Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 7/6/17
La Salle’s Bill Leahy was officially announced Wednesday as the Eastern Pennsylvania Lacrosse Coaches Association choice for the US Lacrosse Coach of the Year for 2017.
La Salle’s Bill Leahy accepts his Coach of the Year award at the recent PLA banquet
Leahy led the Explorers to a record of 21-2, the Catholic League championship, the top District 12 berth in the PIAA tournament and a spot in the PIAA quarterfinals. La Salle also had regular seasons wins over Inter-Ac League champion Haverford School, District 1 Class AAA champion and state finalist Conestoga as well as Malvern Prep.
In his 26 years at La Salle, Leahy has achieved an overall record of 430-88 (288-4 in the Catholic League) which includes the 2004, 2008, 2009, and 2013 Pennsylvania State Championships and 21 Pennsylvania Catholic League Championships.
In 2010, Coach Leahy was the first lacrosse coach to be inducted into the Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame. In 2013, he was inducted into the US Lacrosse Philadelphia chapter Hall of Fame.
He was a member of the coaching staff for the 2016 Under-19 USA gold medal World Team that competed in the World Games in Coquitlam, British Columbia. This coming fall, Coach Leahy will be inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.
Also recognized from surrounding regions were Jake Rashkind (Wilmington Friends) of Delaware; Damon Legato (Haddonfield Memorial) of South Jersey, Chris Petrone (West Windsor Plainsboro North) of Central Jersey and Dave Ondrusek (Palmyra High School) of Central PA.
2017 US Lacrosse Boys’ Coach of the Year honorees around the nation
Area Coach’s Name High School
Alabama Randy Nace Vestavia Hills High School
California – Greater Los Angeles Seth Cohen Loyola
California – Sacramento John Burke Oak Ridge High School
California – San Diego Kevin Cooper La Costa Canyon High School
Colorado Dan Mullins Lewis Palmer – 5A
Connecticut Rich Pulisciano Cheshire
Connecticut – FairChester Athletic Association Marc Saracino King School
Delaware Jake Rashkind Wilmington Friends
District of Columbia – Potomac (NVA, DC, MD) Rob Bordley Landon School
Florida – Central (Orlando) Garrick Robinson Lake Mary High School
Florida – Gulf Coast Peter deLisser Riverview High School
Florida – North Max Gurowski Nease High School
Florida – South Shane Rye The Benjamin School
Kentucky Pete Schroeder Louisville Trinity
Louisiana Steven Martino Airline High School
Maine K.C. Johnson Gardiner Area High School
Maryland – Anne Arundel Brendan Brace Southern High School
Maryland – Baltimore County Public John Cooper Parkville
Maryland – Carroll Brad Widner South Carroll High
Maryland – Eastern Shore Milton Rodriquez James M. Bennett High School
Maryland – Metro Independent (M.I.L.L.)(DC/VA) Dave Mitchell The Heights School
Maryland – MIAA Bryan Kelly Calvert Hall
Maryland – Montgomery Public James Potts Northwood
Maryland – Western (Frederick & Washington) Daniel Pierson Governor Thomas Johnson High School
Massachusetts – Central Eric Brockett Nipmuc Regional
Massachusetts – Western Mark Cavalon Westfield High School
Michigan Rick DeBlasio East Grand Rapids High School
Missouri – Kansas City Timothy Reidy Rockhurst Jesuit
New England – Eastern (NEPSAC) John Sheehan Pomfret School
New England – Independent School League Ned Herter Middlesex School
New England – Western Mike MacDonald Wilbraham and Monson Academy
New Jersey – Central Chris Petrone West Windsor Plainsboro North
New Jersey – North Tom Albano Ramapo High School
New Jersey – South Damon Legato Haddonfield Memorial
New York – Mid Hudson Nick LoRusso James I. O’Neill High School
New York – NYC PSAL Demetrios Haronitis Tottenville High School
New York – NYSAISAA Michael Riccardi Long Island Lutheran
New York – Section 1 Hunter Burnard Westlake
New York – Section 2 Shawn Hennessey Shaker
New York – Suffolk County Keith Scheidel Islip High School
North Carolina – Private Jeff Miles Christ School
Ohio – Central Tom Foley Bishop Watterson
Pennsylvania – Central Dave Ondrusek Palmyra High School
Pennsylvania – Eastern William Leahy La Salle College High School
South Carolina Matthew Lindner Clover High School
South Dakota Zach Hockert Black Hills Shock
Tennessee Mark Cahak Ensworth
Utah Matthew Duke-Rosati Olympus High School
Virginia – 6A North Dan Puhlick Patriot High School
Virginia – Central Public Paul Amos Thomas Dale High School
Virginia – Loudoun County Nick Worek Riverside
Virginia – Private Tom Duquette Norfolk Academy
Virginia – Tidewater Thomas Rice Lafayette High School
Washington State Sam Hutson Skyline High School
West Virginia Brian Houk University High School
Wisconsin Bennett West Sauk Prairie