La Salle's Rambo wants first lacrosse title

Lacrosse goals aren't hard to come by for Matt Rambo. They come often and in bunches for the junior attackman.

As a freshman at Abington High, Rambo led the Philadelphia area with 78 goals. He transferred to La Salle as a sophomore and collected 58 more. This year, through two rounds of PIAA tournament play, Rambo has 53. That number is sure to increase when the Explorers (19-4) vie for a spot in the state title game in a semifinal showdown with Mount Lebanon on Tuesday.

To review: 189 goals and counting through a still-in-progress three years of varsity. (It's also worth noting that in a Catholic League short on competition, Rambo often played short minutes when the Explorers were busy overwhelming opponents.)

Such scoring prowess had top college programs offering scholarships by the time he was a sophomore. Rambo made an oral commitment to Maryland last September.

As readily as the personal acclaim has come, however, until recently Rambo had yet to experience a deep run in the PIAA playoffs. Widely rated as the top junior in the nation, Rambo finally is playing for something bigger, a goal he can't score alone.

"I want to win it this year; I want to win it next year. I want to win it twice," Rambo said. "I want to be a two-time state champion. Forget about all the other [stuff] I've won. I want to win a state championship. That means a lot more to me. Win it as a team."

Two seasons ago, Rambo helped Abington win its fourth consecutive Suburban One League National title before the Ghosts ultimately fell to - who else? - La Salle in the opening round of the state tournament.

Last year, with Rambo on board, La Salle failed to qualify for the PIAA tourney. When the Explorers dismantled Great Valley with a 16-4 victory in their opening-round game last Wednesday, it was Rambo's first career PIAA tournament victory. Three days later, La Salle dispatched a big, physical Downingtown West team, 12-5, to reach the state semifinals.

Of La Salle's 28 postseason goals, Rambo has been a part of 13 - with seven goals and six assists.

His success stems from a unique skill set. La Salle coach Bill Leahy, who has won three state titles at the school, most recently in 2009, says the lefthanded Rambo's vision, shot velocity, "soft hands," accuracy, and natural shooting ability are things "you don't see every day."

What has made Rambo so impressive this postseason, however, has been his passing.

"I think what helps a team get there is a player's ability to share the ball and distribute the ball with good vision, and Matt's done a much better job of that this year than last year," Leahy said.

Rambo recently was named a U.S. Lacrosse all-American for the second year in a row. It was another feather in his cap. He's just glad that it's June and he's still playing.

"Individual stuff, that's whatever to me. I want to win it as a team," Rambo said. "You can win all the individual stuff you want, but I just think the team stuff is way more important."

Games of the week. Six area boys' and girls' lacrosse teams enter the PIAA semifinals Tuesday evening. On the boys' side, top-ranked Conestoga (21-3) takes on Central League foe Radnor (18-7). Conestoga holds a 2-0 series lead this season. On the other side of the boys' bracket, Catholic League and District 12 champion La Salle (19-4) takes on Mount Lebanon (16-6) of District 7.

In girls' action, defending state champion Garnet Valley (22-3) takes on District 1 champ Radnor (21-4) in the teams' third meeting of the year. Radnor took a one-goal decision against Garnet Valley in the district semifinals on May 22. Elsewhere, Strath Haven (16-9) will go for a spot in the state championship game when it meets District 3's Penn Manor (16-8).

Times and locations were not available Sunday night.