Varsity Preview

What are your expectations this season for the team?

Answer:

April Matters! I believe in the end we will be right there in the fight for our District Championship. Early on though, with our soccer and basketball teams both having successful seasons, we will be lucky to have 10-14 players to coach for the first 3-4 weeks. So we will really have to rely on “seasoning” during the regular season campaign to be ready for playoffs.

We are very athletic this year, and once our roster becomes 27 strong we should match up athletically with any of our opponents. We are a very good mix of freshman-seniors, and for the first since our Ransom Everglades season ending pre-COVID Pandemic shutdown game, we may have the most depth ever for this program.

Who are the returning players who will make a difference this season?

Answer:

Brennan Wolfe, Senior:Co-Captain Brennan is our most versatile player on our roster given that he could start at Attack, Midfield, LSM or Defense; and I’m not kidding! Anywhere we need Brennan means we can create the mismatch of our choice, which is invaluable, and he’s worth 4 points a game no matter what side of the field we put him on!

Danny Richmond, Senior:Co-Captain Danny is very quick, very fast and bound for Florida Tech. He plays with an edge, and versatile enough to play attack or middy; plays defense with an attitude. Danny has a gun from outside 15, and is both a scoring threat or a creator/feeder.

Drew Sternberg, Senior:Co-Captain Midfield or Attack, Drew is an incredible shake and first step, incredibly deceptive and impossible for one defender to defend! Maybe an impossible task for two defenders!

Ashton Noe, Senior:Co-Captain Midfield & SSM, Ashton is a ground ball machine, has become very good in transition; his level of hustle and toughness is second to none. He is extremely quick and fast, and the size of his heart cannot be measured!

Ian Horvit, Senior:Co-Captain LSM & Defense, Ian will be a pivotable player for us this year. He is very athletic, and will help us match-up against smaller, faster offensive attack or midfielders. He’s also much improved in understanding team defense and has the kind of athleticism to take over on defense and transition. Last but not least, Ian is a very capable at the FO X , able to counter or throw change ups on difficult FOGOs.

More information and photos here: http://steds.lacrosseshift.com/news/unmasking-our-2021-ses-boys-lacrosse-captains

What players do you expect to step up this year that didn’t get much playing time last year?

Answer:

Interesting question considering many of last year’s freshman and sophomores got playing time rather early in the season shortened season due to our basketball and soccer teams doing very well into their playoff seasons and some lingering football season injuries. So my answer to the question is, the following are some of the players with experiences that we will count on to step up this year.

2021- Ryan Barnett, Defense, LSM. 6’5” 215 lbs., Athletic, quick feet and great range. He’s a D1 Volleyball player signed with Pepperdine University, and is a 2020-2021 Long Island transplant who hasn’t played since 9^th grade, except for one tournament this Fall in the Orlando Open. Just saying that the D2 college coaches attending were all asking about Ryan after the tournament.

2022- Liam Murphy, Goalie, Lees McRae College commit. One of the better goalies in Florida, and just maybe, the country. He’s capable of changing the game whether in the goal or out of the goal. 

2022- Riker Pratt, Midfield or Attack. Gifted athleticism with an extreme competitive edge. Losing is not part of his DNA. He is very capable of playing Man-Down Defense, but he plays on our EMO. He is an offensive threat every time he steps on the field, but he is also a SSDM that can play great individual and team defense. He’s a superior player between the restraining lines with exceptional ability to ride, clear and transition.

2022- Oscar Lindenthal, Attack. SES players have always played hard, but we are playing much smarter lacrosse nowadays. Oscar is one of those special players who recognizes weakness in defenders positional play and team schemes while it’s happening, and Oscar has the ability to exploit that weakness as a creator of offense, and as many have learned the hard way, well known in our area as a superb finisher.

2023- Ricky Savage, Midfield or Attack. He was sidelined with a shoulder injury last year sustained in his HS Basketball season, however, his summer and fall lacrosse club ball play with Dukes LLC National HS 2023 Elite team, as well as his being named team captain of Dukes 2023 National Team demonstrates his potential ability to dominate the midfield, both on offense and defense. A gifted stealthy athlete, a very good lacrosse player and maybe the “coolest player in pressure situations,” Ricky is capable of taking over the lacrosse field.

