When Rich Lefever's team has possession in a quarter's waning seconds, the Manheim Township boys' lacrosse coach sends a stern signal.

"Mayday!" the coach screams to his troops.

Dan Wertz must have been listening.

The Blue Streaks' senior netted goals in the closing ticks of the second and third quarters Saturday to help his team sink rival Mount Lebanon, 6-5, in a PIAA quarterfinal.

Both goals proved to be back-breakers for the District 7 champion Blue Devils. One broke a 3-3 tie, while the other gave the Streaks a two-goal cushion heading into the final quarter.

Wertz, an Ohio State University recruit, scored four goals as Township took another step toward that elusive state title.

The Streaks have reached the state semis for the fourth straight year and will face a another familiar foe on Tuesday — District 12 champs, La Salle.

La Salle beat Township in last year's state final and is ranked in the Top 10 nationally.

Saturday's opponent was no stranger to the Streaks. The teams have played in each of the last four seasons. Their latest meeting, Saturday's quarterfinal at Memorial Field in State College, was a dogfight.

Township (20-5) jumped out 3-1 before Mount Lebanon's Chris White scored consecutive goals.

The Streaks appeared to be in a malaise for much of the second quarter before Wertz turned the tide by breaking the tie. He ran from the left wing and snapped a hard shot that zipped past Devils goalie Will Round with .4 seconds left on the clock.

"Coach yells mayday when there's 10 seconds left," Wertz said afterward. "That means you gotta go to the cage."

Lefever said it brought the momentum back to his team's side.

"I think it was huge. For whatever reason we weren't playing our best game," the coach said.

"[Wertz is] obviously a Division One talent, and you need your [best] players to come through in key situations."

The teams traded goals to start the second half before Wertz tallied another late-quarter heartbreaker against Round and the Devils. His fourth goal made it 6-4 with four seconds left in the third.

Mount Lebanon got an early score in the fourth from Dan Roman before Township slowed down the pace and played keep away.

Wertz missed an empty-net chance with 40 seconds left, but the Devils' final push was thwarted with Township's Mike Rivera scooped up an errant pass near the crease.

Quint Miller scored the Streaks' other goals with Wertz's brother, Rob, assisting on both.

Roman also had a pair of goals for Mount Lebanon, and Gavin McDonough also found the net for a goal.

La Salle (18-4), the state's top team, according to MaxPreps, beat Downingtown East Saturday to set the table for a rematch of last year's Keystone Cup final.

Wertz tried to keep a business-as-usual approach to the pending showdown, but couldn't help but realize the significance of the game, which could be his last as a high school player.

"We use the same approach to every game," he said, "but deep down we know it's a big game."

His coach said what happened last year won't factor into Tuesday's matchup; in fact, it hasn't even been discussed, Lefever said.

"What you did in the past does you no good in the present," he said.

That may be an easier mantra to digest if Wertz and the rest of the Streaks can muster two more victories.

E-mail: bhambright@lnpnews.com