The Crosse-roads of Success
May 9, 2022
Boys’ Lacrosse
Seniority is a huge factor for boys’ lacrosse in their quest for State Championship. Of the 36 athletes on varsity, 25 are upperclassmen. This provides an increased chance of a deep playoff run this year, considering many have been varsity athletes for multiple years, such as senior Kevin Maloney, senior Thomas Power, and another of the captains, senior Sawyer Brewer.
With the veterans prepared, it’s looking like the seniors are ready for one last push for State. The team has gone berserk, going 12-1 and undefeated in league play. They remain first in the 5A division and regionals are around the corner.
“We’re a championship contender for sure. We definitely turned it on in the first half,” Brewer said. “If we can play like the first half, we’re chilling.”
With fewer freshmen than usual and more upperclassmen, the team has found it important to make the sometimes intimidated underclassmen feel welcome and comfortable in their new environments as they prepare them for the challenges they’ll face on the field.
“We’re super tight knit and we preach that we’re a family,” Brewer said. “A lot of underclassmen seem a little intimidated… we’re just bringing them in.”
Girls’ Lacrosse
The boys may have the upperclassmen advantage but the girls seem to have the upper hand in terms of scoring ability. The upper and lower class ratio is nearly split, with 12 upperclassmen and 11 underclassmen on the squad. And this has led to some blowouts so far.
In the first three games, they beat teams by up to 15 goals, and scored over 20 goals in three of their first five games.
This trend of blowouts carried into their final few games of the regular season, which was shown during their 18-4 beat-down of Air Academy on April 30.
As the season comes to a close, the squad’s 11-3 record landed them at 4th in the state and second in the 5A East division.
“When I was a freshman, I remember having so much trouble connecting with the older girls,” captain Lily Assini said. “This year the freshmen are really close with everyone.”
As long as the girls continue dominating their opponents, they’ll keep on proving the importance of blending the classes for increased chemistry.
“When we are out on the field, the age and grade is disregarded,” Assini said. “Everyone is expected to step up and be a leader.”