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Sports

Panthers Lacrosse Players Sign Letters of Intent

Seven boys and one girl will all play Division I lacrosse next year.

Is it possible for the boy’s lacrosse team to top what was accomplished in 2011?

There’s plenty of optimism for the 2012 campaign, and it was showcased on Nov. 9 when seven seniors signed their Letters of Intent (LOI) to Division I colleges, where they will all be playing lacrosse starting in Fall 2012.

The big-time talent was brought together at a ceremony in the high school library where the seven boys, and one girl, signed their LOI’s to their respective colleges. The seven boys were Ryan Hollingsworth for Rutgers, Scott Bieda for Manhattan, Vince Colatriano for Hofstra University, Zack Jones for University of Hartford, Connor Murphy for Colgate, Ray Mastroianni for Lehigh and John Longordo for the University of Delaware. 

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The lone member of the girl’s team in attendance was Erin Eckert who signed for Westchester.

Among the crowd of proud parents and family members, boys lacrosse coach Chuck Apel and girls coach Lydia Pinto were on hand. Both coaches have had the priviledge of leading these young student athletes during their years at Bridgewater-Raritan, and the ceremony was just a happy reminder of all the hard work these athletes have put in over the years.

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“It’s a great opportunity for them and a great honor for their families,” Apel said. “They have put in a lot of hard work on and off the field to get to this position. They are setting themselves up for success and an opportunity to move on not just in lacrosse but in life. It is very rare that you get this many seniors all playing Division I, and I am very proud of them.”

Apel was not the only proud person at the ceremony. Father MG Hollingsworth was also there to support his son, Ryan, as he prepares for his senior season and beyond.

“My wife and I are incredibly proud of Ryan,” Hollingsworth said. “Ryan is a Type I Diabetic so he is faced with a few more challenges than your typical athlete. I would be willing to bet that there are not very many diabetics in the United States signing Letters of Intent. Knowing everything that he has overcome blows my mind. Seeing him, along with his teammates, all dressed up wearing their TOC rings made me realize how far they have traveled together. They are no longer little boys. They are young men who have a quiet confidence within themselves.”

The ceremony was not just a celebratory moment for these student athletes and their families, but it also was a way to bring members of the Bridgewater lacrosse program together. A tight knit bunch, Hollingsworth believes that this is one reason the program has developed into one of the country’s best.

“The template for winning has been mapped out by Coach Apel,” he said. “They became no. 1 in the state and no. 8 in the country because of it. The boys have bought into that prescription. The Bridgewater Lacrosse Program for kindergarten through 12th grade is a growing family. We all enjoy each other's company and there is such a rewarding bond amongst all of us, parents and players.”

It was also a reminder that this will be the last year these players get to play together as Bridgewater Panthers. As it brings excitement for the upcoming season for parents like Hollingsworth, it also brings sadness that this will be the last year that this group will play together as a team.

“This group of boys has allowed me to relive my teenage years,” Hollingsworth said. “When they leave, I will miss that the most. After last season, I was able to get a TOC Championship Ring as a coach/mentor. It meant a great deal to me.”

With the season only a few months away, Apel is excited to see his senior class play this spring. Both he and Hollingsworth know that after such a successful season last year, and with a boatload of talent still on the field, expectations will be high.

“I'm nervous and excited for this upcoming season,” Apel said. “We should have a good year and that’s when all the pressure is on the coach. We have a lot of talent coming back, but we lost some very key people. We are going to have to replace them. We had tremendous leadership from our seniors last year, and we need our seniors to step in and fill that void. I believe that will be our biggest challenge this spring.”

“Winning a championship is a cherished thing,” Hollingsworth said. “It does not happen all the time. It involves skill and luck. This year, opposing teams will have Bridgewater-Raritan circled on their schedules.”

“I know one thing,” he added. “If I am a player on the other team, I won't be sleeping too well the night before the Bridgewater-Raritan game.”

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