Hewitt, Conestoga hang on to beat Radnor, set up rematch with La Salle

LOWER MERION >> Through the first three quarters of Tuesday’s seesaw PIAA Class 3A semifinal matchup with Radnor, there was one thing Conestoga could count on:

PJ Hewitt would get them the ball back. 

The senior midfielder was 10-for-13 on faceoffs through the first three stanzas when the effects of injury and illness began to wear him down at the start of the fourth quarter. 

But the Cabrini-bound senior dug deep, winning a draw with 3:03 to play after Brendan Murphy’s third goal of the game gave the Pioneers back the lead for the third time. Conestoga controlled possession from there, running out the clock for an 8-7 victory and a berth in Saturday’s 3A PIAA championship game.

It’s the 14th win in a row for Conestoga (21-3), who will try Saturday to make it 15 in a row and a record 4th PIAA title against a familiar foe: La Salle College High School. The Explorers outlasted Garnet Valley in double OT Tuesday, and will meet ‘Stoga in the state title game for the fifth time in 11 years of PIAA-sanctioned boys lacrosse. 

The sides have split the first four encounters. La Salle bounced ‘Stoga from the state semis last year, but the Pioneers scored a measure of revenge earlier this year at Teamer Field with a 10-7 victory.

For Tuesday’s game at Harriton High, PJ Hewitt was 11-for-17 on draws, but none was bigger than the win against Radnor’s Patrick Cullen with three minutes to play. 

“I was talking to Ian (Kim), our backup faceoff guy,” said Hewitt. “He kept telling me, go down the line. Cullen’s so strong, but my wing guys were in there with me and we did what we had to do.”

“Cabrini (University) is getting one heck of a fantastic kid and a player,” Conestoga coach Brody Bush said of Hewitt. “He’s banged up, but PJ didn’t want to come off the field. One of the toughest kids I’ve coached.”

The fourth quarter was a game unto itself, as ’Stoga started the period up 6-5 and held possession for an extended period before Radnor caused a loose ball. Pioneers junior attackman Murphy dug out the grounder and found a cutting Graham Blatchford (three goals, one assist) to make it 7-5 Stoga with 7:45 to play. 

Radnor, however, was able to take a couple draws off a weakened Hewitt, and David Azzarano and Jackson Birtwistle made them pay 46 seconds apart. 

Birtwistle’s tally, his fourth of the day, evened the count at 7 with 5:05 to play. The  Radnor junior attackman and Conesotga junior Scott Smith, both All-Americans, found themselves locked in a heavyweight battle all afternoon.

“Couple of great athletes who really bring out the best in one another,” said Radnor coach John Begier. “Jackson’s come a long way this year and put himself in great position going into his senior season.”

Smith forced a turnover to get the ball back for ‘Stoga, but Radnor jarred it loose once more. But Murphy was on the spot for his second gigantic pickup of the quarter, and this time he took matters into his own hands, beating Archer Darrach (ten saves) for the decisive score.

“Coach preached the importance of ground balls all week,” said Murphy, “because they lead to great things.”

At the beginning of the year, it was widely known how strong the ‘Stoga defense was, but with most of last year’s high scorers gone to graduation, it was assumed the Pioneers would figure out where the offense would come from as the year went on. Tuesday’s high scorers Blatchford, Murphy and Joey Allen (combining for 12 of Stoga’s 14 goals/assists) provided a big part of that answer.

“As a young team, we needed time to get familiar with one another,” admitted Murphy. “But now there’s trust everywhere. At the end of a close game like this, we’re comfortable with anyone on the field having the ball in their stick.”

After Hewitt’s big faceoff win, Radnor would get the ball back with 41 seconds to play, but another forced turnover by the Pioneers reduced the Raiders to a last-ditch attempt, which failed and sent Conestoga onto Saturday’s championship tilt with La Salle.

Coming into the 2019 campaign, coach Brody Bush and his staff were prepared for plenty of change with only nine full-time varsity players returning to roster. So far, those changes have been for the better—another Central League championship, and a one-goal victory over Garnet Valley for the District 1 title (as opposed to 2018’s one-goal loss to the Jags in the District title game.)

Tuesday brought the latest—and greatest—change, as the Pioneers return to the state title game for the second time in three years.

“This is a young group—very gritty,” said coach Bush. “They deserve a lot of credit. They just don’t give up.”

The first half made it very clear that the two sides were very familiar with one another, as possessions lasted for minutes at a time with each team working for perfect shots. Blatchford found an early one for Stoga at 6:39, but Birtwistle answered for Radnor four minutes later.

Murphy attempted to seize the momentum by beating the first-quarter buzzer with a low shot off a feed from Blatchford. Stoga’s lead would grow to 4-2 on Blatchford and Murphy’s second goals, interrupted by Birtwistle’s Radnor tally in between.

Damien Ramondo’s two goals brought the Raiders even before Birtwistle’s third gave the Raiders their only lead at 5:47 of the third. But Stoga’s Joey Allen and Will Schnorr scores in the dying moments of the third, reestablishing the Stoga lead and setting the stage for the wild finish.

Seven title game appearances in 11 years is no accident, but coach Bush wouldn’t take the credit. “Having great assistants is critical,” he said. “We have continuity between the youth level and the high school, which leads to our success.”

Meanwhile, Radnor’s season comes to an end at a mark at 18-7. Birtwistle’s four goals and Darrach’s 10 saves kept the Raiders close early, but sophomore Damien Ramondo gave a glimpse at the future of the program with two big goals bookended around halftime to bring the Raiders even.

“So much to be proud of,” said coach Begiel. “We’re losing an outstanding senior class, a group of (fourteen) kids who can go out with their heads held high.”

In his five years at the head for Conestoga, Brody Bush has solidified the Pioneers’ position as perhaps the preeminent program in PIAA lacrosse. But how important is a victory Saturday to solidify the program’s prominence?

“I want it for the kids,” he said. “The players on this team have won multiple Central League and District titles, but I want them to get a taste of what a state title is like.

“But it’s not gonna come easy. They’re gonna have to work very hard for it.”

Conestoga 8, Radnor 7

Conestoga 2 2 2 2 – 8

Radnor 1 2 2 2 – 7

Conestoga goals: Murphy 3, Blatchford 3, Schnorr, Reilly

Radnor goals: Birtwistle 4, Ramando 2, Azzarano.

Goalie saves: Lee (C) 7, Darrach (R) 8.