BOYS LACROSSE: Owen J. Roberts closes in on top seed in PAC playoffs with win over Upper Merion

UPPER MERION >> The Pioneer Athletic Conference four-team playoff field was set heading into Tuesday night, but the seeding was very much up in the air with the four teams facing each other.

Just before 9 p.m. Tuesday night, things were clear for Owen J. Roberts – beat Boyertown in the PAC regular season finale Thursday and earn the No. 1 seed.

The Wildcats beat Upper Merion, 12-4, at Upper Merion Area High School and control their own destiny thanks to Spring-Ford’s 7-6 win over Perkiomen Valley.

“It’s a really big deal for us,” OJR’s Gabe Dellapenna said. “I don’t remember the last time we were able to clinch the No. 1 seed in the PAC. It really gives us that confidence going into the postseason.”

OJR (9-5, 7-1 PAC) jumped all over Upper Merion, scoring the first eight goals of the game.

Dellapenna netted the first two before Danny Walker scored with 0.3 seconds left in the first quarter on a beautiful feed from Owen Clefisch, making it 3-0 through 12 minutes.

“I’m just glad that I can always get the team going,” Dellapenna said. “When we’re fired up, I don’t think anyone can stop us.”

The Wildcats added five more in the second quarter. Brody Calle had three goals in a 5:23 span to help build an eight-goal edge. Upper Merion’s Aiden McDonnell scored with 18.1 seconds left in the half to get his side on the board and make it 8-1.

“We literally talked about getting off to a faster start, not getting down and then we got down (8-0),” Upper Merion coach Brady McCormick said, noting slow starts hurt the Vikings in losses to Spring-Ford and CB West. “I’m a little disappointed in a couple of guys who I would have liked to see step up. Then guys like Aiden McDonnell, who’s end-to-end goal, 80-yard goal on a fast break, I don’t know how many kids are running an 80-yard fast break. There were guys who were all heart and hustle in that game and then other guys that I wanted to see more of that in and didn’t. That came out on the scoreboard. We have to play better than that. I’m hoping this is a bit of a wake-up going into the end of the regular season, going into PACs and all that stuff to try and get our last bad game out before we hit the postseason. That’s my hope.”

The Vikings (9-6, 6-2 PAC) trimmed their deficit to five, 8-3, midway through the third quarter, but that’s as close as they’d get. OJR’s Nolan Brown scored back-to-back goals to make it 10-3 early in the fourth before Dellapenna and Walker completed their hat tricks in the final 1:39 to make it 12-4.

Not only did the OJR defense limit Upper Merion to four goals, they only allowed seven shots on goal.

“We believe in our talent,” OJR’s Torrin Whitten said of the defense. “I think we play good man-to-man defense, so our plan going into it was to press out, to use our talent one-on-one and I think it prevailed on the scoreboard.”

Kevin Roseland netted two goals in the second half for Upper Merion while Kieran Lamey had one. The Vikings hope the final 24 minutes of competitive lacrosse can be beneficial if they run into OJR again in the PAC playoffs.

“We showed that we certainly have a chance,” McCormick said. “It’s not like we got completely blown off the field. We should that we can play if we play. It’s just the matter of being out there and playing all 48 minutes. We definitely didn’t do that. That’s something that we stressed, winning one minute at a time to put together 48, and we definitely did not do that tonight.”

Upper Merion can secure the No. 3 seed in the PAC playoffs with a win over Pottsgrove Thursday.

Owen J. Roberts 12, Upper Merion 4

Owen J. Roberts 3 5 1 3 – 12

Upper Merion 0 1 2 1 – 4

Goals: OJR: Gabe Dellapenna 3, Danny Walker 3, Brody Calle 3, Blake Walther, Nolan Brown 2. UM: Aiden McDonnell, Kevin Roseland 2, Kieran Lamey.

Saves: OJR: Chad Young 3. UM: Nathan Uhl 13.