The most logical way to cap a program’s first district championship is to keep winning and get the first win in a PIAA tournament game. Tuesday night at Tiger Stadium, Northwestern did just that and became just the fourth boys lacrosse team from District 11 to win a game in states when it downed Devon Prep 12-10.

A pair of football teammates, playing one final game on their home turf, came up big for Northwestern Lehigh as Cade Christopher and Blaine Snyder had memorable sendoffs in the Tigers’ win.

“This is one of my favorites, right up there,” said Christopher of his favorite moments at Tiger Stadium in his four years at Northwestern. “This is something I’m going to remember forever. I’m going to be able to tell it to my grandchildren. This was really fun.”

Christopher scored three goals and assisted on another in the win. All three of his goals gave the Tigers (15-6) the lead in the game as did the assist to football and lacrosse teammate Blaine Snyder.

Christopher’s assist came on what was the most impressive goal of the night. Goalie Bailen Smargiassi gave a long outlet pass to Jared Meck, who found Christopher deep in Tide territory. From there, Christopher worked the ball inside to Snyder, who nailed the goal to put Northwestern up 5-4.

That goal broke the third of what would be seven ties in the game, the last five of which were broken by Northwestern.

Austin Sosnovik opened the scoring with a shot under goalie Cole Brassington’s arm only to see Prep tie the game shortly after the opening goal. Devon Prep then opened a 3-1 lead, but Northwestern got a goal off a steal by Snyder that he sent forward to Stone Sosnovik, who made it 3-2. Forty-six seconds later, Austin Sosnovik notched his second goal of the game on a long-range shot to tie the game at three after one quarter.

Devon Prep went up 4-3 early in the second quarter for what would be its last lead of the game and again, Northwestern snapped right back on a goal from Devon Hildebrand to make it 4-4. After Northwestern used its long transition game to go up 5-4, the Tide again knotted the game with a goal just :07 before halftime.

“We knew coming in that they were tough and that we were going to be facing better and better teams,” said Tiger head coach Marcus Janda. “We also know that we can play tough teams and be competitive against anybody, so we just tried to stick together and play hard, and these guys did it.”

Coming into the district championship game, Northwestern Lehigh switched up some of its offensive schemes and it has given Hildebrand more opportunities for goals.

The junior has not missed that chance with a goal against Central Catholic for the district gold and two against Devon Prep.

“I think I found my place back at the X,” said Hildebrand of the change. “It has helped me get open and helped other teammates get open and it’s working well. We were seeing the same opponent for a second or third time and knew they were going to be watching film and targeting players and schemes, so we switched it up to give another look.”

To start the second half, Northwestern broke the tie when Christopher took a feed from Ty Meck, ran the field and put a shot past Brassington. The game was again tied three minutes later and this time, Christopher beat three defenders to put the Tigers up 7-6.

Austin Sosnovik gave Northwestern its first two-goal lead of the night when he made a quick move around a defender to give himself a hat trick on the night and give the Tigers an 8-6 edge. Just as it did before, Devon Prep battled back and tied the game at 8-8 after three quarters.

“We were a little nervous coming into that third quarter because we were tied again, but we had been there before and we knew that we had this,” said Ty Meck. “We knew we had that little bit of dog in us, and we came out with the victory,

Shortly after the final quarter began, Janda called a timeout and just 12 seconds later Austin Sosnovik put the Tigers up 9-8 with his fifth goal of the night.

Hildebrand followed with a leaping shot over a defender and into the back of the net to make it 10-8, but there was still 9:48 left in regulation.

Over a span of six minutes, the Tide would again tie the game at 10-10. Northwestern went ahead one when Christopher scooped up a loose ball and scored his third goal of the game. The Tigers got some insurance against another Devon Prep comeback when Auston Sosnovik scored his sixth when he launched a bounce shot from long range to make it 12-10.

Brothers Ty and Jared Meck have had the opportunity to play with each other and be a part of the program’s first district championship and first win in states.

“I love my brother. He’s been killing it this year,” said Ty Meck, a senior. “He’s a guy that stepped up at the beginning of the season and he has turned heads. He’s making plays that we needed this year and it’s special.”

While Devon Prep became just the sixth team to score in double digits against Northwestern Lehigh in 21 games this season, the defense was still a high mark of the game, just as hit has been all season.

“They always put on a show on defense. It’s great watching them,” said Christopher. “Bailen ‘Big Save’ Smargiassi, we like to call him, makes a lot of good plays and the whole defense does an excellent job every time out. It’s always a team effort to win, especially in games like this.”

Northwestern will play WC Rustin, who beat Scranton Prep 17-2 on Tuesday night. The quarterfinal game will be played Saturday with the site and time still to be announced.