Photos/Videos: Ryan Nix, Zamani Feelings & Colleen Claggett
By: Marc Narducci
Colin Michener’s heroics help Penn Charter extend its season
Colin Michener’s senior lacrosse season at Penn Charter has been about perseverance and big-game performances. None were bigger than Friday’s 9-8 overtime home win over Germantown Academy.
That win improved the Penn Charter’s Inter-Ac League record at 2-8, but the Quakers earned the fourth and final playoff berth on a tiebreaker over Springfield Chestnut Hill Academy and Germantown Academy, who were also 2-8.
That sets up the league playoff which will be Tuesday at Cabrini.
At 4 p.m. No. 2 seeded Haverford School will meet No. 3 Episcopal Academy
at 7 p.m. No. 1 Malvern Prep faces No. 4 Penn Charter
Michener scored the game-winner in overtime, intercepting a pass from the goalie and then scoring in the empty net.
“We have had a lot of All-League players, All-American guys in our program and he has certainly risen to that level of guy,” Penn Charter coach Pat McDonough said. “He does everything for us and whether it is scoring goal or dishing out assists, he means that much to us in terms of everything we do.”
Penn Charter Senior Colin Michener - Photo by Zamani Feelings
McDonough feels so fortunate that Michener played this year.
During the football season, where he was a wide receiver and safety, Michener cracked his femur and hyperextended his knee. He has no regrets of playing football, even though he already had committed to a lacrosse scholarship to Villanova at the time.
“I did it for the culture and fell in love with it,” he said about playing football. “I played after I committed because I liked the whole idea of football, the friends on the team and felt a brotherhood that was unmatched anywhere else,” he said.
Penn Charter head coach Pat McDonough - Photo by Zamani Feelings
Plus there was one other simple reason for his decision.
“I just loved playing,” said Michener, whose brother Gavin is enjoying a standout sophomore season for the Quakers.
He also loves lacrosse and has been playing the sport since kindergarten.
Michener has always played attack, which fits his personality since he is always aggressively attacking the defense.
Earlier this season he reached a personal milestone when Michener scored his 100th career goal. Considering that he wasn’t a full-time starter as a freshman and lost all but two games his sophomore season due to COVID, that’s even more impressive to reach the century mark.“
This year alone he has 81 goals and 64 assists.
“A lo t of people get four years and I was able to get (100) in three so there is a lot of pride there,” he said.
Michener is following in the footsteps of his father, John, who also played lacrosse at Villanova.
Colin Michener grew up attending lacrosse and basketball games at Villanova. He has always been a fan of the lacrosse program and this Plymouth Meeting resident says he couldn’t beat the proximity.
“I could have my family see me play,” he said. “Plus I fell in love with the campus, the coaches, the team, everything about it.”
And thanks to his heroics, he got to extend his high school career, compete in the final four in one of the best high school leagues, not only in this area, but anywhere.
The matchups:
Here is a look at Tuesday’s semifinal games.
Haverford School (13-5, 8-2) vs. Episcopal Academy (11-7, 7-3).
Haverford School has enjoyed the upper hand, winning both regular season contests, 10-9 in overtime and 14-8 last week.
The Fords have suffered both Inter-Ac losses to champion Malvern Prep, the last time by a 13-12 score.
In Friday’s win over Episcopal Academy, Ben McCarthy, Jake McCarthy and Griff Meyer went 14 for 23 on face-offs. Harvard commit Teddy Malone scored a hat trick. Aydan DiRocco added two goals and one assist and Colin Zeller scored twice. Ryan DiRocco had one goal and four assists. Wills Burt produced one goal and one assist. Scoring one goal each were Sam Gerber, Aidan Kopen, Mac Childs and Finn Lawrence, while Wells Finn contributed an assist. McCarthy had eight ground balls and Chuck Cacciutti made seven saves.
Episcopal Academy, the only Inter-Ac team to beat Malvern Prep, received two goals against Haverford School from Vermont commit Tristan Whitaker. Single goals were scored by Eddie Jones, Paul Buckley, Nick Wolff, Charlie Kraftson, TJ Lamb and Dylan Jaszcz. Three different goalies had saves with Nash Womack making three, Luke Tabasso with five and Jack Guido with two.
Haverford School vs. Episcopal Academy - PSD Gallery by Ryan Nix
Episcopal Academy vs. Haverford School Highlights by Ryan Nix:
Penn Charter (12-12, 2-8) vs. Malvern Prep (18-3, 9-1)
Malvern Prep won the first meeting, 17-9, but the teams played last week and the Friars were tested before earning an 11-9 win.
Malvern Prep owned an 8-2 halftime lead, but Penn Charter came storming back.
“We started slow against Malvern, got complacent and they took advantage of it,” said Colin Michener, who had four goals and one assist for Penn Charter. “They worked us early, but we never got our heads down.”
In that game, the score was 10-9 and Penn Charter had possession, but then turned it over on a clear.
In addition to Colin Michener, Chet Kempinski added four goals for Penn Charter. Russ Fitzgerald had a goal and was 7 of 12 on face-offs. Gavin Michener and Owen Black each had three assists. George Glomb went 9 for 13 on face-offs and Noah Dacanay added 16 saves.
For Malvern Prep, Joey Doherty made 13 saves. Ennis Udo had a hat trick, while Joe Sheridan and Liam Timmins each had two goals and one assist. Brian Ciarlone and Mike Ortlieb each had a goal and an assist and Jack Onderdonk scored once.
Strong tuneup for Malvern Prep
In a tuneup for Tuesday’s semifinals, Malvern Prep earned a 7-6 overtime win at New Jersey’s Seton Hall Prep on Saturday. Seton Hall Prep entered the game ranked No. 3 in the state by NJ.com.
Liam Timmins had two goals and one assist, while scoring the game-winner. AJ Nikolic, Joe Sheridan and Jack Irish each had one goal and one assist and Ryan Falkenstein scored once.
Joey Doherty made 12 saves and the Friars won 10 of 16 face-offs.
On Friday, Malvern Prep defeated Springside Chestnut Hill 14-6 to clinch the regular season Inter-Ac title - Video by Colleen Claggett
Malvern Prep vs. Springside Chestnut Hill - PSD Photos by Colleen Claggett
A double hat trick for Dylan Jaszcz
In a convincing 15-7 win over Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, Episcopal Academy’s Dylan Jaszcz had six goals and one assist while Charlie Maier added three goals and one assist. Charlie Kraftson provided two goals and two assists and Lucas Slate had two goals and one assist Eddie Jones and Paul Buckley also had goals while TJ Lamb had four assists and Nash Womack made 14 saves.
More on Haverford School
In an 11-6 win over Germantown Academy, Haverford School’s Ben McCarthy and Griff Meyer were a combined 18 of 21 on face-offs. McCarthy also had eight ground balls while Pat Gillin had five and Meyer and Will Costin added four each. Chuck Cacciutti made eight saves and Kyle Morris had a save.
Teddy Malone had two goals, two assists, Ryan DiRocco added two goals and one assist and Aydan DiRocco scored twice. Single goals were scored by Avi Mehl, Aidan Kopen, Gavin Cooper, Wells Flinn and Jack Long.
Donnelly continues to excel
Against a high powered Haverford School team, Germantown Academy goalie Brendan Donnelly continued to make big saves. Despite an 11-6 loss to the Fords, Donnelly had 17 saves.
Jack Luviano had two goals and two assists while Rocco Ippoldo added two goals and one assist. Josh Gibbs and Walker Schwartz each scored once.