Downingtown West executes plan to knock off Rustin
DOWNINGTOWN >> One of Hannibal Smith’s — George Peppard’s character on the 80s TV show The A-Team — catchphrases was, ‘I love it when a plan comes together.’
For Downingtown West girls’ lacrosse coach Brittney Conzentino, that meant being patient on offense and playing two complete halves. They executed both to near perfection on a warm, sunny Thursday afternoon at DiSerafino Stadium to come away with a 12-6 victory over West Chester Rustin in a Ches-Mont League matchup.
“For sure,” Conzentino replied when asked if this was one of the better games of the season for the Whippets. “When we played at Manheim (Township), we had a very good game, which was our first game and I knew this group was special then. Our biggest battle was playing two halves. We’ve been a one half team up until today. Today was two halves for us and that’s real exciting for me.”
West was coming into the game having dropped two of its last three league games. They sit at 5-2 in the Ches-Mont National and 8-3 overall. They remain two games behind Downingtown East, ahead of next Thursday’s showdown with the Cougars.
“Super excited for the matchup with them,” said sophomore Autumn Blair. “We had a tough game against them last year, so hope for a comeback this time.”
West won the opening draw and worked the ball around for almost three minutes before Brinn Findora unleashed a quick shot after receiving a pass from Taylor Bergey to jump on top. They made it 2-0 a minute later when Bergey did a solo run into the scoring area and put one past Rustin goalie Ava Panetta.
It was 3-0 when, after an early timeout from coach Sarah Kropp, the Golden Knights got on the board thanks to Kaylee VanVladricken.
Rustin trailed, 5-1, when Sammy McLaughlin and Elizabeth McGurk scored to make it 5-3. However, Bergey and Rylee Slate ended the half with goals to put the Whippets up, 7-3.
“That’s been a big battle, slash, want from the coaches this whole season,” added Conzentino. “I’m really proud to see them pull it out today using that patience and trusting each other and trusting that time was on our side and they did a really nice job.”
Blair, who admitted to not having the best of first halves, made up for it by scoring twice out of the halftime break to bump the lead to 9-3.
“I missed a few in the first half, so I knew I had to come out strong and my team helped me a lot,” said Blair.
“I wanted and needed her to do that so she can settle in and she definitely had a better second half,” Conzentino said of Blair.
West held a 10-3 advantage midway through the half, but they couldn’t put the win in its pocket just yet.
The Golden Knights registered three straight goals — two from McGurk and one from Jordyn Krafchick — to cut the deficit to 10-6 with 8:24 to play.
“I think we had good team defense. I think we played well as a team when we had the ball,” said Kropp. “I think they had a better gameplan than us and we got into a hole early and we couldn’t get out of it.”
Rustin fell out of first place in the American at 4-2 and the dropped to 6-6 overall.
The Whippets won the ensuing draw and held the ball for over four minutes, frustrating the Golden Knights and tiring them out. The possession time was rewarded when Brinn Findora got her second goal to bump the lead to 11-6.
Sydney O’Connell wrapped it up with a goal in the final minute.
Conzentino heaped praise on the sister duo of Ava and Brinn Findora for helping to dominate the draw controls.
“Ava Findora takes most, if not all of our draws. She is a true freshman. She is awesome. Watching her mature and her ability to know where to put the ball. Her and her sister Brinn work great together,” she said.
Downingtown West 12, West Chester Rustin 6
WC Rustin 3 3 — 6
Downingtown West 7 5 — 12
WC Rustin goals: McGurk 3, Krafchick, VanVladricken, McLaughlin.
Downingtown East goals: Blair 2, B. Findora 2, Bergey 3, A. Findora, Geffert, Mahmud, Slate, O’Donnell.
Goalie saves: Panetta (WCR) 6; Goodby (DW) 4.
