On Thursday, May 2nd, The Haverford School and Malvern Prep clashed for potentially a final time this year in the most storied Philadelphia-area high school lacrosse rivalry. The tension in the air was palpable, and both teams knew what was at stake: an Inter-Ac league title.
Haverford and Malvern came out hot, with nine goals scored in the first quarter. Haverford ended with a 6-3 lead due to Sixth Form goalie Brody Murphy’s effective play. With save after save, the future Richmond Spider stole Malvern’s chances in the first half.
Sixth Former Jack Long, a Michigan Wolverines signee, opened the lightning-paced first quarter with a laser top-right shot.
“That got us going,” Sixth Form backup goalie Banks Young said. “The bench got up when we got the first goal. The first goal is the most important one in every game.”
During the first quarter, the Fords were in control, never once losing the lead. Sixth Form Duke lacrosse signee Connor Nolen’s impressive play further lifted the team’s spirit. After a powerful hit in the defensive half of the field, Nolen drew a penalty, then swiftly moved from one end of the field to the other, scoring a bounce shot that put Haverford ahead 3-1.
“We had to be very physical. The teams both have skill and they have more guys than we do, so we have to outwork them in the physical phase of the game.”
Andrew Lyon ’24
“We had to be very physical,” Sixth Form University of Massachusetts signee Andrew Lyon said. “The teams both have skill and they have more guys than we do, so we have to outwork them in the physical phase of the game.”
The game’s physical nature continued through the final three periods; the defensive middies for both teams were looking for hit after hit, resulting in a few costly penalties for the Fords.
The Friars never waned — later in the third quarter, Brown signee Ennis Udo added a pair of goals to close the gap on the Fords’ lead. While the Friars gained momentum on offense, Murphy stood as the Fords’ rock. His defensive ability allowed the Fords to stay in the game, even when the Friars’ shots were becoming too much to handle. The Fords, except Murphy, seemed to be knocked off their game, partially due to Lyon and Nolen colliding into each other and Sixth Form Brown signee Brady O’Kane sustaining a minor ankle injury that took him out for a few plays.
“We kind of got out of our groove for a little,” Lyon said. “Me and [Connor Nolen] colliding into each other threw off the pace of our game.”
The collision and the O’Kane injury took out three of Haverford’s core players.
“The guys knew what it meant if they were out for more than a play,” Young said. “That’s why they got back in so fast. We needed them.”
The Fords’ injuries prevented them from their usual “when it rains, it pours offense,” and for the entire fourth quarter, they were dead-set on nine goals.
“Malvern had the momentum,” said Lyon. “We were not getting it done on offense… Having Brody in net really saved us.”
Udo added another goal in the fourth quarter to tie the game at nine with two minutes left. With all the momentum on Malvern’s side and nervous energy around Sabol Field, Malvern gained possession with under ninety seconds left.
With the shot clock turned off, Malvern took its time to find a shot, and they did. Logan Turely, a Harvard commit and Junior midfielder, wound up a rocket shot that bounced off Murphy’s head into the Fords’ control. If not for Murphy’s “die trying” relentlessness, the Fords would have lost yet another Inter-Ac championship to the Friars.
With the ball in the Fords’ possession and under thirty seconds left, everyone at Sabol could feel what was about to happen.
Jack Long received a pass with too much room and a top right rip was all she wrote. Haverford fans and the bench exploded.
Haverford secured the Inter-Ac title against Malvern for the first time in too many years, and they have a chance to put an exclamation mark on a remarkable season in their remaining games.