PIAA STATE PLAYOFF REPORT - RD1

(From pennlive.com)

Only one very talented team will win their final game of the season at this point and it will not be either Hershey or Carlisle from the Mid-Penn. That should not take away from the incredible seasons both squads have had which included the Mid-Penn's first ever District 3 Title. Both teams have played incredibly well all season and the debate as to who was better could go on for a very long time. Fittingly both have a lot of hardware to show for their accomplishments and were led by tremendous senior classes

(Game reports after the jump)

AVON GROVE 9 HERSHEY 8

   

    Mid-Penn Champion's Hershey have had some difficult match-ups this post season and first round opponent Avon Grove was no exception. The Trojans again showed they are among the better teams in the state and fought literally till the last seconds in a heart breaking defeat.
    Hershey would be the better squad in the first quarter with a 3-1 lead that built to 5-3 early in the second. Avon Grove would go on to score 4 unanswered goals and take a 7-5 lead into the 4th quarter. Jake Wilson (3 goals) would score twice and Dave Sickler (1 goal) would also find the back of the net to knot things up at 8-8 late in the 4th. Tanner Peck (2 goals) would score for the Red Devils with just 6 seconds left in the game to avoid overtime and snatch victory away from the Trojans. Losing in states is tough, by one goal is brutal, and with less than 10 seconds remaining is crushing. Hershey will remain winless in the state playoffs on their third trip but with the way this program is going we can not see that lasting long.
     A remarkable season for Coach Schein and Hershey will end with a mark of 20-4 (11-1 in Mid-Penn play), a Mid-Penn Title, 3rd place finish in the District 3 Playoffs, and a PIAA State Tournament birth. 5 first team MP selections, 2 second team selections, and 2 honorable mentions. George Briggs led the team in scoring with 116 points (52 goals, 64 assists) followed by Logan Calhoun at 103 (66 goals, 37 assists) and Jake Wilson at 101(74 goals, 27 assists). They were also the top three in total points for the entire Mid-Penn league this season. Both Briggs and Wilson are coming back next year as seniors which would indicate Hershey's run is only just beginning. Kyle Kondracki played extremely well in net all season with 145 saves and senior LSM Dave Sickler has been one of the best players to ever come through the conference. With 15 goals and 2 assists on the year Sickler was a force on defense, in transition, and domiant on ground balls all season long. 

RADNOR 8 CARLISLE 5

     

    A close game for the first three quarters saw victory slip away from the Herd as a turnover filled afternoon finally caught up with them. Coming off their District 3 Title and having won in the first round of states last season their was hope Carlisle could advance, but it was not to be.
     Max Breschi (1 goal, 2 assists) would find Collin Wallace (2 goals) for the games first score. Hunter Scott  (1 goal) would follow that with a score off a rebound and put the Herd up 2-0. Jack Norton (3 goals) would answer for Radnor by intercepting a clear and firing home a goal to make it 2-1 which is where we would end the first quarter.
     The second quarter would continue to be a defensive battle as Jake Wilson (2 goals, 1 assist) would score for Radnor to even things at 2-2 early in the quarter. Breschi who was being shadowed most of the first half was able to break free and put Carlisle up 3-2 on his lone goal of the day with less than minute in the half. At the end of the first half the Herd had 8 turnovers, the majority caused by Radnor standout defender Sam Camp (1 goal, 1 assist). Radnor had out shot the Herd 18-10 but Mark Bowser (10 saves) played very well in the first half with 5 excellent saves.
     Wilson would find his second goal of the day on an excellent one on one dodge verses Ewell were he went Canadian style (back hand) in front of the cage to tie it up at 3-3. Camp would then get involved in the scoring as he fed Clayton Proctor (1 goal) to give Radnor their first lead of the day at 4-3. Breschi would attack from behind the net and find Wallace to even things up at 4-4 to end the 3rd quarter. Despite the tie score the Herd was in trouble as they were out shot 27-11 at that point.
     The final frame would be all Red Raiders as they would outscore the Herd 4-1. Norton would score his third of the day followed by Drew Ryan (1 goal) to put the Raiders up 6-4 with 9 minutes left. Jon Mundell (1 goal) would answer on only the second shot of the half for Carlisle. Camp would complete his excellent day just 12 seconds later by scoring a goal of his own to put Radnor back up by two at 7-5 with under 7 minutes left. The Raiders extended the lead to 8-5 and with 6:43 remaining but the Herd still had a shot at victory. The Raiders would run out the clock courtesy of GB's, turnovers, and a late flag on the Carlisle to advance to the second round.
    Carlisle's ends it's season at 18-4 (12-0 in Mid-Penn play) with the Mid-Penn's first ever District 3 Title, a 2nd place finish in the Mid-Penn Conference, and their third consecutive PIAA State Playoff birth. They had 4 MP first team selections and 1 second team selection. Additionally Max Breschi received Mid-Penn Player of the Year honors while Coach Kidder was named Mid-Penn Coach of the Year for the second straight season. Breschi ends his remarkable career at Carlisle as their all time leading scorer at 266 points (175 goals, 91 assists) and a three time MP first team selection. He lead the Herd in total points with 86 (57 goals, 29 assists) and was followed by Collin Wallace with 54 points (36 goals, 18 assists), Jon Mundell 48 points (29 goals, 19 assists), and Drew Amsely 46 points (27 goals, 19 assists). Senior first team selection goalie Mark Bowser had a remarkable post season run and he finishes the season with 149 saves as he quarterbacked one of (if not the) best defenses in the area. Sid Ewell will finish his career with another first team selection and leave behind a legacy as one of the most talented long poles to ever come through the program.