Blazers fall apart midway through the season

So far this season, the varsity boys lacrosse team has met their fair share of difficult opponents. When they went up against county rival Springbrook, the team lost 15-2. The typically shoddy Einstein squad was one goal away from tying the Blazers in a disappointing 3-4 match. However, perhaps the most oppressive competitor that the team has come to face is within the structure of the team as the Blazers have struggled to keep team mentality, and numbers, up.

During the course of the Springbrook game, three Blazers quit the team. Junior defender Ian Proctor walked out before the game started, junior Aaron Simon in the second quarter, and senior Patrick Brice announced his decision to the coaches at the conclusion of the game. With the loss of these three upperclassmen, all of which regularly started or got playing time for the team, the resources of the Blazers are becoming even more strained.

This year's team is incredibly young with almost two thirds of the team being underclassmen. Sophomores Patrick McQuighan and Nick Mozer receive significant playing time for a varsity sport and have both contributed points to the Blazer squad.

According to head coach Robert Gibb; he has been moving players around in different positions all season trying to maximize the potential of those players who currently have the skills to play at the varsity level team with the limited resources he has. Since the season began on March 21, Gibb has put senior defenders Chris Stavish and co-captain Erik Kojola on attack hoping their size and stick skills will generate a stronger offense. Gibb is also constantly tampering with the starting line-up trying to maximize the potential of the team.

Gibb defends his choice to move around players and start underclassmen by saying, "I think a lot of [the older] players think they make more of a difference then they do." Gibb further cites a recent scrimmage that his underclassmen competed in where they came back from a two-goal deficit to tie the game and eventually win in triple overtime.

While the team is struggling at the midway point, there are still six intense match-ups in the regular season left for the Blazers to play. While the loss of Proctor, Simon and Brice is detrimental to the team, Gibb is excited by the progress the underclassmen have made and is still preparing to finish out the season with the strongest record possible for the Blazers. "I always come into the season with high, but realistic, expectations." While the loss is a disappointment, ultimately, practice has to go on as normal.