Chartiers Valley boys return to WPIAL lacrosse playoffs

By: Nathan Smith
Thursday, May 9, 2019 | 7:14 PM

Previous Next

The Charters Valley boys lacrosse season is ready to hit the reset button.

After finishing the regular season with a 7-6 record, the Colts are returning to the WPIAL playoffs after a one-season hiatus.

“It is huge for us to get back into the playoffs after not being there last year,” Chartiers Valley coach Steve Stead said. “No one is looking at the regular season record now. We’re pushing the reset button, and everyone is 0-0 in the playoffs.”

One of the team’s biggest improvements this season was on defense. The team allows 8.5 goals per game, down from more than 10 goals per game last season. Senior Olan Malcolm and sophomore David Evangelista have both made major impacts on defense.

One of the biggest additions was senior Thomas Heckworth. A defensive back for the football team, Heckworth is playing his first season of lacrosse. But he has brought an energy and physicality to the field to boost Chartiers Valley.

“We had to replace three starting defensemen,” Stead said. “We had a couple of sophomores step up. Junior Connor Stiles is our long-stick midfielder. He has had an all-section season. He shuts down whoever he is matched up with.”

On an individual level, Cam Kyle has been a major development for the Colts. The sophomore is in his first lacrosse season but has been fearless as a goalkeeper. Despite his inexperience, Kyle has had a strong season with two shutouts.

“He is amazing,” Stead said. “He just started to play lacrosse in October, but his save percentage is over 50 percent. He has eight wins as a first-year player. He has stepped up as a leader. He is motivated and always ready to go.”

The offense scored 124 goals during the regular season, averaging over 9.5 goals per game. That is an increase from the team’s 5.3 goals per game average last season. Part of the success comes from the Colts’ scoring-by-committee approach.

“We are a lot more explosive this season,” Stead said. “Whenever we get on a roll, the goals pile up. Everyone contributed. We didn’t just rely on one or two guys. It is a six-man operation every night.”

Midfielders Logan Scott and Trevor Stevenson have both had strong seasons. No matter if it is offense or defense, the duo have been leaders for Chartiers Valley.

“They lead by example,” Stead said. “They are high-energy, high-motor guys. They don’t know what the word quit means. From the opening faceoff to the closing horn, they are making plays on offense and defense.”

While Chartiers Valley has a strong nine-player senior class, it relies on several underclassmen for production. These youngsters have never experienced a playoff atmosphere. The focus for the coaches in practice becomes replicating it as much as possible.

“We want to push the tempo up,” Stead said. “They have never seen playoff lacrosse yet. We want to make practice as much of a game-like atmosphere as possible. It is a different feel when you get to this part of the season.

“We have a couple things we need to fix. If we can do that, I think this team will be ready to make a push to Robert Morris (for the finals).”

The WPIAL playoffs were set to begin May 13. Pairings and results were unavailable before this edition’s deadline.

Tags: Chartiers Valley