D2 BOYS LACROSSE: Scranton Prep seeks Class 2A title against Crestwood
After losing the final two games of the 2023 season, Scranton Prep players had several goals and the highest expectations this spring.
Many of the starters that helped the Cavaliers reach the PIAA Class 2A playoffs returned. They wanted to win the Wyoming Valley Conference title. They wanted to avenge a loss to Wyoming Seminary in last year’s title game. And they want to win a District 2 championship.
The Cavaliers checked off the first two items. They finished undefeated in the WVC regular season. They beat last year’s district champion Wyoming Seminary, 18-16, in the WVC and rolled to a 16-10 win in the semifinals Monday.
Next is a battle for the gold at Loyola Field on Thursday.
Scranton Prep (17-2), as the No. 1 seed, hosts No. 2 Crestwood (16-4) in the championship game at 5 p.m. Both teams qualify for the PIAA playoffs and are paired with the top two teams from District 1.
During Scranton Prep’s run to the WVC title, it had only two games where the high-powered offense did not score in double figures — once against Abington Heights and the other in an overtime win against Crestwood, 6-5, on April 19.
In that matchup, Liam Barrett scored two goals, including the game-winner. Will McPartland had two goals and an assist for the Cavaliers.
Jack Augustine led Crestwood with four goals, and goalie Ethan Zabroski had 14 saves. Zabroski has more than 400 saves in his career.
“They kind of stopped us in the first half of that game,” McPartland said. “We have to come in and have a good game plan. We know who their scorers are, and we know what they are going to try to do against us. We want to come in and play well and get the win.”
Scranton Prep’s offense is always on the attack, patient when it needs to be and executes at a high level.
The Cavaliers played with a sharp focus through the first three-and-a-half quarters of the semifinal win over Wyoming Seminary.
McPartland had his second impressive performance against the Blue Knights this season. He had seven goals and an assist, becoming the fourth Scranton Prep player to score 30 goals this season.
Brady Holmes leads the team with 57 goals; Mackey Lynett has 43; and Finn Kane has 33.
Barrett, who has 19 goals this season, contributed four assists to give him 27.
Goalie Aiden Jordan stopped 15 shots against Wyoming Seminary and has 173 saves this season and 356 in the last two seasons.
“We have to have long offensive possessions,” Holmes said. “We have to come with the same level of intensity that we brought against Wyoming Seminary.”
Crestwood is coming off an exciting win over Abington Heights in the semifinals.
Ashton Amend scored four goals, including the game-winner, with 2.7 seconds remaining for a 9-8 victory. This postseason, Amend has eight goals.
Crestwood also boasts the top defensive team in District 2. The Comets allowed 53 goals and limited 15 opponents to fewer than double-digits in WVC play.
“We are going to need to take care of the ball and double them more efficiently,” Scranton Prep defender Marco Rinaldi said. “We have to clean up our clears to help out our goalie, Aiden Jordan.”
