Inter-Ac lacrosse tourney expands, has future ambition

The Inter-Academic League has expanded its postseason boys' lacrosse tournament, the Inter-Ac Invitational, from six to seven teams, adding Lawrenceville Prep of New Jersey.

The field already included Chestnut Hill Academy, Episcopal Academy, Germantown Academy, Haverford School, Malvern Prep and Penn Charter.

Before 2009, Inter-Ac teams competed with both private and public school programs for a state championship sanctioned by the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association.

Last season, the EPSLA was replaced by the PIAA as the sport's governing body in the state. Inter-Ac institutions remained non-PIAA members, so the league last year created the invitational to give its teams a postseason tournament.

EPSLA president Andy Hayes, coach of Episcopal, said the Inter-Ac also invited Peddie School of Hightstown, N.J., and The Hill School of Pottstown to this year's expanded field. But Hayes said those schools declined.

"The goal of the Inter-Ac in the next couple years is to build this into some sort of Mid-Atlantic invitational postseason tournament with the best teams up and down the East Coast," Hayes said. "A lot of private schools don't have state-run championships."

The second annual Inter-Ac Invitational will be held on Friday, May 21, and Wednesday, May 26, at Cabrini College in Radnor. Haverford School defeated Malvern Prep, 9-5, last spring for the first title.

Radnor girls still strong. Defending PIAA state girls' champion Radnor returns seven Division I-bound seniors. The top returning goal scorers are midfielders Kelyn Freedman (80 goals, Georgetown) and Allie Martin (77, Penn), and attacker Courtney Campbell (72, Richmond).

Radnor (4-0) was a unanimous No. 1 preseason selection atop both the PIAA poll and the statewide poll on PhillyLacrosse.com. The state poll includes all schools, even non-PIAA members.

"Our first goal is take care of business in the Central League," Red Raiders coach Phyllis Kilgour said. "There are a couple schools we don't play in the regular season that could be a real challenge."

"I'm hoping there are teams to give us a run for our money," Radnor assistant coach Brooke Fritz said. "But so far, we haven't seen one."

Explorers reload. Reigning PIAA boys' champion La Salle (5-1) is third in the statewide rankings on PhillyLacrosse.com, despite losing 11 Division I prospects from last season.

Junior attackman Kevin Forster, who has committed to Maryland, is one of several Division I-bound upperclassmen leading the Explorers, whose only setback so far is a 9-6 defeat March 26 against No. 1 Haverford School.

Conestoga, the 2009 PIAA runner-up, is ranked second. The Pioneers fell at Haverford School, 8-7, on April 3.

Praising Wolf. After Springfield (Delco) earned a 9-7 road victory Tuesday over Lower Merion, Cougars coach Mike Friel called Lower Merion senior Jordan Wolf "probably the best player in the state."

Wolf, who has committed to Duke, had two assists and created several scoring chances with his speed and vision in the Aces' near-upset of the No. 4 Cougars.

"He has the ability to break anybody down," Springfield attackman Colin Keegan said of Wolf.

Keegan, who is headed to St. John's, had four goals and one assist in the win.

Lower Merion, which has a record seven boys' lacrosse state titles, opened this season an uncharacteristic 0-5 against a difficult schedule.

Special occasion. At 3:45 p.m. Monday, Sacred Heart will host Catholic Academies rival Merion Mercy Academy in a girls' game. Sacred Heart senior defender Molly Rooney and her sister, Merion Mercy senior attacker Casey Rooney, will join their teams in honoring their mother, Kelly, who passed away after battling breast cancer.

The Kelly Rooney Foundation was founded to prevent breast cancer through funding research, education and awareness programs, Sacred Heart administrative coach Carol Finley said in an e-mail.

All proceeds from an afternoon featuring a souvenir booth, a disc jockey, special pinnies for each team and a postgame picnic for the squads will benefit the foundation.

Girls' odds and ends. Unionville, ranked No. 2 in both polls, is one of the top teams that will not get a crack at Radnor in the regular season. The Indians are led by senior midfielders Lizzy Carney (Penn State) and Lindsey Smith (Penn), and goalie Melissa Lloyd (Penn State). . . . No. 3 Springfield (Delco) opened the season with a 6-0 record behind Delaware recruit Shannon Burns, a senior midfielder, and St. Joseph's-bound senior attacker Val Paolucci. The Cougars handed Radnor its only loss of last season - in the District 1 final, 14-9 - but fell to fifth seed Unionville in the second round of the state tournament, 10-8.

PIAA state runner-up Strath Haven, which lost, 20-10, to Radnor in last spring's final, boasts senior midfielder Ana White (Lafayette) . . . Other top area seniors include North Penn senior attacker Abbie Hartman (Delaware), Hatboro-Horsham midfielder Lauren Purvis (Penn State), and Upper Dublin attacker Amy Cross (Syracuse) . . . Episcopal Academy junior Taylor Trimble was named a first-team U.S. Lacrosse All-American as a sophomore last season, when the Churchwomen won the Inter-Ac title. Trimble, who has committed to Duke, led the Philly1 team to a title at the U.S. Lacrosse National Tournament last May. She then received the Heather Leigh Albert Award as the top player in the girls' division.