By Neil Geoghegan
ngeoghegan@21st-centurymedia.com
@NeilMGeoghegan on Twitter
LONDON GROVE >> Despite playing a bit of early season catch-up, the Penncrest boys’ lacrosse squad sure looks poised for another successful run in the brutally difficult Central League.
Playing in just their second outing of the season, the Lions seized an impressive 10-4 road win at Avon Grove Monday. The Red Devils were playing for the fifth time, including wins over Conestoga and Spring-Ford.
“This is a great non-conference win,” said Penncrest head coach Wayne Matsinger. “Anytime we play a 3A school with tradition and get a win, it’s great. We are a (2A) small school.”
The Lions (2-0 overall) played like a team without many games under their belt in the opening minutes and quickly fell behind. But a critical 6-0 first half surge put Penncrest in front for good, and then the Lions’ defense blanked the Red Devils in the second half.
“We are still making a lot of mistakes, and they are all fixable,” Matsinger said.
“We feel good about beating (Avon Grove),” added Penncrest sophomore midfielder Spencer Meile. “This is a good sign. It tells us that we can beat a lot of good opponents even though we are kind of fresh out of the gate and not fully broken in yet.
“(Avon Grove) jumped on us at the start, but we were ready for it, even though it’s only our second game.”
The Devils raced out to a 2-0 lead on goals from Kody Parente and Brayden Cunningham in the first two minutes of action. But the Lions knotted it at the end of the first quarter, and then added four more in a row to make it 6-2.
“We started winning some faceoffs, we were possessing the ball, and our ride was good so we were able to take the ball away from (Avon Grove) when they did win a faceoff,” Matsinger explained.
The run included two goals apiece by Meile and fellow sophomore Aaron Goldstein, and was aided by Avon Grove, who had trouble much of the evening clearing its defensive end.
“We were just playing our game (early on),” said Devils’ first-year head coach Bert Amanto. “It all comes down to playing at the level we all know we should be at, and maintaining it.”
“After that it was effort and just not executing.”
After more than 20 minutes of action, the Devils scored two more quick goals late in the half in a 32-second span by junior Luke Bryan and Parente. But it would be Avon Grove’s last, and Meile notched his third tally in the final minute of the second quarter.
It looked like the Devils’ Brayden Goldstein had scored the crucial first goal of the second half, but the team was whistled for too many men on the field. Senior midfielder Matt Ferry registered the lone goal of the third period for Penncrest, and then Goldstein and Meile rounded out the scoring in the fourth.
“We did not execute and we have to do better going forward,” Amanto said.
“Our defense stepped up and we got a great game from our goalie (Caden Paukstis),” Matsinger added. “He takes away goals other guys might let in. And our defensive middies also did a fantastic job.”
In all, the Lions had a 19-11 edge in shots on goal. Meile led the way with four goals, Goldstein added three (with an assist) and Ferry chipped in two.
“We were playing very aggressive and we shut (Avon Grove) off at the midline,” Meile said. “When they were trying to clear, we just did not let them have the ball. We had the advantage in possession, and the more we have it the less our opponents can score.”
A senior midfielder, Parente had two goals and Cunningham added a goal and an assist for the Demons, who have now lost three straight while playing one of the toughest early-season schedules in the state.
“It’s (a schedule) I inherited and you have to make the most of it,” Amanto said.
“It’s high volume and not a lot of time to rest and properly prepare. When you are against a team (Penncrest) playing its second game and it’s your fifth – let’s just say it’s always good to get some rest.”
Penncrest is back at it Tuesday against Central Bucks West.
“We have to come back and do it all again in less than 24 hours,” Matsinger said. “But these games will prepare us for the brutal Central League.”
Penncrest 10, Avon Grove 4
Penncrest 2 5 1 2 — 10
Avon Grove 2 2 0 0 — 4
Penncrest goals: Meile 4, Goldstein 3, Ferry 2, S. Tyson.
Avon Grove goals: Parente 2, Cunningham, L. Tyson.
Goalie saves: Paukstis (PC) 7; Boggetta (AG) 9.
