trowbridge had moved to Florida to be an assistant at the University of Tampa. So out of necessity Harvey looked to Allvord, who had been on the coaching staff since 2016.
“We went through some stuff with the former coach – he was with his family in Florida – so I begged Bob,” Harvey said.
“I knew we were going to have a good team, but I also knew Bob was a good people person who builds relationships. I knew he was going to care about these kids way beyond lacrosse.
“I got to know him as a high-quality man, and in the end he was not going to hang these kids out to dry a month before the start of the season.”
Allvord started as a coach with youth lacrosse in Kennett back in 2004, which was just a few years after the varsity program had started. He first became an assistant with the Demons in 2007, and by 2010 he was the head man.
Following three seasons at the helm, he took a couple years off to follow his son’s college lacrosse career. But Alvord returned as a volunteer coach in 2016, was elevated to an assistant soon thereafter, and was unexpectedly tapped once again prior to the 2021 campaign.
“When (Trowbridge) moved on, there was this void,” Allvord acknowledged. “But knowing these kids since they were freshmen, they’ve all been through so much — with losing their season last year to COVID and then to have it thrown at them that they did not have a head coach five weeks before the season starts.
“I just had an epiphany that it was time to be the head coach again. And remarkably, here we are at this stage.”
From no coach to playing for a state title is straight out of Hollywood (see Hoosiers), but this is not fiction. And Kennett’s players say that it never would have happened without Allvord.
“He is my favorite coach that I’ve ever had,” said senior Jason Astle, the team’s goaltender. “There is no way we would have gotten this far without him.”
Senior defender Vince Cresci agreed: “He’s been with this team since I’ve been here, and in my opinion he’s been the backbone through all of the head coaches.
“He really brought us together this season – I love that guy. And he loves each and every player on this team, whether it’s bench guy or a starter.”
Despite the late coaching change, this group obliterated the program’s single-season win total, and they did it more than a month ago. And that was only the beginning of an incredible string of firsts for a program that previously lacked any kind of winning tradition.
“Being involved with the Kennett lacrosse program since 2004, I’ve seen the ups and downs, and the downs definitely out-weighed the ups,” Allvord said. “So to be part of this, it’s easy to get emotional because of all of that.
“When I reflect on the tough years and to see the rewards of all the hard work, I am emotional about it, but there is no other way to be.”
Allvord first got teary-eyed back on May 6th when the Demons topped Downingtown West to secure a least a share of the first league crown in history. It was also the day that Kennett equaled the program record of 13 wins, set in 2019.
The Blue Demons proceeded to grab sole possession of the Ches-Mont title a few days later, and went on to be the only District 1 squad to finish off an undefeated regular season.
“When you see him get emotional, it means a lot,” said senior Buzzy Hertz. “He really cares.
“We found out that (Trowbridge) wasn’t coming back, so we were wondering what’s going on. But Bob was the best decision. We were all super relieved when we found out he was the guy.”
And then, the program that had never before prevailed in a single postseason contest proceeded to win its first two district contests. Kennett proceeded to make its first ever appearance in the PIAA Tournament and responded with three straight victories just to get to the title match.
“Kennett is a sports town and the residents will back our teams no matter what,” Harvey said on Saturday looking down on a sea a blue in the stands at West Chester East. “I moved (to Kennett Square) three years ago because of that support. My kids go to school here and this is what I dreamed of six years ago when I took the job.
“To play for a state title is always one of the goals, but ultimately it’s about having a good experience and building relationships with the kids, and we’ve certainly gotten that.”
Yes, the sting of a setback in the state final is going to be felt for some time. But in the long run, the accomplishments marking the journey along the way will come back into greater focus and appreciation.
Just before Allvord took the time to huge each and every player on the roster, he said to his team: “Don’t ever forget this. I never will.”
Through it all, it’s important to remember that things could have gone sideways awfully quick a few months ago.
“It could have,” Harvey agreed. “But Bob was not going to allow that to happen to this program. I knew he was the right fit. And for what he’s done, I am just eternally grateful.”
