Boys’ lacrosse: Falcons adapt to low numbers and intense trainings to prepare for upcoming season

April 2, 2021 — by Anjali Nuggehalli

Many past players are absent this season due to commitments with other athletic cohorts. 

 

Head Coach: Jeff Roper

Last year’s record: N/A (season canceled due to COVID-19)

Recap: Last year’s season was canceled due to COVID-19

Key Matchups: N/A

Star Players: Seniors Josh Roper, Kimball Small Juniors Kendal Jarvis, Nathan Zaragoza, Ed Greene, Matt Horvath

Key losses to graduation: seniors Chase Satterfield, Skylar Van Cruyningen, George Troyer, Alvaro Fernandez

League: SCVAL — El Camino League

Prognosis: Team is expected to play nine games this season

After not playing last season due to the pandemic, the team is gearing up for returning to competitive play in Season 3. Head Coach Jeff Roper has also organized optional training on Tuesdays and Fridays to get his team ready for their first away game vs Hillsdale on April 23.

The team’s primary obstacle is the low number of returning players and key additions, primarily due to potential players already committing to other sports such as football and soccer that are — because of the delayed fall season — occurring at the same time as lacrosse. 

“All the sports are pretty close to each other this year, so I’m not really sure how the team chemistry is going to be without the presence of past players,” Zaragoza said. “It’s going to be an interesting adjustment period.”

Varsity attack Ed Greene, a junior, also acknowledged that many of the players are going into the season out of shape after not playing for almost a year.

Greene hopes that through optional practices and individual training, players will be prepared for the physicality of athletes from competing schools and have an overall successful season.

“This season is definitely going to be a challenge, but I think if all of us come together, we can have a really successful record,” Greene said. “I’m just really excited to get out and play again.”  

 

 

 

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