Haverford takes boys’ lacrosse showdown

Midfielder Matt Walters scored on a blast from the point with 47.3 seconds to play Saturday to lift host Haverford School to an 8-7 victory over rival and fellow state power Conestoga in a boys' lacrosse game at Sabol Field.

"This game is the biggest game all year, by far, for us at least," said Walters, a junior who has committed to Syracuse. He scored twice in the win.

Conestoga called a timeout with possession in the offensive zone and 10.1 seconds remaining, but Fords midfielders Grove Stewart and Billy Annesley (St. Joseph's) stifled the final charge of Pioneers captain Ryan Lord (Maryland).

Haverford (4-2) and Conestoga (2-1) combined have 23 juniors and seniors either signed or committed to play NCAA Division I lacrosse. Many of the athletes also play club ball together in the offseason.

Entering Saturday, the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (EPSLA) ranked the Pioneers No. 1 in the region, one slot ahead of Haverford.

Conestoga, which also came in ranked No. 5 in the nation on InsideLacrosse.com, won handily at home against the Fords last April, 10-4.

"It was pretty bad last year," Walters said. "So now we were [thinking], 'Let's get them back.' "

The junior might have rearranged the EPSLA poll with help from five other goal scorers, including senior attackman Stephen Aitken (two goals). The Penn State signee tied the score, 7-7, with 8 minutes, 17 seconds remaining off a turnover forced by junior midfielder Brendan McGrath (Princeton).

"They won some ground balls down the stretch," Conestoga coach Brian Samson said.

Haverford led, 6-4, with 10:15 remaining in the third period, but Conestoga senior midfielder Ryan Buttenbaum (Lehigh) won the ensuing faceoff and sprinted downfield to score just seven seconds later.

Then Pioneers senior attackman Matt Smith (Lehigh) scored two of his game-high four goals for a 7-6 lead, off assists from juniors Brian Dailey and Tanner Scott, both committed to Duke.

"We had trouble getting the ball out of our own end today, and that resulted in five of their seven goals probably," Fords coach John Nostrant said.

In the fourth period, though, Haverford junior goaltender Conor Kelly (Notre Dame) held Conestoga scoreless with four of his seven saves.

"He played great down the stretch for us," Nostrant said.

Senior Pete Zonino (Hobart) played goalie for Conestoga.

Haverford already has faced four of InsideLacrosse.com's top 20 national programs this season, and gone 2-2 in those games. The Fords beat Conestoga and No. 7 St. Paul's School (Md.), and lost to No. 11 McDonogh (Md.) and No. 18 Loyola-Blakefield by a combined three goals.

Conestoga   2 2 3 0 - 7

Haverford School   2 3 1 2 - 8

Goals: C-Matt Smith 4, Jeff Chu, Brian Dailey, Ryan Buttenbaum. HS-Matt Walters 2, Stephen Aitken 2, Carl Walrath, Hup Hupfeldt, Liam O'Connor, Grove Stewart.

Saves: C-Pete Zonino 10. HS-Conor Kelly 7.