Sewickey Academy boys lacrosse takes next step in playoff season

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, May 18, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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Thanks to a 10-2 record and third-place finish in Section 2, the Sewickley Academy boys lacrosse team received the No. 5 seed for the WPIAL Class 2A playoffs.

The Panthers posted an 8-2 record in section play to end up behind only Mars (10-0) and Hampton (9-1).

“We are extremely grateful to have earned a five seed,” Sewickley coach Sam Futrovsky said. “The quality of 2A lacrosse all around the WPIAL is on the rise. To be seeded that highly amongst so many strong programs is something we do not take for granted. We won one game last year, but we were so close, battling right there to the final minute of several games that we ultimately came up short.

“This year, we have been able to take that next step forward and compete all the way through the final whistle and have learned how to execute at the level necessary to walk away with the win. However, we do not talk about our record and the wins and losses. Our focus and our message are on being consistent and improving every day.”

The Panthers’ season ended with a 7-4 loss to Chartiers Valley in the first round of the WPIAL Class 2A playoffs May 13.

Sewickley started out in a cloud of dust this season with five consecutive wins followed by a loss to Hampton.

The Panthers advanced to the playoffs with a team comprised of three freshmen, 12 sophomores, four juniors and no seniors.

“While our team is young and we still have much to learn, the players in this program are all committed and dedicated to doing the work to get better,” Futrovsky said. “I am in my third year as head coach and what my staff and I aim to do above all is build a strong and dynamic culture that enables young men to be the best versions of themselves beyond the lacrosse field.

“Last year we read the book ‘Legacy’ as a team, and this year we are reading ‘Make Your Bed’ by Admiral William H. McCraven. The book is about little things you can do and lessons in leadership that can change your life and make you a better person.”

The Panthers’ four juniors are midfielders Niko Frazzini and Luca Peluso, LSM/D Blake Wilmot and defender Jack Carlson.

The sophomore class is represented by attacker Jake Bloom, MF/ATT Mason Baker and Jack Bruno, midfielders Jake Donesec, Ben Bruno and Greg Chiusano, MF/FOS Eli Stephan, defensemen Matt Bruno, Max Soderstrom, Giovanni DeBellis and Paci Bonham and goalkeeper Briggs Jamison.

Top freshmen in the program include attacker Eli Gargani (ATT), Ahmed Wahdan (MF) and Foster Zhao (MF).

“We believe it is of the utmost importance to help our players understand the direct relationship between being a person of high character and successful performance on the field and in the classroom,” Futrovsky said. “We work to teach our players how to take our program values of respect, effort, passion and selflessness and take those words off of the page and put them into action on a daily basis.”

Sewickley outscored the opposition 135-69 during the regular season and held opponents to under 10 goals in all 10 of its victories, including an 11-0 shutout against Winchester Thurston. The Panthers averaged 11.3 goals per game.

“Over half the goals we scored have come from assists, demonstrating the trust our players have in each other,” Futrovsky said. “Whether it is notes taken during a film session, a set in the weight room at the squat rack or a passing drill in practice, every little thing matters.

“The effort and respect we show each other enables us to make those selfless plays, like giving up a good shot for a great shot or diving on the end line or communicating on the field even when exhausted. At the end of the game and we look at the stat sheet, it is amazing to see how many different players were able to contribute in meaningful ways.”

Gargani (42 points), Donesec (39) and Jack Bruno (36) have combined for 117 points in the regular season.

“Offensively, it has been great to see so many different players in the mix and producing numbers,” Futrovsky said. ”Luca Peluso is a do-it-all midfielder who leads by example and makes tough plays all over the field and has been a spark in transition.

“We have been strong in the middle of the field this season. At the Faceoff X, Eli Stephan has been winning the draw at 74%. In the goal, Briggs Jamison has made 87 saves and is leading a defense that has a 5.8 goals-against average. The defense is supported by Matthew Bruno and Max Soderstrom who have anchored that unit.”

Tags: Sewickley Academy