WPIAL Boys Lacrosse Playoff Preview

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, May 13, 2016 | 7:27 AM

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The brackets have been announced for the 2016 WPIAL Boys Lacrosse Playoffs which are set to begin on Wednesday and Thursday and conclude with the championships at Highmark Stadium at Station Square in Pittsburgh on Friday, May 27th. Here is a rundown of all eight Division-I and nine Division-II postseason qualifiers.

Division 1

#1 Shady Side Academy Indians (8-6) (5-1) – 1st Place Division 1 – Section 2

Head Coach: Dan Usaj (1st Year)

Key Players: Sr. GK Blake Goodman (Richmond), Sr. D Peyton Lane (Amherst), Sr. ATT Max Jaffe (Ohio Wesleyan), Jr. MF Clayton Krol (High Point), Sr. MF Robby Woodings (Army)

Key Wins: 8-6 over Peters Township, 5-4 over North Allegheny, 8-7 over Mount Lebanon (3 OT), 10-7 over Pine-Richland

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 – Won third place consolation game 9-8 (OT) over Pine-Richland, 10-9 over Peters Township

Championships: 2014 – Division 1

 

#2 Mount Lebanon Blue Devils (12-6) (5-0) – 1st Place Division 1 – Section 1

Head Coach: Mike Ermer (7^th Year)

Key Players: Sr. MF Brian Ward (Yale), Sr. D/LSM, Nick Tomassi (Providence), Sr. ATT Dan Lee, Sr. MF Owen Chamberlain, Jr. ATT Connor Brumfield, Sr. GK Matt Kelly

Key Wins: 18-5 over North Allegheny, 12-4 over Bethel Park, 19-11 over Pine-Richland, 13-11 over Upper St. Clair

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 – Won championship game 9-8 (2 OT) over North Allegheny

Championships: 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015 – Division 1

 

#3 Pine-Richland Rams (13-4) (5-1) – 2^nd Place Division 1 – Section 2

Head Coach: Chip Young (2^nd Year)

Key Players: Sr. ATT Adam Reimer (Seton Hill), Soph. FOGO Jake Freedlander, Jr. ATT Evan Juncal, Sr. MF Zack Novelli, Sr. ATT Chris Rust

Key Wins: 12-10 over Peters Township, 7-6 over Bethel Park, 11-10 over Fox Chapel, 12-11 over Upper St. Clair, 11-8 over Mars (Division 2), 9-8 over North Allegheny (OT)

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 – Lost third place consolation game 9-8 (OT) to Shady Side Academy

Championships: None

 

#4 Peters Township Indians (10-6) (4-1) – 2^nd Place Division 1 – Section 1

Head Coach: Mike Kaplan (3^rd Year)

Key Players: Sr. D Luke Hurley (Lebanon Valley), Sr. ATT Logan Maloni (Seton Hill)

Key Wins: 8-5 over Upper St. Clair, 12-5 over Bethel Park

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 – Lost in Quarterfinals (1^st round) 7-5 to Pine-Richland

Championships: None

 

#5 North Allegheny Tigers (9-8) (4-2) – 3^rd Place Division 1 – Section 2

Head Coach: John Rullan (15^th Year)

Key Players: Sr. D Anthony Abbondanza (St. Vincent), Jr. D Greg Ferringer, Jr. MF Dillon Dugan, Soph. MF Wes Powell, Jr. ATT Gavin Hagen

Key Wins: 8-5 over Fox Chapel, 11-7 over Bethel Park

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 – Lost championship game 9-8 (2 OT) to Mount Lebanon

Championships: None

 

#6 Upper St. Clair Panthers  (6-6-1) (3-2) – 3^rd Place Division 1 – Section 1

Head Coach: Brian Yates (3^rd Year)

Key Players: Sr. LSM Ben Tobias (John Carroll), Jr. ATT Karl Flinter, Jr. FOGO Andrew Pletcher, Sr. LSM Michael Coliane

Key Wins: 7-6 over Bethel Park (OT)

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 – Lost in Quarterfinals (1^st round) 8-6 to Shady Side Academy

Championships: None

 

#7 Fox Chapel (10-3) (4-2) – 4^th Place Division 1 – Section 2 SSA

Head Coach: Chris McCrady (3^rd Year)

Key Players: Sr. MF Levi McCrady (Brown), Sr. ATT Tucker Root, Sr. MF Matt Hardiman, Sr. GK Chad Veltri

Key Wins: 13-12 over Peters Township, 17-11 over Upper St. Clair, 13-7 over Shady Side Academy

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 – Lost in Quarterfinals (1^st round) 18-6 to Mount Lebanon

Championships: None

 

#8 Bethel Park (7-10) (2-3) – 4^th Place Division 1 – Section 1

Head Coach: Chris Ortmann (4^th Year)

Key Players: Jr. MF Jeremy Symsek, Soph. ATT Ray Konopka

Key Wins: None

Last Playoff Appearance: 2014 – Lost in first round 13-11 to Peters Township

Championships: None

 

