May 18, 2015 3 min read

Mt. Lebanon defeated Pine-Richland, 10-6, and advanced to its third straight WPIAL final for boys’ lacrosse.

The Blue Devils will play the winner between North Allegheny and Shady Side Academy in the WPIAL Division I championship game at 8 p.m. May 22 at Highmark Stadium. Shady Side is the defending champion, having defeated Lebo in last year’s final.

The Blue Devils had no preference on opponent. “We are just happy to be there,” said head coach Mike Ermer. “Regardless of who we play, it is going to be a dog fight.”

For the most part, Lebo’s semifinal foe provided similar competition. The Rams jumped ahead, 2-0, three minutes into the game but Brian Ward and Dan Lee knotted the contest. With 52 seconds left in the quarter, Sam White, off an assist from Ward, vaulted Lebo into the lead, 3-2.

“When it was 2-0, I wasn’t too concerned,” Ermer said. “It’s a long game. We knew they would come out fly but lacrosse is not a game won on emotion. We just had to weather that first five minutes and we would be okay.”

The Blue Devils were okay because of defense. Charles Cappucci, Preston Chamberlin, Nicholas Tommasi and Jacob Zoffer along with goalie Matt Lee held the Rams in check during a critical stretch in the third quarter.

“The defense was outstanding,” Ermer said. “During that six-minute possession, the game turned on that.”

The Rams failed to score. In fact, only one goal was recorded in the third period. David Harvey, off an assist from Ward, registered the critical tally with 59 seconds left in the frame, affording the Blue Devils a two-goal cushion, 6-4.

Despite being a man down, Lebo took the lead for good in the second stanza. Midway through the frame, Zoffer scored the go-ahead goal, 4-3. Tommasi initiated the action when he recovered a ground ball. White and Owen Chamberlin combined for Lebo’s fifth goal at the 2:21 mark in the quarter.

For the game, White led all scorers. He registered a hat trick and supplied an assist. The senior also led the way with four tallies during Lebo’s first-round victory against Fox Chapel, 18-6.

“Sam White is the man,” Ermer emphasized. “He’s played great for us for four years. We’re glad we have him.”

Lebo’s delighted to have Ward and Lee, too. Against the Rams, each scored twice and Ward dished up two assists. In addition to having an assist, Owen Chamberlin also scored a goal. Brian Kelly also added an assist.

Against the Foxes, Chamberlin and Connor Brumfield both recorded hat tricks. Chamberlin picked up three assists. Kelly and Lee also had three assists each to go along with two tallies.

Ward, Harvey, Drew Dioguardi and Patrick Moeller also registered goals against Fox Chapel.

Pine-Richland edged Peters Township, 7-5, to earn its spot in the quarterfinals against Lebo.

Canon-McMillan had advanced to the Final Four by beating Aquinas Academy, 20-1.

In girls’ action, Mt. Lebanon and Chartiers Valley battled last night for the right to compete in the finals. The WPIAL Division I championships are set for 8 p.m. May 21 at Highmark Stadium.

The Lebo ladies dispatched Fox Chapel, 16-4, in the first round of the tournament while CV defeated Seneca Valley, 19-12.

Megan Gibbons led Lebo with six tallies while Sophia Klaber supplied five scores. Amanda Riesmeyer followed with a hat trick. Anna Albers dished up six assists.

The Lebo ladies were the Division I champions last year and the Colts were Division II runners-up in 2014.