2023- Ford Norris, Attack or Midfield. Ford is Mr. Offense! He is an extremely difficult player to read as a defender, and he has an uncanny ability to change speeds, and make defenders look silly as a midfielder or attackman. He is a righty but his left hand shot is becoming a problem for goalies/defenses. Ford is growing like a weed and plays on the Dukes LLC 2023 HS Elite team, and can simply play ball!  What do a I mean? He’s a skilled soccer player and a skilled basketball player!  This year he plays on the Varsity soccer team; next year?

2023 Eli Barin, Midfield, SSDM, FOGO. Eli is one of the best 2023 Face-Off players in Florida and perhaps the nation. Recently in Fall Ball, he dominated both older HS players, and very skilled veteran HS FOGOs, leading his club team to a well-attended Orlando Open Championship with DukesFlorida-Team Maverick. He has grown so much in the past two years it’s hard to believe that this young man has just blossomed as a sophomore athletically into a mentally and physically tough opponent on our MD defense unit, looks to lead our transition from MD to offense, and is a FOGO that can stay on the field as a SSDM or offense player.  

2023- Josh Langsam, LSM and LP FOGO. Not a great lacrosse player just yet, but you can’t teach what Josh possesses. Very good athlete and a mind that thrives on challenge. Varsity Football and Soccer player, possibly the toughest hombre on our team and frankly, a menace on the field for our opponents and in our practices! Can’t wait until his grasp of the game becomes as good as his athleticism.

2024 Reed Sternberg, Midfield. Okay, I know you don’t believe me talking up a freshman. So give me a call about half way through the season, and tell me you didn’t believe me and it was your mistake! Very athletic and tough, plays Varsity football and soccer, and luckily for me, he is most passionate about lacrosse. Talk to you soon!

2024 Grayson Falk, Defense. Grayson is very stealthy; a freshman gifted with strength, speed and size, and defender’s field sense beyond his years, with the ability to make up for young mistakes on the same play.  Grayson is a quick study and learner, and possesses some abilities that are unique for a freshman.

2024 Kieran Colgan, Goalie. Not ready for leading the Varsity charge, but he is ready for the Varsity stage/cage. Still more to learn, but some people are just born to keep the ball out of the net!

As I noted, we are deep and have some significant others who are back as well as some exceptional athletes who will push for time and have a great chance to make a difference and impact this season:

Seniors:  Jack Kincus, Attack; Aidan Burdick, Midfield; Callahan Corrie, Goalie.

Juniors:  Gavin Rooney, Defense

Sophomores:  Dylan Redmon, Midfield/Defense; Sam Thomas, Midfield, Cooper Naughtin, Defense.

Freshmen:  Major Croom, Midfield, LSM, Defense; Stone Colgan, Defense; Harrison Hardin, Attack; Will Russell, Attack.

What are the games you are really looking forward to this season?

Answer:

I’m now at the stage of my lacrosse coaching career and especially with the COVID 2020 Spring season ending before we were at full strength, that I’m just looking forward to playing all of our games, no matter who our players are, and no matter who we play!

Roster:

http://steds.lacrosseshift.com/stats#/129/team/96932/roster

Schedule:

http://steds.lacrosseshift.com/stats#/team-schedule?team_id=96932

We have a talented and very athletic and experienced roster. Our biggest problem will be getting everyone to be on the same page early on in the regular season and just after we get everyone back from Basketball and Soccer, but it’s finally a luxury we haven’t had in the recent past and we should be firing on all cylinders after our Spring Break at SES.

Our goal is to be the best team we can be to vie for a District Championship as well as compete in the Regional and State Tournament. Our schedule allows for us to help all of our players to learn and increase our experience during the regular season and prepare us for the playoff season. April Matters!

We are excited and “We Are Ready to be Unmasked and Unleashed” after a disappointing 2020 nationwide ending! We have our 2020 Vision as our 2021 Motivation! Our season doesn’t end, to “We Decide it Ends!” We will be RELENTLESS!