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By Neil Geoghegan
ngeoghegan@21st-centurymedia.com
@NeilMGeoghegan on Twitter
LONDON GROVE >> Sustaining the kind of massive losses to graduation Downingtown East did from 2023 to 2024 would challenge any high school boys’ lacrosse squad. But it also presented an opportunity for the underclassmen now expected to take on a bigger role in their place.
Like attacker Keegan Kroop. The sophomore scored three times, added an assist, and was a big part of two Cougar scoring spurts that wound up securing a 10-5 road win at Avon Grove on a wet and cold Tuesday evening.
“We have plenty of youth on this team, and Keegan is an example of waiting his turn and now it’s starting to pay off,” said his head coach Joe Horvath.
“It’s always a struggle when you lose a bunch of great players like the 2023 class that graduated last year,” Kroop added. “But every day we are back at it, grinding at practice trying to make sure we are getting better.
“We have a bunch of guys who were freshmen last season, and we are trying to make a name for ourselves out there as sophomores.”
The win moves East to 2-0 in the Ches-Mont and 5-0 overall. The reigning league champions entered the day sitting atop the District 1 3A Power Rankings, but many more challenges await.
“We don’t have too many superstars but when we are committed to the game plan, we have great balance,” Horvath pointed out. “It was reflected in the game tonight.”
A half-dozen Cougars wound up scoring, and the East offense finished with a 20-12 edge in shots on goal. East was down in the first half and made a run. And when the Red Devils tied it early in the third quarter, the Cougars responded forcefully.
“We seem to have a positive habit of not getting down even if the chips are down,” Horvath said. “We are able to gather and find strength in one another.”
After impressive early season wins over Conestoga and Spring-Ford, Avon Grove (0-2, 2-5) has now dropped five straight. The Devils (0-2, 2-5) are averaging 12 goals per win, but about half that (6.6) in the losses.
“We just have to execute – plain and simple,” said Avon Grove’s first-year head coach Bert Amanto. “Our looks were there on offense.”
The Devils’ Brayden Cunningham notched his second goal of the evening early in the second half to knot the score at 4-4. But Downingtown East proceeded to score the next six goals to take control. And Kroop was a big part of it.
“Most of Keegan’s goals are based on a solid individual effort, especially on the ride,” Horvath said. “He was able to case some turnovers and get some good looks. That’s what we need from him, and he knows it.”
Moments after teammate Taner Marusa gave the Cougars the lead for good, Kroop swiped a ball away from the opposition and scored in transition. And then early in the final period, he notched an unassisted goal while transitioning from behind the cage and into scoring position to make it 7-4 with 10:13 to go.
Afterwards, Kroop said that he is trying to pattern his game after Chris and Pat Kavanaugh, who starred on Notre Dame’s National Championship team in 2023.
“I try and be like the Cavanaugh brothers,” he said. “They are some of the grittiest players on the ride and I want to be like that: getting the ball back, saving our defense, and keep pushing in transition on offense.”
Goals by senior Jake McMahon and juniors Ben Petrillo and Brayden Phillips followed to make it 10-4 with 4:09 to go.
“We made some halftime adjustments, got some attitudes right, played some solid defense and turn it on offensively,” Horvath said.
“We talked about making sure to keep our heads up when (Avon Grove) was dodging and make sure to hit where the slide came,” Kroop added. “And if it’s not there, move it and re-dodge it again.”
The difference in the evenly-played first half came when the Cougars, trailing 3-1, erupted for three goals in a 2:12 stretch midway through the second quarter to take a 4-3 lead into halftime. The goals came from Kropp, Marusa and senior Luke Fiorillo.
The Devils were unable to rally around faceoff specialist Austin Fausnaught and goaltender Sean Boggetta. A junior, Fausnaught went 11 of 18 from the ‘X,’ and Boggetta – a sophomore – finished with 10 saves.
“Sean (Boggetta) has been playing very well all season,” Amanto said.
“Against a good team like Downingtown East you can’t let them get back into it once you’re up. We had some turnovers that led to fast breaks. You can’t make those kinds of errors against a good team.”
In addition to Cunningham, Avon Grove got single goals from Josh Cox, Bryce Cox and Anthony Borcky. A senior attacker, Josh Cox exited the game in the late stages and afterwards his right ankle was wrapped.
Amanto said that Cox’s injury still needed to be examined.
“It is a lot easier and a lot less stressful learning from wins,” Amanto added. “But we’ll get back to practice (Wednesday), we’ll learn from this and get ready for Kennett on Thursday.”
It wasn’t all positive for the Cougars either.
“We had a slow start, but that’s a bad habit we have, especially when the weather is bad,” Horvath said. “That’s something we have to kick.
“And I still think we are pushing it a little too much (offensively) – we need to be a little-more possession based. But overall I’m proud of the effort tonight.”
Downingtown East 10, Avon Grove 5
Downingtown East 1 3 2 4 —
Avon Grove 2 1 1 1 — 5
Downingtown East goals: Kroop 3, McMahon, Phillips, Marusa 2, Fiorillo, Javadpour.
Avon Grove goals: Borcky, Cunningham 2, B. Cox, J. Cox.
Goalie saves: Quinn (DE) 7. Boggetta (AG) 10.
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