La Salle offense continues to click in win over St. Joe’s Prep

SPRINGFIELD >> It wasn’t going to come back all at once.

Despite returning a majority of the players it expected to contribute offensively last year, the La Salle lacrosse team simply didn’t have the chance to put them all together on the field until this spring. As guys came back from injury and the number of practices increased, everything the Explorers hoped to see last year started coming together.

La Salle’s attack had it going Friday as the Explorers had eight different players score in a 14-4 win over rival St. Joseph’s Prep.

“It starts with moving the ball,” junior Jack Piling said. “We played against a zone for the first time this season, so that was a little bit tricky but I thought we did a great job shooting from outside and sharing the ball with our teammates.”

Pilling was one of four Explorers with two goals while junior Franky Fix led the team with a hat-trick. Fix’s shot from distance late in the second quarter was La Salle’s only tally of the period, but helped offer a blueprint that led to a seven-goal third quarter.

“Every time we have the ball, they can’t score,” Fix said. “It’s about having good possession and moving the ball around. We had some good takes, we didn’t have anything to show for it until the end of that quarter but the time of possession keeps us engaged and feeling a little more confident.”

Pilling, who was a catalyst in opening up the attack with his two-way play in the midfield, also noted the team’s seven assisted goals. La Salle led the entire game, starting out 2-0 before the Prep’s Scott O’Connor scored to halve the lead.

The Explorers scored the next three goals of the game, getting a bouncer by Mason Lasasz with six seconds on the quarter clock for a 5-1 lead. Despite having an advantage in time of possession most of the second frame, Fix’s goal with 13 seconds to play was the only tally.

However, La Salle coach Rob Forster felt his attack was doing all the right things.

“Everyone being back and healthy and getting practices under our belt has been huge,” Forster said. “We’ve been off for a year due to COVID, so it was going to take some time. Prep is a tough team, so I was happy with how we played all around, offense and defense.”

Pilling found Fix off the ride early in the third quarter, kicking off an explosive frame for the Explorers who out-did their entire first half effort in 12 minutes.

Fix added an assist to his three goals for a four-point afternoon, a feat echoed by Andrew Kelly and Charlie Huntley, who each scored a pair and assisted two goals. Kelly and Jack Vandergrift combined for four helpers facilitating from behind the net while the Explorers looked to beat the Prep’s zone with outside shooting and getting cutters into the gaps.

“Our season being cancelled last year was a shot to everyone, but we returned most of guys on offense so we had the experience,” Pilling said. “Once we started competing in practice, we go up against a great defense, so it’s fun going back and forth with them. Our coach has really instilled working well off each other and it’s something that’s part of our team philosophy.”

Fix added that Forster has harped on the idea that even if one player isn’t scoring, someone else probably is and if the ball moves, their chances will come.

La Salle’s defense had a good day as well, holding the Hawks to just four goals and containing their standout midfielder Mitch Lloyd. Luke Hreshko made eight saves in goal and Forster added the unit has been bolstered by the return of senior long pole Paul Jennings from injury.

“We all feed off each other,” Fix said. “When we’re doing well, the defense picks it up and when they’re doing well, we start playing better. It’s one big team contribution.”

The attack was pleased to see the results it netted on Friday, but especially given the importance of the game. Not only a key game in the PCL’s Class 3A standings, the La Salle-Prep rivalry runs deep in every sport and not having the chance to play last year was certainly on the player’s minds.

“We love playing the Prep, before the game our coaches said it’s been 675 days since we played them last, so we were fired out to be out here,” Pilling said. “It’s a big confidence booster being able to produce against a good team like they are.”

Pilling and Lasasz each had two goals while Tim Mehlmann, Tom Vandergrift and Colin Wakefield each scored once.

The 2019 PCL and PIAA champions in 3A, the Explorers again have set goals to compete for those titles. They still have plenty of challenging games between now and the postseason, but on the field they believe things are coming together.

“We waited for the right shot instead of taking the first shot, which is something we preached all week,” Forster said. “Our practices are super-competitive and we make it that way so when they come out here, they can just play. We get after each other in practice and it only makes us better in the long run.”

LA SALLE 14, ST. JOSEPH’S PREP 4
LA SALLE 5 1 7 1 – 14
ST. JOSEPH’S PREP 1 0 2 1 – 4
Goals-Assists: L – Franky Fix 3-1, Andrew Kelly 2-2, Charlie Huntley 2-2, Mason Lasasz 2-0, Jack Pilling 2-0, Tim Mehlmann 1-0, Colin Wakefield 1-0, Tom Vandergrift 1-0, Jack Vandergrift 0-2; SJP – Scott O’Connor 2-0, Tyler Peterson 1-1, Grant Snyder 1-0.
Saves: L – Luke Hreshko 7, SJP – Jimmy Miller 10.