This year’s wet-behind-the-ears band of primarily newbie Spartans are drying off fast in the heat of competition.
The 2017 Bainbridge High varsity boys lacrosse team roster boasts just five seniors (three of them cocaptians) and seven freshmen, but maybe the only number that really matters so far this season is one.
The Spartans won by a single point in two of their three initial outings — which may not sound like a brag-worthy achievement, until you see who it was they beat.
In their first outing of the year, a non-league faceoff against Mercer Island on March 11, the Spartans cruised to an 8-7 win. Then again, on March 17, the boys managed to sneak in a game-changing goal in the last 10 seconds to win a home match against the dreaded Fighting Irish of O’Dea.
In between, they brought home a 10-6 win from the road against Bishop Blanchet to earn a thus-far perfect 3-0 overall record and positively promising prospects for the rest of the year.
“We’re super young, but trying to figure out who we are [and] trying to find roles,” said Spartan Offensive Coach Jacob Hayashi.
“[There’s] a lot of freshmen on the team and a lot of older guys are taking on bigger roles. Since we had that huge senior class last year, these other kids are having to step up and lead the team,” Hayashi said.
On the field, the team is led by cocaptains Lucas Pedersen, Max Oden and Nate Constan.
The newer names on the roster this year include freshmen Riley Cawman, Dawson Friers, Charlie Hughes, Penn Maroni, Ian Morosoff, Isaac Morosoff and Avery Porter; and sophomores Cole Emerson, Max McLeod and Merritt McMahon.
Rounding out the roster are juniors Carson Bryan, Michael Greenwood, Jacob Hogger, Arman Jabari, Gavin Jakubik, Ethan Peloquin, Charlie Shrout and Carl Swan.
Returning this year to head the program is longtime BHS Head Coach Jack Visco.
“He’s very knowledgeable and intense and expects a lot out of the kids,” Hayashi, himself a 2002 BHS grad, said of Visco. “[He] holds them to very high expectations.
“He’s pretty hard on them and just tries to keep them focused and on their toes [and], I suppose, just make them better by getting on them.”
Hayashi described his own coaching style as more conversational.
“I’m more laid back. I’m not a big yeller,” he said. “I just try and communicate gently, I suppose.”
Though the team’s early success has everyone excited, Hayashi said it also clearly illustrated the work ahead for them.
“These games shouldn’t be that close,” he said. “We have a lot to work on. Everyday we’re trying to get through all the little things that experience gives you that we lack.”
Though the Spartans are far from strangers — they’ve been playing together in the so-called Captains’ Practices for some time before the season began — there remains many aspects of their game to fine tune, the coach said.
“They’re tough kids,” Hayashi said. “They’re doing their best and they’re doing a good job.
“That young, inexperienced part is what’s keeping the other teams in the game a little bit,” he explained. “I think by the time we get to the end of the season, we’ll be a pretty strong team.”
The camaraderie of the squad, despite the disparate ages, is quite cohesive, Hayashi observed.
“It’s pretty interesting,” he said. “Everybody gets along and they know each other, so it’s kind of an easy transition with the freshman kids having winter Captains’ Practices to get to know each other.”
