It's been a killer (and rainy) first half of the 2011 WPIAL lacrosse season. We've witnessed nine overtime games and Upper St. Clair (0-2), Pine Richland (1-1) and Vincentian Academy (0-2) have each played in two a piece. According to Laxpower, eight teams are ranked in the top-50 in Pennsylvania (#14 Sewickley Academy, #16 Mt. Lebanon, #23 North Allegheny, #34 USC, #35 GCC, #47 PCC, #48 Peters Township, #49 Seneca Valley) with Baldwin holding firmly at No. 51 and 15 total Western PA teams in the top-100. Sewickley, the WPIAL's only undefeated team, is ranked 127th in the country and Mt. Lebo is 135th.
Now that we've arrived at the break, here's a few of the highs and lows of the season thus far:
Largest margin of victory/defeat
Peters Township - 21
Last Friday, Peters Township was crushed by the 29th best team in PA, Manheim Township (10-1), 23-2. This was the second time this season the Indians had surrendered 20 or more goals and in Peters' three losses this season the defense has allowed on average 19.3 goals against. However, in the Indians eight wins the defense has held its opponent to under seven goals.
Pittsburgh Central Catholic - 20
Not once, but twice have the Vikings beat an opponent by 20. At home on Monday against Knoch, 21-1, and a few weeks earlier against section rival Trinity, 20-0. In PCC's five wins, the offense has averaged 18 goals per game.
Most goals on the year
Mt. Lebanon - 153
The only three losses Mt. Lebo has suffered this season have been to the best teams from Ohio, Michigan and a top-20 team from Philly. Mainly because the Blue Devils consistently put up big numbers every night. Against teams from the WPIAL, its offense averages 17 goals per game. The Blue Devils have been held to under 10 goals only once this season.
124 - Pittsburgh Central Catholic
118 - Greensburg Central Catholic
112 - Chartiers Valley
111 - North Allegheny
105 - Sewickley Academy/Franklin Regional
Most shutouts
Pine Richland - 2
Unlike hockey, shutouts don't come very often in lacrosse. And to fight for two midway through the season is a very impressive defensive feat. The shutouts came back-to-back over a three-day span when the Rams blanked Trinity, 19-0, followed by Taylor Allderdice, 17-0. The PR defense has surrendered 10 or more goals twice this season and average only 5.5 goals allowed per game. Junior goalie Matt Whitford has a save percentage around 71%, according to Maxpreps.
Most goals in a game
Peters Township @ Mt. Lebanon - 31
An absolute slug fest took place in early April when the Indians traveled to Mt. Lebo and even an 11 goal night couldn't come close to providing a win. The Blue Devils took a 14-5 lead into the half and never looked back. Lebo put up five more in the third to take a 19-9 lead into the fourth. Indians goalie Ben Wilcox surrendered 19 in 42 minutes but also made 16 saves off 35 shots on goal.
Biggest upset
Indiana @ Butler - 4-3 OT
Last season's D-II champion falls at home to an Indiana program in only its second year of competitive existence. Granted, Butler did have a handful of seniors on its 2010 team but the Tornadoes were thinking reloading and not rebuilding. But Indiana is a feisty and young team, having started the season 2-0 and putting up 14 on the road at Latrobe.
Biggest surprise team
Greensburg Central Catholic
To those who truly know the local lacrosse scene, this shouldn't be the biggest shocker. The Centurions (5-0,8-2) finished 14-5 last season and were knocked out of the D-II playoffs by runner-up Hampton, 13-7. GCC was also D-II runner-up the year before, having been beaten by Hampton in the championship, 13-9. But this season the Centurions are 2-2 against D-I opposition and have already knocked off the top three teams in the section. To be ranked above so many experienced D-I programs and a state rank of 35th is truly a remarkable accomplishment.
Check back again this weekend for the weekly Laxburgh Top 10 and some early playoff scenarios!
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