Young Haverford wins Invitational

Grant Ament needed a little shove.

His name had been announced over the public-address system as the most valuable player of a most memorable Inter-Ac Invitational final at Cabrini College, and a moment passed before he emerged from a tangled mess of jubilant Haverford School lacrosse players to claim his reward.

Give him some time to get used to this MVP business - he's only a sophomore.

Spurred by a youth movement that grew up in a hurry, Haverford School stunned nationally ranked Malvern Prep, 13-11, Wednesday night to capture the tournament that serves as a de facto state championship for the area's prep powerhouses.

Ament scored three goals, including an empty-netter to seal the game with 24 seconds remaining, and had two assists. Freshman goalie Alex DeMarco, making just his fourth career start, made 12 saves.

"We've been told that we're inexperienced, that we're too young, that we didn't have a lot of senior leadership, but we disproved that today," DeMarco said.

The seniors did their fair share, too.

Timmy Brooks scored three goals, including a man-advantage tally that made it 12-11 with less than four minutes to play. Fellow senior Reilly Hupfeldt added three goals.

The game was tied 10 times. No one led by more than two goals at any point.

"We had nothing to lose. All of our young guys, we're the future," Ament said. "The seniors, they led us to where we are, and I give 100 percent credit to them."

After starting 0-3, Haverford School (15-7) finished by winning four in a row and six of its last seven.

The Fords have been in the title games of the Inter-Ac Invitational all five times it has been played and have won four championships.

This year seemed different, with Malvern Prep (18-2) standing in the way. The Friars were ranked fourth nationally by one poll and had beaten Haverford twice previously.

But winning was no more preposterous than getting there with a freshman goalie.

"If you told me he was going to start at the beginning of the year, I'd have told you you were nuts," Brooks said.

Haverford School 2 4 2 5 – 13

Malvern Prep 3 1 5 2 – 11

Goals: HS-Timmy Brooks 3, Jeff Odiorne 2, Drew Supinski, Reilly Hupfeldt 3, Grant Ament 3, Gavin McBride; MP: Joe Dunn, Eddie McLaughlin 3, Conor Glancy 2, Kevin McGeary, Drew Schantz, Chris Hilburn, Tommy O'Connor 2.

Saves: HS-Alex DeMarco 12; MP-Matt Barrett 17.