(Photo credit: Moultrie News)
It’s January, which means that the lacrosse season is coming. In many southern states, the high school lacrosse season is a month or so from now, especially this year.
The South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) is scheduled to start on February 22 with the state finals scheduled for May 1 in Irmo.
With the high school season approaching, here are some superlatives from across Palmetto state towards the spring of 2021:
Team most likely to win a state title:
Honestly, you could go with Oceanside Collegiate or Wando here. And although they are both very capable of winning titles in their respective divisions this season, I am going with the biggest lacrosse dynasty in the state of Palmetto: Wando.
Wando has won a state title in six of the past eight seasons, which included four consecutive titles from 2015-2018. And in the two years they didn’t win (2014, 2019), they were the runners-up. Last season, they were 4-1, with their only loss coming in double overtime against West Forsyth, and looking to get back to their way of winning the title before the season was canceled.
The Warriors lose their only two double-digit scorers, Nathan Fasanaro and Murphey Howell, to graduation, as well as some talent at the rear, this must still be a formidable group. Senior strikers McKay Dunaway and Jake McQuaid are the two best players to return, after scoring eight and nine points last season. Senior Willam Leonard will be a leader at the rear and Jonathon Westmoreland has the ability to enter the cage as a starter after serving as a reserve last season. In addition, they have a strong option at the point of confrontation in senior Zach Jennings (Rhodes commit).
Aside from the veterans, who are expected to take on a bigger role this season and be some of the Warriors’ most productive pieces at both ends, they have a good number of juniors who can climb, like strikers Sam Goss and JD Hamilton.
Team to watch:
The JL Mann Academy went 5-0 during the short season of 2020 and boasted an average winning margin of nine goals. They return almost everyone on last year’s team and have a good chance of possibly running in the state tournament, where they fell in the first round for Nation Ford, 9-7, in 2019.
Senior Mason Meagher of LSM (Air Force commit) and defender John Lombel (Lincoln Memorial commit) highlight what should be a very robust defense again. The Patriot attack is highlighted by veterans David Dubose and Sam Maronick, who scored at least 20 points each during the short 2020 season. In addition, they return Logan Dorcas at the point of confrontation after a very solid second-year season, in which it served as your main option on the spot. With all that talent back, as well as several others at both ends, the Patriots could put together a very successful season.
Best offensive player:
Although there are several players that could be defended at this point, I will go with Dorman’s senior striker, Carson Skinner (Wagner commit). A three-year varsity starter, Skinner proved to be a strong dodge and sniper, he can also operate well around the cage and back in ‘X’. During the short 2020 season, Skinner scored 31 points (23G / 8A) while helping the Cavaliers to a 3-2 record. During his first two seasons in high school, he scored 42 (2018) and 62 (2019) points and helped lead them to two last four consecutive appearances.
Best defensive player:
JL Mann Academy LSM Mason Meagher seems to have all the tools to make an impact not only in high school, what he has done and will continue to do, but also at the university level. The 6-foot, 180-pound senior recorded more than 100 balls on the ground and more than 25 caused turnover as a freshman and sophomore, and during the short 2020 season he picked up 29 balls on the ground and 17 caused twists in five games. With a full season in 2021, Meagher should be able to match or exceed the level of production from his first two seasons of high school ball.
Best Specialist:
This spot is reserved for a face-off or goalkeeper. And as I already showed love for several guys right off the bat, let’s go with a goalkeeper here.
Oceanside Collegiate Junior goalkeeper Drew Gregory is one of the best in his position in the state of Palmetto and the South in general. From his footwork to his hands, he seems to have everything needed to succeed in the cage at the next level. But in addition to his ability to make defenses consistently, no matter what the situation, he also has an incredible ability to get the ball out of the bat quickly in the clearing game and is not afraid to get it out of the cage alone from time to time While. He posted a 43% savings percentage during the short 2020 season.