Wissahickon ends half strong, pulls away from Abington

ABINGTON >> Wissahickon scored the last four goals of the first half to extend a two-goal lead to six and cruised to a Suburban One Leaue American Conference win over Abington, 12-4, Thursday evening at Abington Senior High School.

“Once we started putting in more goals the energy just developed,” Wissahickon senior Kyle Lehman said. “That’s been the whole story of this season. When our team has energy, we can play up to any opponent and we play the best we can. When we don’t have the energy, we lack on the skills and the things we need to win games. Once that energy started kicking up in the second quarter I think we started putting in a lot of goals and that’s what turned the game around for us.”

After Abington trimmed its deficit to 4-2 midway through the second quarter, Andrew Slackman put Wissahickon back up by three and Lehman scored three straight goals to make it 8-2 at halftime. Lehman made it 6-2 with 4:46 until halftime and added another just 15 seconds later. He finished the first half scoring with 1:14 until intermission.

The momentum continued after the break. The Trojans won the third quarter, 2-0, with both goals scored by Slackman, to make it a six straight goals and build a 10-2 advantage.

“(Wissahickon moves) the ball well,” Abington coach Mike Duffy said. “They’ve got a lot of really fast, athletic, good lacrosse players. They know how to capitalize and they just play great team offense. The groundballs were a huge difference maker today – they were winning them and we weren’t. That’s what it really came down to it.”

The Ghosts got within 10-4 when Spence Lowery and Zach Silverman scored back-to-back goals, but Wissahickon’s Charlie Stehlik and Noah Stomsky got those goals back in the final 2:15 to make it 12-4.

Lehman led the Trojans with four goals while Slackman added three and Kyle Doll and Stehlik each had two.

Sam Udell and Matt Miller scored in the first half for the Ghosts.

BIG TEST

Wissahickon improved to 11-1 overall and 7-0 in the SOL American with the win over Abington. The Trojans, who are No. 3 in District 1-3A, have been cruising through league play and will get a non-league test Saturday when they face Conestoga, which is 12-2 and No. 7 in the district.

“It’s going to be a really tough game for us,” Lehman said. “We’ve lost a few players and they’ve lost a few players. It’s going to be a good game. Their goalie is a Duke commit – Patrick Jamieson – good friend of mine, I played club. He’s really legit. That’s going to be what holds us back scoring. All the guys on our team have to come into that game dialed in and ready to shoot.”

PLAYOFF PUSH

The loss drops Abington to 9-5 overall, 3-3 in the SOL American and the 20th seed in the District 1-3A rankings. The Ghosts have four games left to secure their spot in the 24-team playoff field.

“We’ve got a lot of guys working hard,” Duffy said got them to this point, “a lot of young guys – we’re starting three freshmen right now. A lot of young guys stepping up to the plate, doing their thing. Our seniors are stepping up – Patch Garry, Mason Glemser, Liam, Sean, Spence Lowery. They’re all playing really well. A lot of great seniors stepping up to the plate and freshmen coming up big playing for us.”

Wissahickon 12, Abington 4

Wissahickon 3 5 2 2 – 12

Abington 1 1 0 2 – 4

Goals: W: Kyle Doll 2, Kyle Lehman 4, Andrew Slackman 3, Charlie Stehlik 2, Noah Stomsky. A: Sam Udell, Matt Miller, Spence Lowery, Zach Silverman.

Assists: W: Kyle Lehman 2, Nicholas Donofrio, Danny Hussa, Andrew Slackman, Charlie Stehlik. A: Zach Silverman 2.

Saves: W: Kyle Crump 7. A: Corey Tobin 4.