Shady Side Academy wanted to make sure it was prepared to make a long postseason run when the WPIAL Class 3A boys lacrosse playoffs rolled around.
That’s why the Bulldogs loaded up their non-conference slate with some challenging opponents, including Kiski Prep, District 3 powerhouse Trinity, Western Reserve Academy (Ohio) and the University School of Cleveland.
Of those matches, the only one that Shady Side Academy won was against the University School. But gaining that valuable experience against quality opponents will only help the Bulldogs as they prepare to make a run toward their first WPIAL title since 2014.
“I think we always take and approach, whether it’s this season or seasons past, that we’re looking for continuous improvement,” Shady Side Academy coach Cam Thompson said. “To drop a game early in the season to a very good Kiski team, or to go up to Reserve a couple weeks ago, I think it just sets us, from a preparation standpoint, to know that when you can play against that kind of talent and know that when you come back to Pittsburgh, that we’ve had that experience”
Shady Side Academy, which is the top seed in the tournament, has not lost a match to a WPIAL team this season. The Bulldogs have scored in double-figures in all of their WPIAL games and popped in 52 goals in their final three against Central Catholic, North Allegheny and Butler.
“We’ve had great leadership from our captains — Jack Todd, who is playing at Washington and Lee and has done everything on the field for us, and Thompson Lau, who was also a captain of the cross country and basketball teams,” Thompson said. “Thompson is an excellent athlete, but more importantly, the guys look up to him. He’s soft-spoken, but definitely sends a message when he steps onto the field.”
It may see like cross country, basketball and lacrosse are an odd combination, but it has worked for Lau, who helped the Bulldogs basketball team to a 14-3 record and was the 19th-place finisher in the WPIAL Class 1A cross country meet.
“Lacrosse is probably his sport and he’s probably going to play in college, but cross country, he just found out he was a good runner and, in the cross country season, you could see that,” Thompson said. “From a hoops perspective, we’ve got a couple of guys who play basketball and lacrosse and the skills transfer very well.”
Shady Side Academy will need that kind of success and prowess if it is to knock off Seneca Valley at 8 p.m. Thursday. The Bulldogs defeated the Raiders, 17-5, on April 14 during the regular season.
All four of the top seeds got first-round byes, but will all be in action on Thursday. Mt. Lebanon, which is the only WPIAL team to take Shady Side Academy to overtime this season, is the No. 2 seed and will host No. Peters Township at 8 p.m., No. 3 North Allegheny will take on Bethel Park at Mt. Lebanon at 5:30 p.m., while No. 4 Upper St. Clair will play Pine-Richland at Shady Side Academy at 5:30 p.m.
Class 2A girls
Indiana has never won a WPIAL Class 2A girls lacrosse title.
In fact, the Little Indians didn’t even qualify for the playoffs in 2019.
This year, though, has been a breakout season for Indiana, which had a 10-game winning streak snapped just prior to the postseason by No. 2-seeded Hampton.
“One of the amazing things is that Indiana is a club sport and, though we’re school affiliated, we’re not school supported and that makes it even more amazing because it costs like $300 a kid to play,” Indiana coach Mike Weaver said. “That’s epical in itself and I have 11 seniors, seven on which I started coaching in the fifth grade and both of my daughters play.”
Indiana may only be a club team, but has become a formidable opponent in a brief amount of time. The Little Indians knocked off 2019 reigning champion Oakland Catholic early in the campaign, as well as playoff teams Franklin Regional and Aquinas Academy.
Weaver is a linebackers coach for the Indiana football team and brings that linebacker mentality to the lacrosse team.
“It actually crosses over pretty well,” Weaver said. “A lot of the skill-set as far as positioning yourself and your stance and moving and things like that are similar.”
Indiana plays pretty good defense, but its offense has been outstanding. The Little Indians have scored 203 goals in 14 games (14.5 per game) thanks in large part to attackers Gracie Agnello and Kendi Kunkle.
Indiana will get a quarterfinal test at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Blackhawk against Franklin Regional, which upset No. 5 Seton LaSalle, 9-8, in the first round on Tuesday. The Little Indians defeated the Panthers, 18-6, on April 28.
Blackhawk, the top seed, will also see its first postseason action when it plays host to Chartiers Valley at 7:45 p.m. while Hampton welcomes Quaker Valley at 7:45 p.m. and No. 3 Mars will take on Aquinas at 6 p.m. at Hampton.
First Published: May 20, 2021, 10:00 a.m.
