Jun 4, 2013 3 min read

Given what the Peters Township girls lacrosse team accomplished this season – most recently becoming the first-ever WPIAL team to reach the state semifinals – senior Caitlin Carey wasn’t too upset after Tuesday’s 19-9 loss to Radnor in the PIAA Division I semifinals.

“We worked really hard to get here,” Carey said from the bus as the Indians left Chambersburg High School. “We’re really proud with the game that we put in today.”

Peters Township got the semifinals after topping State College, 16-4, on Saturday.

That and a first-round victory followed the Indians (19-2) winning their second consecutive WPIAL title and fifth overall.

Allison Hurley led the scoring effort against Radnor with four goals. Gina Vilsack scored twice, while Sarah Bootman had two goals and two assists. Carey had a goal and an assist.

Mel Morgret made 10 saves in goal.

Peters Township trailed, 9-0, at halftime but crept to within three at 12-9 in the second half before Radnor pulled away for good.

“None of us were mad at each other after the game,” Bootman said. “We all played great. We had no goals the first half, then we came back and scored six in a row the second half. We weren’t going to give up. We love playing with each other, so we fought back really hard.”

Though it was a 10-goal loss, what Peters Township accomplished this season wasn’t lost on Bootman.

“It’s an amazing feeling, and it feels that way because we’ve worked so hard,” Bootman said. “Everybody had such specific goals all season. We reached all of them – way beyond expectations.”

McKenzie invited to prestigious camp: Washington High School running back Shai McKenzie was invited Tuesday to “The Opening,” a nationwide football camp comprised of what some consider to be the top 150 players in the country.

The camp will take place at Nike Headquarters in Beaverton, Ore. from June 30-July 3.

Because of the nature of the elite-level event attending, all of McKenzie’s travel, hotel and food expenses will be paid for.

“I’m excited for him,” Wash High football coach Mike Bosnic said. “It’s a big event. Pretty impressive.”

McKenzie was selected after attending a camp at Ohio State this past weekend, where he went through pass blocking, one-on-one and bag drills, among other things.

“It’s a big event,” McKenzie said. “Not too many people get to go to the one in Oregon, so I think it’s huge.

“I feel like I showed a lot (at Ohio State). It was enough to get me to “The Opening,” the next step up.”

McKenzie will continue his nationwide tour this weekend by taking unofficial visits to Georgia, Georgia Tech and Florida State, part of a separate trip to see his mother, Misty Nolder, who lives in Marietta, Ga.

McKenzie has offers – among his 30 — from Georgia Tech and Florida State. Soon after the visits he plans to trim his list to a top seven.