Crestwood’s Isabella Caporuscio works the ball close to the goal with Abington Heights Casey Healey defending during the first half of District 2 girls lacrosse championship game.
WRIGHT TWP. — Just about 15 minutes into the District 2 Class 2A girls lacrosse championship game May 22, it appeared as though Abington Heights had the answers on defense for Crestwood’s high-octane attack.
But there was no answer for Isabella Caporuscio.
The senior standout scored all seven of her goals in the first half, and five in an 11-minute stretch, to lead Crestwood to its third straight Class 2A title with a 12-8 win over Abington Heights.
“That was a talented team, great defense, but you’ve got to do what you can to put the ball in the net,” Caporuscio said after her team celebrated with their district medals. “I couldn’t ask for a better team by my side.”
After two quick goals early, the bulk of Caporuscio’s damage was done during a stretch late in the first half that saw Crestwood seize control of the game after a very tight start.
With the attacking duo of Caly Yankow and Emily Bartell leading the way, Abington Heights traded goals with Crestwood again and again, leading the defending champs, 5-4, with 10 minutes before halftime.
The Abington Heights defense was collapsing on Crestwood’s attackers at every turn, forcing missed shots and groundballs, holding Crestwood in check.
“We told the girls to just relax,” said Crestwood head coach Russell Kile. “In a big game like this, everyone’s tense.”
Caporuscio scored at the 7:47 mark to tie the game, 5-5. Then she scored again two minutes later to take the lead, and a minute after that to give her team some breathing room.
She would add one more goal before halftime, and Lucy Malia found the back of the net as well to turn a 5-4 deficit into a 9-5 halftime lead for Crestwood, putting Abington Heights into a hole that it just couldn’t climb out of.
Abington Heights managed to cut the deficit to three goals early in the second half, but that was as close as it could get. The damage had been done, and Crestwood was able to bleed out much of the second-half clock to get to the final whistle, and hoist another District 2 championship plaque.
Bartell finished with four goals and Yankow had three for Abington Heights, whose season comes t2o an end with a final record of 15-2, with both losses coming at the hands of Crestwood.
Kile paid a great deal of respect to his opposition on the sidelines, Abington Heights head coach Becky Davis, after the game. Davis has enjoyed success coaching at both the high school and collegiate levels, and returned to Abington Heights after coaching at Keystone University.
“It’s great to have Becky [Davis] back in the league,” Kile said. “She brings the level of lacrosse up in this area, and she’s helping put everyone on the map.”
After finishing second to Crestwood in the regular season, Abington Heights made the final by beating Lake-Lehman, 8-2, in the May 15 quarterfinals and Wyoming Seminary, 10-9, in the semifinals three days later.
Abington Heights 10, Wyoming Seminary 9
Freshman Bella DeRiggi scored the game-winning goal to send Abington Heights to its first championship game appearance.
Yankow had three goals and two assists while Bartell had three goals and an assist.
Allie Rothenberger, who had two assists, and DeRiggi, who had one, each scored twice.
Ava Davis made eight saves.
Abington Heights 8, Lake-Lehman 2
Yankow scored four goals to lead Abington Heights to the victory in the first home playoff game in program history.
The Comets allowed just one goal in each half.
Abington Heights scored six straight goals before Lake-Lehman connected with nine minutes left.
Wyoming Seminary 10, Scranton Prep 8
Wyoming Seminary reached the semifinal when it knocked off third-seeded Scranton Prep in the quarterfinals.
The Classics had gone 13-3 in the regular season.
Sadie Gilbert and Maddie Olshemski from Wyoming Seminary and Claire McGrath from Scranton Prep all scored three goals in the game.
