Boys' Lacrosse News

by Randy Gore

For the second consecutive season, North Allegheny and Pine-Richland faced off against each other in the quarterfinal round of the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs. The outcome was the same as the previous year, with the host Tigers securing a hard-fought 7-6 victory over the Rams at Newman Stadium. The outcome extended NA’s head-to-head winning streak to six in a row over the Rams, also accounting for the third straight playoff victory for the Tigers over their neighborhood rivals.

Following a 25-minute lightning delay, the North Allegheny offense was charged up to start the contest and scored four of the first five goals of the game. Juniors Colt Gibson, Johnny Castillo and Nick Sichak, and senior Sam Porter scored during NA’s opening salvo for a 4-1 lead with 6:41 remaining in the second quarter.

Coming off a thrilling 11-10 win over Shady Side Academy to end the regular season, Pine-Richland returned to form in the remaining minutes of the first half and cut the NA lead to 4-3 by halftime on markers by Dayne Wilden and Rowan Foster. Foster’s goal came with just 15 seconds left before intermission.

In a contest that finished with a narrow margin, it took an accumulation of little plays that earned the Tigers a big victory. Midway through the third quarter, North Allegheny broke a 13-minute scoring drought when sophomore Mason Brown attained a crucial offensive ground ball that kept the Tigers in possession behind the Rams’ net. Brown capitalized on the opportunity and scored with 4:18 left in the third period to increase the NA lead to 5-3. Wilden’s second goal of the night trimmed the NA lead to 5-4 with 2:37 left in the quarter, but Sichak responded in kind with his second marker of the contest with 1:10 remaining in the stanza to stretch the Tigers’ advantage to 6-4.

In the fourth quarter, Wildon notched a hat trick with 8:59 left in regulation to again cut the NA lead to one goal at 6-5. Castillo scored his second goal of the game with 6:05 to play to give the Tigers a two-goal lead again, 7-5. Undaunted, Pine-Richland scored a proximity goal with 1:53 remaining thanks to a Quinn Foster tally, bringing the score to 7-6, North Allegheny.

In the waning minutes, key ground balls by seniors Colman Craft and Jack Ferraro helped the Tigers maintain their one-goal lead. With 23 seconds to play, Sichak ran out the clock to help punch NA’s ticket to the WPIAL semifinals. Sichak, who finished with two goals and an assist, was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.

Other important contributors to the NA cause included Craft and Ferraro, who finished with four ground balls each. Craft added a team-best two takeaways. Junior FOGO Luke Rohan had a strong second half, totaling six faceoff wins. Senior goalie Logan Lyle registered eight saves, some of the spectacular variety.

With the win, North Allegheny improves to 10-8 overall and will face the reigning WPIAL champion Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils on Monday night in the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals at a site and time to be determined. Pine-Richland’s season comes to a close with a 10-8 overall record.

BOYS LACROSSE SUMMARY VS. PINE-RICHLAND, 5-14-25

SCORE BY QUARTERS	1	2	3	4	FINAL
Pine-Richland	1	2	1	2	6
North Allegheny	2	2	2	1	7