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La Salle High's Kerrigan is a man for two seasons

It’s lacrosse season now, but Aidan Kerrigan also enjoys playing linebacker in the fall.

AIDAN KERRIGAN enjoys the best of both worlds almost year-round.

In autumn, the 5-11, 220-pound linebacker blasted ballcarriers for La Salle High. Springtime, however, it's all about lacrosse, and offense.

"There's a balance to it," Kerrigan said after the Explorers clobbered Archbishop Carroll, 19-5, on Monday. "In the fall, I get to hit people. In the spring, I get to score goals.

"I like scoring goals," the Maple Glen resident continued. "It's really fun. It's kind of cool to do two different things, because each season has something different."

Inexperience has been a major difference this season for the Explorers (7-2, 3-0). La Salle returned few seniors with big-game experience.

"This season we've had a lot of young guys on our team so it's all been about trying to figure out where everyone fits best," Kerrigan said. "It's kind of all about getting experience. We don't have a lot of returning guys; only four seniors played in big games last year."

On Monday, freshman Matthew Clibanoff led La Salle with three assists. Kerrigan and junior Kohler Setley each tallied a team-best three goals.

La Salle's relative inexperience will be tested tomorrow at rival St. Joseph's Prep. Kerrigan, who made varsity as a freshman, uses his early struggles to connect with his younger teammates.

"It was tough at first playing with the big seniors," he said. "I was smaller, not as athletic as them, and got my butt kicked every day. It's good to see the young guys making progress, because I can relate to them and help them along in the process."

He learned from his oldest brother, John, who played lacrosse at La Salle High (2009) and then collegiately at Susquehanna. Another brother, Connor, played football for the Explorers (2012).

A 3.75-GPA student, Kerrigan still hopes to generate lacrosse interest for college, but said he is likely bound for Drexel to focus on engineering.

When asked which sport, football or lacrosse, he preferred in high school, Kerrigan let the time of year decide.

"I guess it depends what season it is," he said. "There's nothing like those Friday night football games. Both of them are great, but I've always had something [extra] for lacrosse."

Phelan on precipice

Alynn Phelan almost didn't even play lacrosse this season. The challenges of building a team at Hallahan Catholic Girls High loomed large. Plus, she was tempted to join her twin sister, Marissa, on the softball team.

"I actually thought that I was going to switch and play softball this year, because it was beginning to become a lot [to handle]," said the junior from South Philadelphia.

"We got new coaches every year. This is the third year we've had a new coach. With the new coach this year, [Brian Goettner], I'm actually glad I played."

With 24 goals this season, Phelan owns 99 for her career. Rain Monday, however, washed out yesterday's chance for No. 100 against Lansdale Catholic. Her next chance should be Friday against LC.

"It's pretty amazing with a new program in only its third year, and to be able to get this far with it," she said. "It's pretty shocking actually."

In her freshman year, Phelan tallied the school's first goal. Earlier this month, Hallahan (2-6) won its first ever PCL game with a victory against Archbishop Ryan.

"It was really hard trying to start and build a program," said Phelan, who has earned college interests in soccer and lacrosse. "Everything takes its time. It just feels like forever. But it didn't turn out too bad."

The milestone might have lured her away from softball, but so did loyalty to her teammates.

"I had 32 goals my freshman year and 43 last year," she said, "and I figured I'd hit 100, and I figured why not just . . . continue to set records and stuff."

Later, she added, "Since we had new coaches, I thought I would let my team down if I left."

Katie Samson Festival

The 15th annual Katie Samson Festival will take place Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Radnor High. The lacrosse event features 26 boys' teams and 28 girls' teams playing regular-season games on six fields. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students and free for children under 3.

Katie Samson, a former lacrosse player at Radnor High and then Middlebury College, suffered a spinal-cord injury while sledding, which left her a quadriplegic. The foundation in her name donates to research and rehabilitation treatments and programs for those with spinal-cord injury.