Sports
Panthers Lacrosse Team Sprints Into New Season
Boys lacrosse players try to grind themselves into a championship team under the watchful eye of their coach.
As the weather starts to slowly turn and thaw from a long cold winter, the tracks, fields and diamonds at and around Basilone Field at have awakened to a fledgling spring sports season. In this preview, we look at the boys lacrosse team.
OVERVIEW
On a day that his players said he was "in a good mood," or as good as they could expect from him, head coach Chuck Apel's voice could still be heard scolding two players who got into a verbal confrontation. "You are going to run until you are too tired to yell at each other! he yelled from across the field. "You are going to yell until you are too tired to talk!" They actually ran six sprints across the width of the practice field. "You guys are not a team yet," Apel declared in a booming voice to the rest of the team. If the Panthers are going to build on last season, Apel is sure they must build team unity.
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LAST SEASON'S RESULTS
The team worked at the Skyland Conference, and was the Delaware Division Champions. The team lost in the Group 4 Sectional Finals to Montclair, and finished the year 16-3.
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KEEP YOUR EYE ON
- Tyler Barbarich, midfielder (senior, No. 12), All-Skyland conference and first team All-junior and All-Somerset county selections from 2010.
- B.J. Grill, defender (senior, No. 8), All-Somerset county first team selection from 2010.
- Zach Jones, Goalie (Junior, No. 30), will key Panthers defense in goal this year.
- Scott Bieda, Attacker (Junior, No. 10) All-sophomore third team selection.
THEY WILL MISS
- Alex Eaton, attacker, was a first team all-state selection. Eaton is now a freshman on Notre Dame's lacrosse team.
- Brendan Gover, defender, a second team all-state selection in 2010 is now a freshman defender at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania.
- Jake Higgins, midfielder, second team All- Somerset county selection, now plays for Fairleigh Dickinson.
COACH'S TAKE
"We have some talent," Apel said. "I think we have some good kids. We've got about three or four more scrimmages, we are going to put it together and hopefully have a really good season."
THEY SAID IT
It's not what was said, it's what is written on the helmet of junior midfielder John Longordo—Romans 8:31: "What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"
2011 BRIDGEWATER BOYS LACROSSE TEAM
Name Position Grade Number Jonah Amster Defender SophomoreJoe Carrol Defender Sophomore 17 Stephan Gillespie Midfielder Sophomore 45 Andrew Hengemuhle Defender Sophomore 41 Jared Kaden Defender Sophomore 44 Tyler Konen Attacker Sophomore 16 Jordan Michel Midfielder Sophomore 27 Nick Miller Attacker Sophomore 5 Ryan Mygatt Attacker Sophomore 12 Cole Paszkowski Midfielder Sophomore 50 Brad Pietrucha Midfielder Sophomore 1 Luciano Porchetta Midfielder Sophomore 49 Cody Ruperto Attacker Sophomore 6 Kyle Sheehen Midfielder Sophomore 36 Eric Shugun Midfielder Sophomore 38 Don Stires Goalie Sophomore 37 Teddy Sweeny Goalie Sophomore 10 Karl Szymanski Midfielder Sophomore 32 Scott Bieda Attacker Junior 8 Nick Bradley Midfielder Junior 18 Shane Carmody Defender Junior 15 Claude Clay Attacker Junior 11 Vince Colatriano Midfielder Junior 25 Kyle Coulter Midfielder Junior 9 Steve Danyluk Midfielder Junior 4 Mike Dipascali Attacker Junior 5 Tom Gardner Goalie Junior 24 Justin Higgins Attacker Junior 14 Ryan Hollingsworth Attacker Junior 2 Zach Jones Goalie Junior 30 Josh Kasman Attacker Junior 3 AJ Kolen Attacker Junior 42 John Longordo Midfielder Junior 6 Ray Mastroianni Midfielder Junior 28 Evan Mock Defender Junior 26 Connor Murphy Defender Junior 23 Mike Oji Midfielder Junior AJ Pelligrino Midfielder Junior 29 Rob Pietrucha Defender Junior 13 Luis Sanchez Junior Mike Serrante Midfielder Junior 22 Jamar Archer Midfielder Senior 39 Tyler Barbarich Midfielder Senior 12 Nick Bergenty Defender Senior 19 Jordan Blair Defender Senior 21 BJ Grill Defender Senior 8 Brian Lenskold Midfielder Senior 24 Danny Pires Defender Senior 41 Mike Rusen Attacker Senior 40 Kevin Schaller Goalie Senior 33 Connor Smith Defender Senior 20
