The boys’ lacrosse team enters the 2015-16 season with high expectations because of the strong senior class that will lead the team this year. Seniors Miles Kenny and Owen Miller will be the team’s captains this year, mainly due to the fact that both have made significant contributions to the team in years’ past. Additionally, seniors Dan Schindler, Nick Liccardi, Harrison Ayan, and James Fitzsimmons will all return to the team. Senior faceoff specialist Tyler Hugo, who suffered a major knee injury last season, will return later on in the season.
“I predict we will have at least 7 All-Americans and be State Champions,” Miller said. “I would be surprised if we ended up with anything less.”
“I believe we will do well this season,” Schindler said in an interview. “Hopefully we can play well enough to get the team’s first state championship this year.”
Prior to the start of the regular season, the team will travel to ESPN’s Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida for some pre-season practice. The team will spend time in Florida starting on March 17 and ending on March 22, and while there, they will play scrimmages against other schools from different states and practice. Additionally, they will enjoy the various tourist attractions throughout the city of Orlando as well as the beautiful, warm weather.
“The trip to Florida is always a great team bonding experience,” Miller said in an interview. “It gives us a chance to test ourselves against some of the best teams in the country. Spending 5 days together and playing other state’s champions in 90 degree weather brings us really close as a team and sets us up nicely for the games we have when we get home.
“[The Florida trip] will benefit us because it will allow everyone on the team to bond as a team,” Schindler said. “It also gives us the chance to play in really nice weather conditions.”
The team’s first regular season game will take place on Olcott Field on March 30 against Delaware Valley, but four of the team’s next five games are away from home. Since the team will only play eight home games this season, there are several long streaks of road games throughout the season; in fact, the team only plays consecutive home games from April 27 to May 5 towards the end of the season.
“I don’t think [the lack of home games] will have too much of an effect on us,” Miller said. “We love playing at home in front of a crowd but playing away doesn’t scare us.”
“[The lack of home games] will have no effect on us,” Schindler said. “We feel we can beat anyone we play against this year.”
