After a dominating season in which the varsity boys’ lacrosse team only lost one game – the state championship game – to finish as the runner up in the state tournament, one would expect a similar result this season. However, after the loss of many graduates, including Jon Keslow, Ben Engleman, Sam Burns, Steven Silverberg, Ricky Hafer, and Richard Kent, this year’s squad is made up of many inexperienced players who will try to help the team return to the state championship.

Coached by Mr. Colin Thompson and assistant coaches Mr. Dave Hafer and Mr. Jon Romm, the team returns as the favorite among Montgomery County Public Schools.

“We’re definitely young,” Thompson said. “We have to fill the void on offense, but defensively we’re very talented and experienced.”

The team returns starting senior stalwarts in defender Tommy Whitlock, middie Patrick Bailey, and attack Jordan Montesano.

The team also features many seniors who did not start last year but are likely to start this year, including attack Harry Shay and defender Michael Greenberg. The senior leaders will be the backbone of the team, which will be important against quality opponents such as Gaithersburg, Churchill, and Walter Johnson.

“I hope we don’t let teams score at all,” Whitlock said.

Some juniors on the team also provide valuable experience. Mike Cresham and Matt Canter are both three-year members of the varsity team and have played in crucial stretches before. Joined by players from a strong junior varsity team, the third year players should provide a spark for the Patriots.

Two transfers to the team from other schools may also play a major part in the team’s success. Junior defender/middie Mark Jutkowitz (from Whitman High School) and sophomore middie Gordie Gold (from Landon) are expected to either start or play major minutes off the bench. Jutkowitz has already committed to play lacrosse at the University of Maryland.

“I’m excited to play here,” Gold said. “We can go far this season.”

For now, the younger members of the team will be understudies of the older players, but sophomores such as defender Reid Shepard, defender David Yaglom, and attack Jeff Zifrony could see valuable playing time.

In the team’s first scrimmage against a competitive Severn High school, the Patriots lost 10-3.

“Our ultimate goal is to win the championship, but our philosophy is ‘Division, region, state’,” Thompson said. “It’s important that we take it one game at a time.”

The team starts the season at Blair High School on Tuesday, April 1.