Knights edge Whippets in battle of Ches-Mont unbeatens
WESTTOWN >> Once it was over, and West Chester Rustin boys had found a way to eke out a 10-9 lacrosse thriller over visiting Downingtown West, the Golden Knights openly admitted that the showdown was, indeed, a must win situation.
A must, if Rustin has serious hopes of challenging unbeaten Downingtown East – and any others — for the Ches-Mont regular season title in 2023. And it does.
“We had to win this one,” said Knights’ sophomore midfielder Nate Pechin. “This game was going to make or break our season. There were only three undefeated teams left in the Ches-Mont, and we just took D-West out. (Rustin) and D-East are now the last two.”
The Knights and Cougars will meet on April 25th, but with a half dozen regular season outings still to play, a lot is still up in the air. Rustin improves to 6-0 in the league (8-3, overall) just five days after being humbled 14-5 to Archmere Academy (Del.) in non-league action.
“This is a huge one for the league race,” said Knights’ head coach Kevin Philibin. “Obviously staying undefeated along with Downingtown East kind of gives us a driver’s lane. This was a big one moving forward, but there are still some others that I wouldn’t count out either.”
The Whippets (6-1, 9-2) are one, especially if they can knock off cross-town rival Downingtown East on April 27. West has now dropped two of its last three, and both were by a single goal.
“(Rustin) outlasted us and out-fought us today,” said Whippets’ head coach Billy Davis.
In all there were seven ties and four lead changes, and neither side was able to open a two-goal lead until Rustin notched four goals in a row in a seven minute, 35 second stretch midway through the second half. It turned a 6-5 deficit into a 9-6 lead, and proved to be just enough of a cushion for the Knights to withstand a late Whippets’ comeback bid.
“Coach (Philibin) says that there are no four-point goals,” Pechin pointed out. “We just chipped away the entire game and eventually the energy went to us and we took advantage of it.”
The rally started with a goal by freshman Jackson Lamb, followed closely by a Pechin tally late in the third quarter. And then early in the fourth, senior attacker Antonio Santangelo broke out of a slump to score twice, with the second coming off a rebounded shot by Marek Seaman that bounced off the crossbar.
“We won a couple faceoffs in a row during that stretch, and then it was slowing things down, recognizing on a hot day that at the end of a two minute possession, the (West) defense was going to be tired,” Philibin explained. “In the past, we’d just be rushing to the cage. So we are finding great looks instead of settling for good ones.”
West surged back with quick goals by sophomore Ty Raines and senior Bret Bergey to slice the deficit to 9-8 with just over five minutes on the clock. That’s when Rustin’s Mack Thompson won the ensuing faceoff, the Knights patiently moved the ball around, and with 2:49 to go Pechin scored what ended up the game-winner off a pass from teammate Jack O’Hora.
“We like to play with pace, so for us to be able to slow it down and playing smart is really a step in the right direction,” Philibin said.
The Whippets, however, never gave up, and when sophomore Dylan Cicero found the back of the net with nine seconds remaining, it was back to a one-goal difference. West won the faceoff, but midfielder Dominick Varano’s shot at the buzzer was turned aside by Rustin goaltender Billy Carney.
“I was hoping we could put in a late one and send it to overtime,” Davis said.
Even though the Whippets had a 14-9 edge on faceoffs, the Knights’ trio of Thompson, Gavin Seaman and Marek Seaman made it a battle.
“Both teams played well,” Davis said. “We kind of knew it would come down to a battle at the faceoff X, and (Rustin) had our number today in some key spots.”
Pechin finished with three goals, while Santangelo and Jake Jackson each had two goals (and three assists).
“This game was insane,” Pechin said. “We started moving the ball, and we shared the ball. It was just a good all-around team win.”
Bergey registered a game-high four goals for West. Cicero and Raines added two apiece, and West finished with a 23-15 edge in shots on goal. The first half hero for the Knights was Carney. The senior stopped 11 shots in the opening 24 minutes.
“Billy’s been immense for us,” Philibin said. “I think he is the best goalie in the league, and one of the best in the area.”
West Chester Rustin 10, Downingtown West 9
Downingtown West 1 2 3 3 — 9
West Chester Rustin 1 2 4 3 — 10
Downingtown West goals: Bergey 4, Cicero 2, Raines 2, Merrick.
West Chester Rustin goals: Pechin 3, Jackson 2, Santangelo 2, Lamb, M. Seaman, O’Hora.
Goalie saves: Stang (DW) 5; Carney (R) 14.
