RADNOR — Her instincts told her so, as did the recent history, as did the seeding, the home field advantage and the mood of her team.
Lis Zuern, though, still had a hidden desire to measure the postseason potential of her Radnor High girls lacrosse team with her eyes. And an 11-8 victory over Kennett Thursday, in the Raptors’ first postseason game since their 2021 PIAA Class 3A state championship would have that covered, too.
“It adds,” Zuern said, “some peace of mind.”
Radnor’s Julie Breedveld moves the ball against Kennett in District playoff action at Radnor’s Encke Field Thursday evening. (PETE BANNAN- DAILY TIMES)
The Raptors, seeded fourth in the District 1 Class 3A tournament, built a five-goal second half lead and, while playing shorthanded for the final two minutes, held off a furious Blue Demons rally to reach the Saturday quarterfinals.
Amelia Reinholt had a hat trick and two assists, Olivia Kelley scored three goals and Julie Breedveld contributed two goals and an assist as Radnor improved to 15-5. Karis Mameniskis added a goal and three assists, and Taylor Murphy scored a goal.
It was all enough, for one afternoon at least, to generate memories of the 2021 championship run … and inspiration that it can happen again.
“I could totally feel it,” Reinholt said. “We were all ready to win. And we’re ready to win states again. That was just the first step in getting there. I think we all played well. I am so proud of them.”
If the Raptors were entering with any kind of postseason momentum, it didn’t show early, as Makayla Kelly and Megan Ward each scored within the first 3:58 to stake 13th-seeded Kennett to a 2-0 lead. But with Breedveld scoring both of her goals, the Raptors settled to earn a 6-3 lead at halftime. The energy continued into the second half when Olivia Kelley scored twice within the first 3:13 for an 8-3 lead.
“That’s a very good team with lots of speed,” said coach Lisa Daugherty, whose Demons would finish 14-6. “They are a phenomenal group of girls. The Central League always has a lot of top-notch players. And they bring the speed.”
Kelly sandwiched a pair of goals around a Reinholt score to pull Kennett to within 10-5 with 9:12 left, before Olivia Kelley scored for Radnor. When Mary Carroll, Megan Ward and Bridget Wells scored in a 1:27 burst to cut the Kennett deficit to 11-8, Radnor needed to recapture some of its championship form.
That helped when sophomore goalie Arden Jansen made a spectacular save in the final minute to puncture the rally.
“Arden was awesome,” said Zuern, the Raptors’ first-year coach. “She saved us at the end. That save was huge.”
Such is the way championships develop, with balanced scoring, responsible goalkeeping and tests passed.
“I think we are great now, but we can play a little better,” Reinholt said. “I think we have a lot more in us.”
As a member of the 2021 team, she would know.
“I think we have the same amount of talent this year,” Reinholt said. “We’re a little younger, but our younger girls are great and they have been stepping up for us all year. And our coach fires us up. She brings that energy and we keep that energy up. We can totally win states again.”
That’s what the history would say.
For 50 minutes Thursday, so would the eyes.
