Tigers Upended By Mt. Lebanon In WPIAL Championship, 15-10
by Bob Orkwis
North Allegheny was looking to take down a higher seed for the second straight game in the playoffs. Second-seeded Mt. Lebanon was looking to win back-to-back titles for the first time in school history. It was that history that won out, as the Blue Devils defeated No. 4 North Allegheny 15-10 at Robert Morris University to capture the WPIAL Boys 3A Lacrosse Championship.
North Allegheny got off to a great start, as Nick Sichak (:22) and Travis Lamark (3:34) paced the Tigers to a 2-0 lead.
Mt. Lebanon would answer with the next four goals before Jonathan Castillo scored with 59 seconds left in the first quarter to make it 4-3.
When Sichak added his second goal of the game eight seconds into the second quarter, the game was tied at 4-4. The Blue Devils scored twice, but trailing by two, Colt Gibson took a great pass from Sichak to make it 6-5. Down by two again, Sam Porter scored early in the third quarter to bring the Tigers within a goal at 7-6.
But Mt. Lebanon scored four of the next five goals to take an 11-7 lead at the end of three. Evan Lyon, who was named All-American, netted his first goal of the game late in the period.
Lyon pulled the Tigers to within 11-8 early in the fourth quarter. Down 12-8, Sichak and Lyon netted hat trick goals to make the score 12-10 with over eight minutes remaining. But Mt. Lebanon scored the game’s last three goals to take home the title with a 15-10 win.
Loyola recruit Miles Halter paced the Blue Devils (17-4) with six goals and three assists. Sully Kish, Fred Lasota and Jack Estabrook each scored twice for Mt. Lebanon, while Lasota and Kish added helpers. Both Joey Hetz and Luke Prezioso had a goal and two assists in the win, while Brady Lockwich made 11 saves.
Lyon added an assist for North Allegheny, while Logan Lyle stopped ten shots in net for the Tigers (14-7).
With his 5-point performance (3/2), sophomore Nick Sichak was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.
Both teams head to the PIAA Playoffs as the only two representatives from the WPIAL in boys 3A. That tournament gets underway on Tuesday, June 4.
BOYS LACROSSE SUMMARY VS. MT. LEBANON, 5-23-24
| SCORE BY QUARTERS | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Allegheny | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| Mt. Lebanon | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 15 |