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Atlantic Lacrosse continues to develop stellar players

May 30, 2017

Feeder system - I photographed the girls’ U15 championship lacrosse game of the Eastern Shore Youth Lacrosse Association at Hudson fields May 25, a 9-5 Atlantic victory over Beach. Some of the girls will be leaving the Atlantic program and heading to high school next year. Cape gets a major share of the talent from Atlantic, but obviously some players choose different pathways for high school. The girls play rough if you let them; a few yellow cards were “awarded.” One Beach player in particular said to the official after a foul was called, “What is wrong with you?” Some sideliners were aghast at such obstinance, but I thought, “I’ll take that kid on my team because she cares; I’ll work on calming her down later.” Goal scorers for U15 were Riley Keen with three goals, Ella Rishko and Emily Monigle with two each, and Caroline Maull and Haley Craig with one apiece. Goalie Vivian Lynn was crazy good the entire season. Beach goals were scored by Brittyn Lyra Leonard with four and Kiarra Hearn with one. The Atlantic U13 girls defeated Queen Anne’s 8-7 to win the championship of the ESYLA. Goals were scored by Sarah Naar, Sanne Elling, Zoe Brafman and Tatum Friend with two each.  

Game day - My life’s progression has been from athlete to coach to father and grandfather, not to mention 35 years as a sportswriter. There is always another big game to play. I cannot remember being nervous or fearful as a player before games. I remember adrenaline and wanting to perform in front of people. I miss adrenaline. Is it available on the aftermarket? I didn’t get nervous as a coach, just obsessed with positive outcomes to the point it drove me crazy. As a parent of athletes, I wasn’t nervous, but my expectations were high. I expected my kids to be good players who never backed down. Now as a grandparent, sports editor emeritus, photographer and godfather of Cape sports, I find I am an amalgam of all the things I ever was, which means too many game days, too many important games, and it all makes me unsettled. I’m always looking for the next win and the next championship. This can’t be a normal way to live. My biggest decision should be which way to flip the bench on the Boardwalk.  

The ignominy and the agony - The 27th annual Masser Five-Miler May 28 saw Lee Masser running in the way back. Doc runs in orange shorts, and he enters more than 100 races a year. Doc is 81, and in honor of whatever Doc is all about - an unrelenting nice guy who can listen to others for five miles without telling them to shut up - about 50 runners wearing orange shorts went out to escort Doc to the finish line over the final mile. A minute before Entourage Doc completed his race, 85-year-old Ed Green crossed the finish line alone, and his forward lean looked like pre-crash posture. Before Ryan Meade and I could get close enough to assist Ed, he landed face down on the turf field of seams. I didn’t know whether to help him up or do a chalk outline of his body. Ryan got Ed some water and helped him onto a bench. Ed was ready to play today again. Ed won his age group, and Doc Masser was second. Bennett Brumbley of Laurel (38:16) beat Joe Link of Cape May (38:23) by just 7 seconds. Joe is a workout machine and 66 years old. Bennett is 9 years old. Just a crazy unforgiving sport. 

Snippets - Salisbury University men’s lacrosse won its 12th Division III national championship with a 15-7 win over RIT. Hunter Schaeffer of Rehoboth Beach and Caesar Rodney, and T.J. Logue of Salesianum are the only Delaware players on the team. Delaware baseball won the Colonial Athletic Conference tournament and earns an automatic berth in the 64-team NCAA tournament. The field and matchups were set to be announced at noon, Monday, May 29. There are 12 players on the Blue Hens squad who played high school baseball in Delaware, including third baseman Diaz Nardo from Cape.

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