Mt. Lebanon edges Pine-Richland for WPIAL title
After winning a WPIAL title, championship teams seldom have time to celebrate because they are preparing for a run in the PIAA tournament.
Mt. Lebanon, however, has had plenty of time to savor its Class 3A title in girls lacrosse. After edging top-seeded Pine-Richland, 15-14, in the District 7 finals played May 22 at Upper St. Clair High School stadium, the Blue Devils did not embark on state playoff action until June 3. Lebo was scheduled to battle the fourth-place finisher in District 4 in the first round of action.
Brian Kattan, however, will relish the triumph for much longer. In his 16 years as Blue Devils skipper, he has never fielded such a young squad. The roster features just two seniors: Sloane Wilson and Joelle Khandji; and the Blue Devils started six sophomores and four juniors.
With tears streaming down his face Kattan said after watching his captains accept the championship trophy, “This one means a lot to me.
“The story is about the two seniors that came back,” he continued. “We had nine juniors last year but the two that stuck it out truly were tremendous leaders.
“I guarantee coming into the season, people knew we were young and didn’t think we could do this. That we could get back to the finals,” he added. “But we did. It’s unbelievable.”
After ceding the section banner to rival Upper St. Clair, the Blue Devils reached the Class 5A finals for the fifth year in a row. They posted a 17-14 win against Peters Township, 17-14, before avenging the regular-season loss to the Lady Panthers with a 12-9 triumph in the semifinals.
Seeded No. 3 in the tournament, Lebo then overcame a five-goal deficit to stun Pine-Richland.
Sophomore Grace Manning scored the game-winning goal with 4:15 remaining to clinch the victory. Manning finished with five goals and an assist.
“I honestly didn’t know it was the winning goal,” Manning said. “I just tried to work hard the whole game and it turned out to be the winning goal.
“We knew when we were down, we had to work hard and we knew our momentum had to stay up and we had to stay together as a team,” she added. “All year long, we worked so hard together as a team and our confidence was all that mattered.”
That poise and resilience powered Lebo’s comeback did not surprise Kattan.
“They believed in themselves that they could come back. They have done it all season. Sticking with it, staying together and keeping it going,” he added.
Kattan cited the draw control by Quinn Murdoch sparked Lebo’s comeback. The Blue Devils scored off the play. Manning dished up an assist to Ann Tinnemeyer.
Before the third quarter ended, Lebo had closed the gap, 12-11, thanks to tallies by Murdoch, Tinnemeyer and Cali Green. Murdoch’s and Green’s goals came from free position shots while Tinnemyer’s was assisted by Green.
“That draw to get us back to 12-8 was the most important thing because they started believing in themselves again,” Kattan said.
“At 12-7 their heads were down a bit. We could see it,” he continued. “(The draw) got us pumped up, especially since we scored off it. It got us back into the game. We knew what we could do.”
Kattan knew what Manning could do especially after the Rams opened up a three-goal edge with a pair of scores by Cate Gentile to start the fourth and final quarter.
Manning initiated a four-goal run by the Blue Devils. After Green and Vivi Warhola scored to tie the contest at 14, Manning finished off the Rams with her game-winning tally at the 4:15 mark.
“Grace was tremendous,” Kattan said.
“I have been talking to her all year about going to the goal. Bury your shot because you are quicker than anybody in the WPIAL,” he said. “She did a fantastic job of understanding that and just going after it and wanting to score and wanting to place her shots.
“I can’t say enough about her and any of our sophomores, seniors, juniors,” Kattan added. “All 24 girls were tremendous.”
While Gentile finished with four goals and Madeline Mill and Mallory Boivin each had hat tricks for the Rams, the Lebo defense of Rainiah Turnbull, Chloe Shea, Aubrey Betler and Wilson did not allow a shot during the final 10 minutes. Nina Crago earned the win in the nets, making eight saves.
In addition to Manning’s five tallies as well as Murdoch’s and Tinnemeyer’s hat tricks, Ireland McFarland scored a goal and added an assist for the Blue Devils. Green finished with two goals and two assists.
Additionally, Lucy Pryor led Lebo with six draw controls and Murdoch followed with three.