The boys’ varsity lacrosse team has faced one of its roughest seasons in recent memory, with a record of 3-8 heading into the final game.
Coming into the season, the team had mixed feelings about what was ahead. There was optimism as a new group of players emerged from JV; however, that optimism would quickly fade. “We knew it wouldn’t go well, but not this bad,” junior defenseman Christos Pazartzis said.
In the first matchup of the season, versus Churchill, the team lost a key player in Matthew Deleon to a devastating ACL tear. After dropping the game by a wide margin, skepticism began to creep up. “Matthew getting hurt definitely contributed to some of our losses,” senior goalie Ethan Mahoney said, looking back on the season.
The skepticism quickly grew front and center as the season progressed. Despite defeating Kennedy by 20 in the second game of the season, the team would immediately go on a four-game losing streak. The next four games proved to be brutal for the team, culminating in them allowing a combined 60 goals on defense. “After the fourth loss, we all just tried to keep our heads up and focus on winning the next game,” junior midfielder Vishnu Varma said.
The losses stacked up, and the team’s morale was drained, but they refused to quit, showing resilience and beating Watkin’s Mill 13-1. Senior captain Matthew Xu and sophomore attackman Caleb Cook led the team, scoring five goals each, putting the team back in the win column. “We really needed the Watkins Mill win; it boosted everyone’s morale. The next practice, everyone was in a way better mood,” Varma said
Since the Watkins Mill game, the team has put up a 1-3 record, with a big 18-6 win over Magruder, as well as double-digit losses to Quince Orchard, Richard Montgomery, and Rockville. The victory against Magruder was again a much-needed morale boost for the team that hadn’t found its rhythm, but the harsh losses serve as reminders of the challenges that the team has faced all season on both ends of the field. Whether it was simple mistakes or a lack of execution in key moments, the team couldn’t put together a complete game to beat their tougher opponents.
Throughout the season, the team has made sure to stay close despite tough times. They hold team dinners that allow the players to bond and build chemistry off the field, creating lasting friendships. “Team dinners let us get together in a more relaxed setting, which is definitely needed sometimes after hard practices or games,” junior defenseman Jay Vardhan said
Meanwhile, the junior varsity team, whose season has already come to a close, had a promising run, showcasing what may be to come for the varsity squad next year. The team boasted a 5-4 record, with all of their wins coming by a difference of at least nine goals. “I think our JV team has a lot of potential, and there are a lot of guys that will be very good at the varsity level,” Vardhan said.
