State lacrosse play continues today

Tuesday's first round of the inaugural PIAA state lacrosse tournament was so successful that the teams decided to play the quarterfinals today and tonight.

OK, so the round would have been played regardless. But if games today and tonight are as exciting as Tuesday's, fans from every team, winners and losers, will likely have little to complain about.

And how about those Springfield (Delco) Cougars fans. They have teams in both the boys' and girls' tournaments and winning state championships in the same sport in the same year is as rare as it gets.

For the boys, four area teams have chances to play in next Saturday's championship game at HersheyPark Stadium. Conestoga, Downingtown East and Springfield (Delco) will represent District 1, and La Salle will be playing for District 12.

Since Conestoga and Springfield (Delco) play in one semifinal bracket and Downingtown East and La Salle play in the other, the noon title game could be a local affair.

Another plus is that today's schedule includes a boys' doubleheader at Harriton. Conestoga, the District 1 champ, takes on District 11 champ Emmaus at 1, and Downingtown East, the District 1 runner-up, plays La Salle, the District 12 champ, at 3.

For the girls, five of the eight remaining teams are local, and West Chester East will host a late doubleheader.

District 12 champ Archbishop Carroll will play District 1 runner-up Radnor at 6 p.m. at East, and District 1 champ Springfield (Delco) will meet District 1 fifth seed Unionville at 8.

Unionville advanced by trouncing District 11 champ Southern Lehigh, 15-4. Like the boys, the girls' championship game could feature two local teams. Winners for both tournaments move on to Tuesday's semifinals. The girls championship game is next Saturday at 2 p.m.