Mason Montrella, Colin French lead Radnor past Wissahickon

RADNOR — Two-time defending state boys lacrosse champion Radnor inched closer to the trifecta with a 16-1 win over Wissahickon in the PIAA Class 3A quarterfinals Saturday at Encke Field.

It was a dominant day for the Raptors (21-3), who advanced to the semifinals Tuesday against La Salle, which rolled to a 10-1 win over Parkland Saturday.

Seniors Mason Montrella and Colin French scored three goals apiece for the Raptors, who led 8-0 after one quarter and 13-1 at the intermission.

“It was a great step forward in the right direction for us,” said Montrella, who also collected an assist. “With that in mind we’ll just keep working hard every day.”

The Raptors neutralized Trojans All-American attack Kyle Lehman, who in his high school finale had one assist, a pass setting up Kyle Doll for the visitors’ only goal with 1:14 left in the first half. Make no mistake, averting the shutout was a takeaway for the Trojans, who two years ago pushed John Begier’s Raptors to the limits in a District 1 playoff game.

“We know what their program is about, and we were ready to play,” Begier said. “A lot of respect for Wissahickon, the coaches, and certainly (Lehman) is one of the best players in the country.”

The Raptors welcomed defenseman Michael Savadove back to the lineup by putting him on Lehman. The long, athletic long-stick who subtly reminds Begier of himself back in the day passed the first test.

“Michael came back Monday and was a little rusty,” Begier said. “He didn’t play Tuesday but practiced Wednesday and looked good yesterday. I think he feels good, and he did a good job playing (Lehman). It’s awesome to have him back.”

The Raptors played fast and physically as French and senior defense Drew Knight, among others, kept their feet in heavy traffic. Dazzling as some of the goals were Saturday, the players who survived the pileups were every bit as eye-popping.

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