Mt. Lebanon captures WPIAL boys’ lacrosse title
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Keegan Green celebrates after scoring the final goal to ensure Mt. Lebanon’s WPIAL Class AAA lacrosse championship while Shady Side Academy players in the background anguish over the 10-8 defeat.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Fred LaSota fields a loose ball while covered by two Shady Side Academy defenders. LaSota scored four goals and had one group ball to lead Mt. Lebanon to victory, 10-8, in the WPIAL Class AAA championship match.
Photos: Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Miles Halter maintains possession of the ball while Ben Michels attempts to impeded his progress during WPIAL Class AAA boys’ lacrosse championship action. Halter dished up two assists in Mt. Lebanon’s 10-8 victory against Shady Side Academy.
By Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
South Fayette players leap into the arms of Drew Welhorsky (2) after he scored a goal in the WPIAL Class AA boys’ lacrosse championship match. Though Welhorsky managed a hat trick, the Lions succumbed to Mars, 16-7.
Mt. Lebanon captured its fifth WPIAL boys lacrosse title in program history when the Blue Devils defeated Shady Side Academy, 10-8, in the Class AAA championship match played on May 25 at Robert Morris University’s Joe Walton Stadium.
“This means so much. A ton,” said Sam Myers, who made 10 saves in goal.
One of eight seniors on the club, Myers as well as head coach Mike Ermer recalled Lebo’s bitter history. While the Blue Devils had won previous titles in 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015, they have competed in three of the past four finals. The finished runners-up in 2019 and 2022, losing both of those title bids in overtime.
“It’s nice to walk out with the gold trophy this time,” said Ermer.
“Coming here last year and losing in overtime was devastating,” added Myers. “It was a challenge to get back here but everybody stepped up and we handled our business. I am so proud of my teammates.”
“We really do have a good group of guys,” added Ermer. “This year’s group is special.
“These guys are all about team first and they worried about the success of the team. This result is what mattered, not the stat lines or minutes played.”
Unheralded Fred LaSota dominated the stat sheet. A junior, he scored Lebo’s first four goals. His hat trick erased a 3-1 SSA advantage and enabled the Blue Devils to take their first lead of the game, 4-3, almost two minutes into the second stanza.
LaSota also picked up a loose ball late in the game that allowed Lebo to run out the clock.
“Freddie has been a steadying force,” Ermer said. “For him to pop those first four was really great and the ground ball is what he does all the time. He’s blue collar Freddie. He’s a great addition down there.”
Seamus Riordon put the Blue Devils down again when he scored twice and assisted on a goal as SSA vaulted ahead, 7-4, two minutes into the third quarter.
A five-goal run gave the Blue Devils the lead for good, 9-7, with 5:22 to play. Luke Prezioso and Joseph Hetz had a pair of goals in the stretch while Brady Westbrook sandwiched in the other tally.
Miles Halter recorded two assists during the scoring spree. Keegan Green, Sullivan Kish and Westbrook also chalked up assists.
Though SSA narrowed the gap to one, Green polished off the Bulldogs with an unassisted tally with 2:50 to play.
Elmer noted that no lead is safe though when a team has players like John Paul Henry, Mac Mohn and Jacob Johnson on the field.
“Those guys are all outstanding players,” he said. “When they came back and made it a one-goal game, things got tighter on our side, but we managed to dump another one in. It gave us breathing room and kept a couple of hairs on my head.”
AJ Hyland eased Ermer’s anxiety. The sophomore helped keep SSA’s big gun in check with his defensive efforts.
“AJ did an outstanding job. He’s a solid young man,” Ermer said.
“We did a lot of scouting and watched a lot of film on them so we knew his tendencies. In practice, we paid attention to what they do. We were prepared.”
No the Blue Devils are preparing for a PIAA championship run. They open state playoff action June 6 against the District 10 winner. The finals are set for 4:30 p.m. June 17 at Penn State University’s Panzer Stadium.
South Fayette (18-1) lost its first lacrosse match and the defeat could not have come at a more inopportune time as the Lions lost their bid for the first WPIAL title in program history.
The Lions, though faced a formidable foe in the defending state champion.
Mars (19-2) defeated South Fayette, 16-7. in the WPIAL Class 2A boys’ championship match played May 24 at Robert Morris University’s Joe Walton Stadium.
Enzo Grieco led the Planets with five goals and three assists. Jack Dunham, Ryan Blake, Kyle McEwen and Ian Coulter each tacked on two scores while Jack McKenzie, Ben Bowser and Cole Yoshioka completed the goal-scoring for Mars.
Drew Welhorsky led the South Fayette attack with a hat trick. Spence Hondru (2), Dom Oliastro and Raj Sainani finished off the scoring. Cooper Hillebrand, Owen Makar, Josh Nugro and Oliastro each dished up assists.
After trading goals with Mars, the Lions kept the match close, 4-3, through 18 minutes of action. A three-goal run gave the Planets some cushion, 7-3, before Welhorsky closed out first-half action.
Mars reeled off five, third period scores to break open the contest. The Planets scored two goals in the first 53 seconds of the third quarter. Oliastro stopped the run with a goal with 49 seconds left in the frame.
Mars, which was the first WPIAL team to win a PIAA lacrosse title in 2022, has now claimed seven consecutive district titles. The streak is the longest for any boys team in any sport in the WPIAL.
Mars and South Fayette both have qualified for the PIAA tournament. The Lions begin state playoff action taking on the District 10 champion on June 6. The PIAA finals are set for 2:30 p.m. June 17 at Penn State University’s Panzer Stadium.