Division 2

#1 Mars Fighting Planets (15-1) (6-0) – 1^st Place Division 2 – Section 4

Head Coach: Ed Monahan (2nd Year)

Key Players:  Jr. MF Joe Horvat, Sr, Attack Blake Thompson (North Greenville), Sr. G Patrick Morrow (Onondaga CC), Sr, Attack Zac Sicher, Soph. Attack Anthony Grieco, Jr. D Joe Crognale

Key Wins: 14-3 over Canon-McMillan, 20-4 over Chartiers Valley, 19-4 over Quaker Valley, 15-8 over Peters Township, 15-6 over Fox Chapel, 21-9 over Hampton

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 – Lost in Semifinals 10-8 to Canon-McMillan

Championships: None

 

#2 Hampton Talbots (11-6) (6-0) – 1^st Place Division 2 – Section 2

Head Coach: Jim Vollberg (2nd Year)

Key Players:  Sr. D Chad Gable (Clarion), Sr. Dante DiBucci, Jr. Attack Isaac Capezutti, Soph. Rich Myros, Jr. MF Luke Molingowksi

Key Wins: 10-4 over Bethel Park, 16-3 over Gateway

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 – Won Division 2 Championship 15-12 over Canon-McMillan

Championships: 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015 – Division 2

 

#3 Canon-McMillan Big Macs (13-5) (4-1) – Tie 1^st Place Division 2 – Section 3

Head Coach: Craig Schleifstein (7th Year)

Key Players:  Sr. MF Mark Bowers, Jr. MF Colin Torpey

Key Wins: 14-2 over Latrobe, 12-6 over Penn-Trafford, 8-7 (OT) over Moon

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 – Lost in Championship 15-12 to Hampton

Championships: None

 

#4 Penn-Trafford Warriors (11-3) (5-0) – 1^st Place Division 2 – Section 1

Head Coach: Dan Hagerty (4th Year)

Key Players:  Jr. Attack Ryan Solomon

Key Wins: 13-2 over Gateway, 11-10 over Latrobe

Last Playoff Appearance: None

Championships: None

 

#5 Moon Tigers (10-7) (4-1) – Tie 1^st Place Division 2 – Section 3

Head Coach: Mark Ringeling (1st Year)

Key Players:  Jr. Attack Calvin Sargent (Cleveland State), Jr. MF Carter Amorose (Robert Morris), Sr. MF Sal Pollastro, Sr. Ben Price, Sr. Ryan Lee, Jr. MF Nick Trella

Key Wins: 13-12 (OT) over Hampton, 14-7 over Chartiers Valley

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 – Lost in Quarterfinals (1^st Round) 8-4 to Quaker Valley

Championships: None

 

#6 Quaker Valley Quakers (12-5) (5-1) – 2^nd Place Division 2 – Section 4

Head Coach: Bryan McClure (1st Year)

Key Players:  Sr. Attack Mike Clark, Sr. MF Tyler Smith, Sr. G Elliott Sadja, Sr. D Andrew Lape, Soph. Attack Jake Giotto, Fr. MF Geoff Magin

Key Wins: 14-8 over Latrobe, 12-9 over Moon, 9-7 over Canon-McMillan

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 – Lost in Semifinals 12-5 to Hampton

Championships: 2014 – Division 2

 

#7 Chartiers Valley Colts (8-5) (4-1) – Tie 1^st Place Division 2 – Section 3

Head Coach: Ian Wolfe (1st Year)

Key Players:  Jr. MF/Attack Cian Malcolm (Robert Morris), Jr. Attack Caleb Zajicek, Fr. Logan Scott, Soph. G Robert Wanker, Jr. D Dom Pocci, Jr. D Anthony Onomastico, Soph. D Matt Tolmer

Key Wins: 14-12 over Quaker Valley, 9-8 over Canon-McMillan

Last Playoff Appearance: 2014 – Lost in Quarterfinals (1^st Round) 13-4 to Quaker Valley

Championships: None

 

Preliminary-Round For # 8 Seed 

Latrobe Wildcats (6-5) (4-1) – 2^nd Place Division 2 – Section 1

Head Coach: Peter Cuda (2nd Year)

Key Players:  Soph. Attack Marco Cuda, Sr. MF Nick Hanna

Key Wins: 10-6 over Gateway

Last Playoff Appearance: 2013 – Lost Semifinals 16-5 to Seton-LaSalle

Championships: None

 

Preliminary-Round For # 8 Seed 

Gateway Gators (8-7) (5-1) – 2^nd Place Division 2 – Section 2

Head Coach: John Washington (5th Year)

Preliminary Round to Become #8 Seed

Key Players: Fr. Jason Reber, Sr. Jake Passalinqua, Soph. Asher Passalinqua, Sr. Frank Casile (St. Vincent),

Key Wins: None

Last Playoff Appearance: 2013 – Lost in Preliminary Round 9-8 to Chartiers Valley in OT

Championships: None