Difficult ending for Peters Township lacrosse
June 8 will be a difficult day for Peters Township lacrosse coach Mike Kaplan, for it marks the graduation day for 14 of his seniors, 10 of them starters, from his two-time WPIAL championship club.
“This class was extremely special to me so it’s going to be very tough to say goodbye,” said Kaplan, who took over the program as head coach four seasons ago when the players were freshmen. “Watching them grow into not only talented lacrosse players but exceptional young men is not something I will ever forget.”
That’s because from that first year to this day, Kaplan’s lacrosse players have been more clan than club. In fact, they broke every huddle out a with single word “family” because that is what Kaplan wanted the team to be-a family.
“Sometimes you fight with your brothers and sometimes you’ll disagree but in the end you’re still family,” Kaplan said.
It’s something Kaplan learned when he played at Seton Hill. It’s what he preached every day since he arrived at Peters. And, because the players bought into the philosophy, they achieved and exceeded the goals Kaplan set for them. The Indians captured a section title and back-to-back District 7 championships and competed in the PIAA championships.
Benjamin Delaney, Dante Mahramas, Colton Abate, William Delaney, Luke Hirata, Aidan Stopperich, Zachary Gramling, Daniel Bacciochi, Tanner Scott, Clayton Scott, Shawn Caven, Zachary Cicacci, Jacob Hurley and Nicholas Phelps powered Peters Township’s success.
“I wish them nothing but the best going forward, and I know they will all have nothing but success in everything they do,” said Kaplan, who plans to stay in touch with his seniors as they go forth into the world.
Five of them plan to continue their success on the playing field. Phelps will play at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Bacchiochi, Abate and Caven intend to play at Wheeling Jesuit while Hurley will compete at Lindenwood University.
Phelps certainly helped put Peters on the lacrosse map. The long stick middle earned All-America honors for the second season in a row while also earning the distinction as the Class AAA Player of the Year. He also gained all-section and all-WPIAL laurels.
Bacchiochi and Ben Delaney joined Phelps on the All-America list. Both attack players were named to the all-section and all-WPIAL rosters. Caven a defender, and Will Delaney, a midfielder, were all-section and all-WPIAL selections.
Aidan McCall completed the list of Indians gaining post-season laurels. The midfielder was named to the all-section squad. A sophomore, he represents one of the few players that will return to help Kaplan rebuild for the 2019 campaign.
Other underclassmen include: juniors Brendan Brady, Nico Mahramas, Brady Seekely, Samuel Evers, Jack DeGurian, Michael Vilsack, Tyler Minton, Nathaniel Morgret; sophomores Liam O’Neill, Matthew Luoni, Reed Scott, Ryan Doughty, Colin Pakela, David Opfer and Kyle Logan; freshman Corban Hondru, Owen Erker, Zachary Koerbel, Parker Lammers and Anthony Ambrogi.
“The good news is that we have a very talented group ready to fill spots all over the field,” Kaplan said of initial concerns about graduating a large senior class. “As much as I will miss this senior class, I am looking forward to getting back to work with the team in a few months, and preparing to make another run in 2019.”
Cumberland Valley
ends playoff run
Peters Township’s run in 2018 ended in the first round of the PIAA playoffs with an 11-10 loss to Cumberland Valley May 29 at Hempfield.
Bacchiochi had the hat trick and an assist while Ben Delaney and Abate each scored twice. Delaney collected three assists. Mahramas, McCall and Stopperich completed the goal-scoring while Phelps provided an assist.
The Indians showed no signs of experiencing a letdown from winning the WPIAL title, coming out of the gates with three goals. Though CV knotted the contest, the Indians led, 6-3, after the first frame and 9-4 at halftime.
“It truly was a tale of two halves, and a tough one to lose because we got a couple of great opportunities late in the game but couldn’t find the back of the net before the whistle blew,” Kaplan said. “The difference came down to the second half. They just seemed to want it more than we did, stayed composed, and came up with every big play, and it prevented us from stopping their momentum.”
Cumberland Valley, which also boasted a large senior class, was one of the more talented teams the Indians faced this year, Kaplan added.
“Losing close games is especially tough because all it takes is one play to go differently to affect the outcome, but I give a lot of credit to CV for coming back in the second half and really fighting to keep their season alive,” Kaplan said. “They earned it.”
While the WPIAL has earned spots in the semifinals, no District 7 team has competed for a state championship since 2009, when lacrosse was added as a recognized PIAA sport. How and when the west levels the playing field won’t be easy, Kaplan said, because lacrosse for the eastern part of the state is like football is to Western Pennsylvania.
“They’ve been doing that for decades,” said Kaplan. “Lacrosse in Pittsburgh is extremely young by comparison.”
Consistency will promote equality, says Kaplan. It’s necessary on the youth level for getting programs on the same page as the high school teams, he said.
It’s also necessary at the helm regarding coaching staffs. Kaplan noted that the region has had “tremendously talented” players go off to great colleges and come back to coach for a year but then quit.
“Coaching is a huge commitment, and when the turnover rate is that high, players are usually learning different things year in and year out, creating inconsistencies. Furthermore, the transition from player to coach isn’t something that usually happens overnight,” Kaplan said.
But playing good competition on a routine basis should also narrow the gap between the two sides of the state.
“You get better only by challenging yourself,” Kaplan said. “Obviously this isn’t a luxury every team can afford, but I think there is a direct correlation there. Being the best team in Pittsburgh is great, but you’re just that-the best team in Pittsburgh.”
Nevertheless, Kaplan is pleased to say that his Indians are the best in the west for two straight years. It was a dream season for Peters Township.
“This year was truly the most fun I have ever had coaching. We did not have a perfect season, but that was never the goal, Kaplan said. “Winning our first ever section title, repeating as WPIAL champions, and competing in PIAA playoffs were, and I’m incredibly proud to say we accomplished all three.”