Tigers qualify for state playoffs with thrilling win over Panthers
by: Bob Orkwis
In the WPIAL 3A Boys Lacrosse Playoffs, third-seeded Upper St. Clair and fourth-seeded North Allegheny both bowed out with a loss in the semifinals.
But this year offered a reprieve for both teams with a consolation game, the winner would represent District 7 in the PIAA Playoffs.
In a contest that went down to the final shot in the final second, North Allegheny prevailed 8-7 to reach the state playoffs for the second consecutive year.
Jacob Clarkson scored his seventh goal of the season off an assist from Mason Brown 1:33 into the game to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
Evan Proud answered for the Panthers before Johnny Castillo converted a Sam Porter feed for his 33rd goal to put North Allegheny back in front.
Merrimack recruit Ryan Buonomo tied the game at 2-2, before Colman Craft scored in transition to make the score 3-2 after the first quarter.
Nick Sichak from Craft scored man-up, followed by Porter’s 20th of the season from Brown, which gave the Tigers a three-goal run and a 5-2 lead.
Nate Haberman found the back of the net for the Panthers after a timeout with :27 left before halftime to make it 5-3.
Proud’s second goal of the game followed by a Beckett Mayfield tally gave the Panthers a three-goal run of their own and tied the game at 5-5.
Sichak then scored back-to-back goals to put the Tigers up by two. Porter assisted on the second, which gave the junior Sichak the hat trick and his team leading 44th goal of the year.
Brown’s tally early in the fourth quarter made the score 8-5 Tigers, but the Panthers came back with goals by Holden Rickel and Buonomo to make it a one-goal game. Buonomo’s goal was his 60th of the season and gave him 300 career points.
Junior Luke Rohan, who had nine draw controls for North Allegheny, won the face off. But as the Tigers tried to play keep away, the Panthers forced a turnover and Rickel scooped up the ground ball with five seconds left.
The St. Joe’s commit raced down the right wing and got a shot away as time expired, but senior Logan Lyle, a St. John’s recruit, made the save on a future A-10 foe to secure the 8-7 victory for North Allegheny.
With his last second heroics and a total of twelve saves in the win, Lyle was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.
Upper St. Clair finished the season at (12-8). North Allegheny improved to (11-9) and will be the third-place team from the WPIAL in the state playoffs.
The Tigers will face the District 3 champion in the first round. #1 Central York and #2 Manheim Township will play next Tuesday for that title, with the first round of the PIAA playoffs scheduled for Tuesday June 3rd.
Boys Lacrosse Summary at Upper St. Clair, 5-23-25
| SCORE BY QUARTERS | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | FINAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Allegheny | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 |
| Upper St. Clair | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
