By Taylor Bovarnick
Coach: David MaCallum
Captains: Sam Houston-Read, Zach Pawa, Matt Roberts, Brian Spink
The lacrosse team is approaching the upcoming season with confidence as it hopes to improve on its 7-11 record from last year.
Most of the players on the team prepared for this season by playing with one another over the summer and fall. The team also lost few players from last year, allowing this year’s squad to build camaraderie.
“The biggest change is that we have an older team,” senior captain Brian Spink said.
South has only lost two starters from last year, Josh Kasten and Jonathan Katz, but has gained new players that the team can’t wait to play with, according to Spink. Spink also expressed excitement about the team’s new goalie, sophomore Henry Donnellan.
“We have been waiting for [Henry] to come up to high school for four years,” Spink said. “Now with him actually being on the team as a sophomore, we are going to lean on him a lot, but we believe that he can handle it.”
Donnellan is looking forward to starting his first season as a varsity lacrosse player on a team he sees as close-knit.
“I’m not sure I’ve ever played on a team with better chemistry than we have this year,” Donnellan said. “Captains’ practices have really helped the team become closer and work more cohesively.”
Spink also believes that junior Josh Gordon will play a significant role in the Lions’ success this spring. Gordon has committed to playing collegiate Division 1 at University of Delaware.
“We are thrilled to have Josh playing for the team again,” Spink said. “We really think he is going to step it up this year.”
The team has high hopes for the outcome of the season and thinks that it will make it far in the tournament.
“We strongly believe that this will be the most accomplished year for the team,” Spink said. “We’re also going to crush North in the Depeter classic.”
“I think we’re all looking forward to a really great season with some big results in the end,” Donnellan said.
After the lacrosse team just missed out on making the tournament last year, players are hoping to build on its previous success and make a deep playoff run.
“Our record last year was the best record in Division 1 for Newton South so far,” Spink said. “I think that we have great captains and a team that will lead us into the playoffs for the first time ever.”
See video with Brian Spink: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29z9uB6Q0i4
