Upper Dublin's Sowers named Pa. boys' lacrosse player of the year
Southeastern Pennsylvania dominated the PIAA boys' lacrosse state playoffs this year. Springfield (Delco) tripped up La Salle in the state final to win it all, and Strath Haven made it to the semifinals, where it lost to Springfield.
Southeastern Pennsylvania dominated the PIAA boys' lacrosse state playoffs this year.
Springfield (Delco) tripped up La Salle in the state final to win it all, and Strath Haven made it to the semifinals, where it lost to Springfield.
Upper Dublin and Avon Grove also made it to the quarterfinals.
Here is our 2016 all-area boys' lacrosse team:
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Michael Sowers,
Upper Dublin
Hyperbolic prose would just get in the way. Sowers amassed statistics that astound on their own. The Princeton-bound attacker ended his career with 594 points, most in state history, and 402 assists, said by Lacrosse Magazine to be the most in U.S. boys' high school lacrosse history.
Sowers was named an all-state player four times, Suburban One League MVP four times, and all-American three times. He was recently named to the Team USA under-19 squad.
This season, Sowers also led the Cardinals to their first PIAA District 1 championship.
First team
ATTACKERS
Forry Smith,
Haverford School
The dual-threat Johns Hopkins recruit tied for the team lead with 87 total points during the Fords' run as undefeated regular-season Inter-Ac League champions. Smith, who was second on the team with both 50 goals and 37 assists, stepped into a bigger leadership role this year after Haverford School lost 22 seniors.
Kyle Anderson,
Malvern Prep
The Harvard recruit led one of the nation's top attack lines with 66 goals. Anderson's 93 points also tied for the Malvern team lead with fellow all-American Adam Goldner, who scored 35 goals and dished 58 assists.
Matt Moore,
Garnet Valley
The University of Virginia-bound junior was an all-American as well as the Central League's most valuable player. He scored 50 goals and had 56 assists for 106 points.
MIDFIELDERS
Dox Aitken,
Haverford School
Since he was a freshman, Aitken has been one of the best players, if not the best, in the nation for his grade. This season, the senior midfielder led the regular-season Inter-Ac champion Fords with 57 goals while also logging heavy minutes on defense. The University of Virginia-bound standout was also named an all-American for the second consecutive year.
Tommy McNamara,
Haverford School
The Notre Dame recruit was a versatile force for the Fords. McNamara finished with 23 goals and 13 assists while also spending time playing with a long stick on defense. McNamara was also named an all-American.
Beau Kush, Avon Grove
After a season-ending knee injury as a junior, Kush returned to earn all-American honors this season and lead the Red Devils to the PIAA quarterfinals. The University of North Carolina recruit was also named first-team all-Ches-Mont. He had 33 goals and 15 assists for 48 points.
FACEOFF
Christian Feliziani,
Episcopal Academy
Arguably the nation's best faceoff man, Feliziani secured 72 percent of possessions at the faceoff X for the Churchmen this season. The Ohio State-bound FOGO, who was named an all-American for the second straight year, was also named to the Under Armour all-America Game but won't play because he is on the U.S. under-19 squad. Feliziani also added six goals and four assists for the Churchmen.
LONG-STICK MIDFIELD
Zac Methlie,
Springfield (Delco)
The Lehigh-bound senior helped lead the Cougars to their first state lacrosse championship since 1992. Methlie, who dominated top area midfielders, took faceoffs, won 106 ground balls, and forced several turnovers, was named an all-American and all-Central League.
DEFENSE
Jack Rapine,
Upper Dublin
The Johns Hopkins recruit earned all-American honors for the second time as one of the top long-stick defenders in the nation. Rapine, who was named to the Under Armour all-America Game, was also named an all-state player for the third time, leading the Cardinals to their first District 1 championship.
Matt Webster, La Salle
Throughout the Explorers' run to a runner-up finish in the PIAA championship, Webster was typically required to mark the other team's top offensive player. His efforts earned him all-American honors and helped La Salle claim its 20th Catholic League championship. Webster will attempt to play at Villanova as a walk-on next season.
Jack Reilly, Conestoga
The University of Virginia-bound defenseman was a four-year starter for the Pioneers and was named an all-American and was first-team all-Central League this season.
GOALIE
James Spence,
Springfield (Delco)
The junior saved 67 percent of the shots he faced while serving as the backbone of the Cougars' state championship defense. Spence, who has committed to Lehigh, was also named an all-American and earned first-team honors in league and state play.
Second team
ATTACKERS
Adam Goldner, Malvern Prep
Jake Hvazda, SpringFord
Bryce Reid, Avon Grove
Mike Gerzabek, Springfield (Delco)
Kyle Long, Springfield (Delco)
MIDFIELDERS
Pete Gayhardt, St. Joseph's Prep
Jeffrey Connor, Strath Haven
Cody Mazurek, La Salle
FACEOFF
Justin Schwenk, Spring-Ford
LONG-STICK MIDFIELD
Nick Cardile, Avon Grove
DEFENSE
Ryan McNulty, Bishop Shanahan
Eric Carr, Academy of the New Church
Matt Blommer, Episcopal Academy
GOALIE
Alex Demarco, Haverford School
@AceCarterINQ