The South Lakes High boys’ lacrosse team opened up the new spring season in grand fashion last week with a breakthrough 10-7 win over local rival Herndon. The non-district game and season opener for both teams was played at South Lakes.
It was a huge win for the home team Seahawks, who had not beaten Herndon in 17 years. South Lakes had a big game from junior attack Matt Shinrick, who scored six goals.
South Lakes coach Matt Blamey said his team played a smart offensive game in the victory.
"It was all about discipline," said Blamey, in his fourth season as the South Lakes head coach. "We went down and set it up. [We] were very good at controlling the tempo."
Of Shinrick’s big game, Blamey said, "He played fantastic. He’s tough to stop. He has great vision and he knows where to be."
Blamey had a key message for his seniors going into the season opener game against Herndon. Those Seahawk 12th graders had never before beaten a Herndon varsity squad.
"I said, `Seniors, leave your legacy today,’" Blamey recalled. "The guys left everything in the game. They knew [afterwards] they had accomplished a huge feat."
Blamey said the number `17’ was the evening’s theme for the Seahawks. It had been 17 years since South Lakes had last beaten Herndon. Last year, Herndon had scored 17 goals in a win over South Lakes. And with last week’s final 10-7 outcome, the coach noted that the total goals in the game added up to 17.
"I think we just really controlled the tempo and it started with the face-offs," said Blamey. "[But] Herndon played their tails off. The Herndon goalie played good."
The coach credited junior face-off standout Alex Golembiewski with playing a strong game for the Seahawks.
Key players for South Lakes this season include Shinrick, the team’s leading scorer last year, senior defender Trevor Cox, a team captain, junior defender Ed Reed, also a team captain, and sophomore goalie Rickie Stout, the program’s JV starter last year.
South Lakes was scheduled to travel to Millersville, Pa., a town outside of Lancaster, to play a couple of games over the spring break week. The Seahawks, on the trip, will take on Penn Manor High School and Arch Bishop Ryan High School.
The team’s first Liberty District game will take place on April 1 against visiting Woodson. Game time will be 7:15 p.m.
South Lakes will be looking to improve on last year’s 4-8 record.
"We’re very fast and we like to run," said Blamey. "But we have a small roster so we’ll have to control the pace."