Knights stick together

Junior Timothy Dashchenko Loads up to pass the ball upfield.

BY SIENNA BUCKLEY

The boys lacrosse team finished their season with a 9-9 record. The team entered the GMC tournament as the No. 4 seed and made an impressive run to the semifinals against St. Joseph.

After losing three straight games to fall to 2-3, the team bounced back and achieved a win against East Brunswick with a score of 14-4. “What kept us motivated was showing up to practice with the right attitude and always looking for improvement and to get better,” said goalkeeper Dylan Vislocky.

Despite experiencing major losses early in the season, the team’s competitive spirit never faded, “The guys kept coming and competed against each other no matter the situation. Each drill we went 100%,” said junior Timothy Dashchenko.

Sophmore Michael Desantis, who finished second on the team with 20 goals, cuts past a defender with the ball.

Players created lasting memories throughout this season. “[My favorite moment was] scoring the first goal of the season 30 seconds into our first game,” said junior Jack Goldman. “It was a great moment after a long offseason, and it really set the tone for the game.”

The team played a lot of close games, including two games they lost by just one goal. “When we played South Brunswick and went into triple overtime. We ended up losing but it was an intense game, and we all played our hearts and came together even if the end result wasn’t a win,” said freshman Christopher Ventarola.

Sienna — Senior defender Thomas Kasoff, who scooped 58 ground balls this season, runs the ball upfield toward his teammates.

The team met often to study film and prepare for opponents and improve throughout the season. “During practice we would also have periods of practicing what we would be doing against other teams based on their personal and our scouting report,” said Goldman. “We also probably watched more film than any team in the GMC.”

As the season came to an end, the players focused on preparing for next year and continuing to improve. “[We plan to] work hard in the offseason, communicate better and stay disciplined, and come back stronger for next year,” said Ventarola.

Luke Mironov and Dylan Vislocky block the opponent from scoring.
Midfielder Jack Goldman, who led the team with 47 points, raises his stick to catch the ball.
Freshman Christopher Ventarola cradles the ball while advancing up the field.
Junior Jack Goldman, who led the team with 20 assists, cradles the ball while he looks for an open teammate.