Photos: Lennie Malmgren
By: Jeremy Goode
PHILA.-- From 1991-1994, the National Football League’s Buffalo Bills lost four consecutive Super Bowls. That result demonstrated not just how impressive the Bills were for a four-year period, but also hard it was to finish the job and cross the finish line first.
St. Joseph’s Prep (“the Prep”) is in a similar situation in terms of lacrosse, but to an even higher degree.
The lacrosse team has finished second to La Salle every year since 2016. For nine years in a row, La Salle has won the Philadelphia Catholic League in lacrosse.
Over the past eight seasons, the Prep’s championship runs have been backed by strong, dominant, and consistent seasons. The Prep has gone an impressive 83-9 in PCL play over the past nine years. For the one loss they average every year in league play, they average over nine wins. They beat everyone except La Salle, which every year is the difference between a championship and second place.
This year, the hope and desire to overcome that streak is strong. That is the beauty of a new season and the fact that the Prep has maintained such a strong lacrosse program for years. Even though they lost at La Salle on 4/23 in a close 12-9 score, the Prep still has a 7-1 record in the PCL, good for second place.
Their 15-9 win against Devon Prep on Sat., Apr. 26 also helped get the Prep back to its winning ways in the conference. The win was especially important because Devon Prep was undefeated in PCL play going into the game.
ST. Joe's Prep in game vs. Devon Prep (Game highlights by Lennie Malmgren for PSD)
“I think we played faster and smarter,” St. Joseph’s Prep head coach Mark Princehorn said about his team picking it up in the second half. “We’re a very dangerous team when we are moving quick. We were able to play our game and play our speed. We push transition as good as anybody… and that led to some goals.”
The Prep outscored Devon 9-5 in the second half.
What makes the win against Devon Prep extra special is that it was also the Cole’s Goals Benefit Game.
At two months old, Princehorn's son Cole was diagnosed with Biliary Atresia, an uncommon but serious condition that affects the liver of a baby.
Cole underwent a 7-hour surgery and had made great progress since undergoing treatments , but complications arose and Cole had to receive a lifesaving liver transplant. After a successful transplant, Cole developed a rare form of transplant-generated cancer. He underwent chemotherapy and became cancer free.
Now in its fourth year, The Cole’s Goals foundation was created by Princehorn and his family to help raise awareness about Biliary Atresia and to give back to The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s (CHOP) Liver Research Foundation.
The game was held at The Salvation Army Kroc Center of Philadelphia, and around $1,300 was raised during an in-game raffle to benefit CHOP.
“We are able to use the platform of lacrosse to generate some donation money to CHOP,” Princehorn said. “For us, it’s more than just shining light on Biliary Atresia and limb disease in general, but to really use our platform and give back to CHOP, who has been with us every step of the way.”
As for the game, the Prep pretty much took control from start to finish. After falling to a 2-0 deficit four minutes into the contest, the Prep scored the next three goals to end the first quarter with the lead. Quinn Gaffney scored the Prep’s first goal, and the next two were scored directly off Devon Prep turnovers.
Devon Prep kept it close at halftime, only trailing 6-4. It was the third quarter that helped the Prep separate, as they entered the final 12 minutes up 11-7.
With seven minutes left in the third, Devon Prep cut the Prep’s lead from 7-4 to 7-6. But a massive rainfall began and lasted for the remaining quarter into the fourth, which might have helped the Prep, as they had a 4-1 advantage to end the third.
“A couple breakdowns in transition going the other way that turned into goals for them hurt us,” Devon Prep head coach Mark Consolo said. “But I’m really happy with the way the guys came out firing.”
More Game Highlights by Jeremy Goode for PSD
Keegun Dunn, the Prep’s goalie, stood tall in net and saved 10 shots on goal.
The Prep outscored Devon 4-2 in the final quarter. Luke Bieberbach scored three goals in the fourth and four in total to prevent any comeback by Devon. Gaffney recorded three goals and three assists, while Dom Flynn scored two goals and four assists, and Luke Quigley scored two goals.
In total, eight players on the Prep scored.
While it was not the outcome Devon was looking for, Consolo was very pleased by how his team played and that they stuck with the gameplan. Consolo was honored to be a part of the benefit game.
“When Mark asked us to be a part of it, it was a no brainer,” Consolo said. “There are things that are bigger than lacrosse that we try to teach our boys to grow into men and take on the world when they are out of high school… this is the stuff we want to focus on.”
St. Joseph’s Prep lacrosse is happy where it is and how it has been playing. The same can be said about young Cole, who is doing much better.
“Thankfully, somewhat ironically going into this week, he had a really good lab draw,” Princehorn said. “So, we’re positive, our team is positive, and we are all just moving in the right direction.”
For more information about Cole's Goals and to support CHOP's Liver Research Foundation (CLICK HERE).
