TOWAMENCIN — Another victory meant another chance for the Plymouth Whitemarsh boys lacrosse team to crank up its celebratory anthem — Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the U.S.A.”
“I don’t know she kind of just gets us fired up,” Colonials sophomore midfielder Jack Cooper said. “That’s really it.”
It was definitely not a Nashville party on a cool Friday night at Crawford Stadium, more of a defensive battle between PW and host North Penn in their Suburban One League non-conference matchup.
Level at three goals apiece after the first half, the contest was knotted again 4-4 before Drew Strohl gave the Colonial the lead with 80 seconds left in the third quarter. Plymouth Whitemarsh’s defense kept the Knights off the scoreboard the rest of the way while a pair of goals from Cooper allowed PW to pull away for a 7-4 victory.
“We came out here with all this energy knowing that this team thinks it’s going to come over and run us over,” said Cooper of spoiling North Penn’s Senior Night. “But no, no way, not any chance.”
Cooper recorded a hat trick while Strohl added two goals as the Colonials (11-5, 8-1 SOL American) claimed their ninth straight win, PW not losing since April 16 when it was edged in a non-league game by West Chester East 10-9 for its third defeat in four games.
Six of the Colonials’ wins during their current streak have come on the road, including a 7-6 overtime victory over Wissahickon April 23.
“We’re coming out knowing that no team’s going to just be an easy sweep but teams think we’re just going to be an easy sweep so we just fight,” Cooper said. “We’re fighting the whole time.”
Neither side led by more than a goal until Cooper collected his second tally, capping a Colonials break down the field by rifling a shot that ricocheted off the goal frame but was ruled to have gone in to make it 6-4 PW at 6:15 in the fourth.
“I came down there, knew I was going to shoot that,” Cooper said. “I saw him fall for the right hand so I roll back to my left and stung it.”
Cooper then scored his third to put the Colonials up three, the junior going up to put in a shot with 4:51 remaining in regulation.
“I ghost the screen and went under it, jumped over everyone,” Taylor said.
Dylan Ippolito and Ben Backenstose each had a goal for PW while Strohl, Caiden Leszczynski, Luke LaViola and Chase Welliver all posted an assist. Isaiah Bainbridge finished with nine ground balls and three caused turnovers.
Jainil Patel, Emerson Morelli, Luigi Cardone and Tyler Kronmiller all tallied a goal for North Penn (4-10, 1-8 SOL National), which lost its second straight.
PW has not qualified for the District 1 playoffs since 2016 but with two games remaining before the postseason sits 15th in the Class 3A rankings with 24 teams making the tournament.
The Colonials also still have the possibility of earning a share of the SOL American title but need a win in their visit to Cheltenham 4 p.m. Monday and for Upper Dublin, which is 9-0, to lose at Quakertown Wednesday. PW caps its regular season visiting Council Rock North 5 p.m. Thursday.
North Penn, 30th in the District 1-3A rankings, has three games next week — road matchups with Truman 4 p.m. Tuesday and Pope John Paul II 3:5 p.m. Wednesday then hosting Phoenixville 7 p.m. Friday.
The Knights pulled even 2-2 with the Colonials on Morrelli’s strike at 3:29 in the first quarter while a Cardone goal off a Vinnie Montmore assist with 18.7 seconds gave North Penn its lone lead of the night at 3-2.
PW had the only goal of the second quarter, the Colonials forcing a turnover by the goalie out of the net that resulted in Ben Backenstose scoring to make it 3-3 at 7:39.
Strohl put the Colonials up 4-3 with five minutes left in the third quarter. Kronmiller got the Knights back even at 3:39 but that ended up being the last goal for North Penn in the game. The four goals allowed were the second-fewest PW allowed after beating William Tennent 15-1 April 9.
“Not giving up stupid penalties, staying compact with our checks and stuff,” said Cooper of the Colonials’ defense. “I mean, that’s really it.”
Strohl found the back of the net for the second time in the quarter at 1:20 to give Plymouth Whitemarsh the lead for good.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 7, North Penn 4
Plymouth Whitemarsh 2 1 2 2 – 7
North Penn 3 0 1 0 – 4
Goals: Plymouth Whitemarsh-Jack Cooper 3, Drew Strohl 2, Ben Backenstone, Dylan Ippolito; North Penn-Luigi Cardone, Tyler Kronmiller, Emerson Morrelli, Jainil Patel.
![EAST ROCKHILL — Cole Nitterour secured the faceoff. Six seconds later, he secured the Pennridge boys lacrosse team’s place in the District 1-3A quarterfinals. “My teammates said just win it and take it if you got it,” Nitterour said. “I mean, love this team, I don’t know, I guess it just happened.” After the fifth-seeded Rams and visiting No. 12 Downingtown West ended regulation of Thursday night’s second-round matchup even at nine goals apiece, Nitterour won the overtime opening faceoff, made a straight dash down the field before ripping off a shot that found the back of the net to […]](https://www.timesherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/LAN-L-BLAXPRDTW051624-09.jpg?w=491 "EAST ROCKHILL — Cole Nitterour secured the faceoff. Six seconds later, he secured the Pennridge boys lacrosse team’s place in the District 1-3A quarterfinals. “My teammates said just win it and take it if you got it,” Nitterour said. “I mean, love this team, I don’t know, I guess it just happened.” After the fifth-seeded Rams and visiting No. 12 Downingtown West ended regulation of Thursday night’s second-round matchup even at nine goals apiece, Nitterour won the overtime opening faceoff, made a straight dash down the field before ripping off a shot that found the back of the net to […]")