Garnet Lax Gears Up For 2009
Swarthmore men's lacrosse head coach Pat Gress has begun preparations for his 14th season on campus. The coach quietly opens the door to his office each day, sits down at a spotless desk, and opens the top drawer. There it sits; a single switch, ominous and white. ‘Defense’ it starts on. In one motion, Gress flicks it to ‘offense’ and Swarthmore’s transition is on.
Coach Gress, one victory shy of 60 for his career, is fresh off another post season appearance by the Garnet in 2008. Gress saw stellar play from his long poles, led by two All-Centennial performers, keep many teams from ripping the nets. With a goals-against average ranking third in the Conference (7.72) last season, Swarthmore made its third post-season appearance in eight years. The Garnet men posted a perfect 7-0 non-conference record during the regular season, earning the rights to host the 2008 E.C.A.C. Metro/South Championship at Clothier Stadium.
For 113 seasons now, Swarthmore men have worn the “S” for a college lacrosse program steeped in history. This year’s version looks for the offense to take over in 2009, a switch in strategy from previous seasons. “We are fortunate to have a veteran offense led by four senior midfielders,” said Gress, an attackman himself at Towson from 1987-90. “Our attack will be playing together for a third consecutive season, so we are optimistic that the offense can produce until the defense develops.”
Swarthmore captain Stelios Wilson ’09 (Moorestown, N.J. / Moorestown), Gavin Musynske ‘10 (Floral Park, N.Y. / Floral
Park Memorial) and Tyler Bradshaw ’10 (Marietta, Ga. / Lassiter) form a capable trio of threats in Swarthmore’s attack for 2009. Last season saw Wilson return to the scoring form of his freshman season (tied for team lead in points with Jay Charles ’07), establishing career-highs in goals (22) and points (31). Wilson (right), stronger and leaner after embarking on a commitment to fitness, led the 2008 Garnet with three game-winning goals, and returns to quarterback the Swarthmore game-plan. “Stelios is one of our smarter offensive players, rarely turning the ball over,” proclaimed Gress.
Musynske is a hard name to say and even tougher to stop on the field. “Gavin’s grown over the years. He can physically handle the bigger Centennial defenders and is capable of scoring and feeding,” said Gress. The junior attack burst out of the gate last year with 19 points in Swarthmore’s first four games. He was named Centennial Conference Offensive Player of the Week on March 18 after a four-goal game vs. St. Mary’s (Md.) and a six-point effort versus New England College. Musynske shared the team goal lead with Stelios Wilson and ranked in the top-ten in the Centennial with 19 assists.
Bradshaw completes the trio and may be the most dangerous. He has blossomed into a dodging threat with the ability to score in the toughest games. Eleven of his 16 goals last season came during the rugged Centennial slate, including two-goal efforts versus Gettysburg, Haverford, McDaniel and Franklin & Marshall.
Several athletic midfielders are back in uniform for Swarthmore, itching to transition the ball from one end and light up the scoreboard on the other. At the head of the group is senior captain Ben Young (Washington, D.C. / St. Alban’s), a tall and fast athlete holstering a hard shot that produced 12 goals in 2008. “Ben is also one of our best defenders,” said Gress. “He has the ability to grab a turnover and swiftly get the ball into the other net.” Young (left) established himself as a viable option on the Garnet man-up unit, topping the team with four extra-man goals in 2008.
Fellow captain David DeSimone (Ronkonkoma, N.Y. / Connetquot) also returns to the midfield after playing in all 17 games in 2008. DeSimone is in exclusive company at Swarthmore, joining his brother, Joe DeSimone ’04, as one of four pairs of siblings to have captained a Garnet lacrosse team. A well-respected leader in the locker room, DeSimone put over half of his shots in 2008 on net, racking up a career-best six goals (including two scores in a 7-6 double-overtime victory over Goucher). Joining Young and DeSimone in the fleet collection of middies is classmate Will Predun (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. / Cold Spring Harbor) and junior marksman Anthony Phalen (Needham, Mass. / Needham). Predun creates Swarthmore opportunities with his feet (team-high 65 ground balls) and effectively transitions them into the attack zone. Phalen has shown that snapping the ball between the pipes (nearly 64% go on-goal) produces goals (15 in only 36 shot attempts). Also expect to see more of senior Henry Heaton (Geneva, N.Y. / Geneva) among the Garnet midfield lines; the stout upperclassman has worked hard to get on the field and his efforts are about to pay off.
On the surface the defense appears to have been decimated by graduation, but look closer and an experienced group remains. Leading this year’s unit will be senior Jesse Handler (Baltimore, Md. / Friends School of Baltimore) who has 42 collegiate appearances under his belt. In 2008, Handler scooped-up a career-best 26 ground balls last season and will be the steady hand behind scrambling defensive midfielder Jacob Metzger ’09 (New York, N.Y. / Cape Elizabeth [ME]}. Metzger has also seen action in games at Swarthmore (42 to date) and looks to facilitate the Garnet transitions in 2009. Joining Handler and Metzger will be the physical Max Wilson (Great Falls, Va. / Langley), who burst on to the Centennial scene as the top pugilist in 2008. Wilson’s aggression is contagious (30 ground balls and a goal in the ECAC Metro/South Championship), and after traveling to Africa, India and Argentina this fall, the junior has channel his rampaging emotions (Centennial-leading 21 penalties in 2008) towards a more technical approach to containing the best attackman the Conference has to offer.
Much of the off-season discussion surrounding Swarthmore lacrosse is focused on the cage. Gone is four-year starter Frank Mazzucco, an All-Centennial second-team selection in 2008, shifting the net-minding duties to junior Kevin Friedenberg (Needham, Mass. / Needham). Friedenberg, an All-Conference selection during his scholastic days in the Boston suburbs, has seen action in nine games at Swarthmore, including a four-save effort in second-half action of a 13-4 win over New England. Backing up Friedenberg will be freshman Michael Brockway (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Poly Prep CDS).
“We have two quality goalies ready to step in at the start of 2009,” said Gress. “Kevin has developed into a vocal leader on the field and in the weight room. He dedicated himself throughout the off-season and the workouts have lent to a higher level of play. Michael is a talented first-year who has played well throughout the pre-season.”
The schedule is a tale of two journeys again for the Garnet men. The non-conference schedule possesses challenges capable of preparing Swarthmore for the grueling Centennial affairs (three teams are ranked in the pre-season top-20 by Lacrosse Magazine). The Garnet open up the 2009 season at Eastern University (PAC finalist in 2008) on February 28 and the following weekend travel to Long Island to face the United States Merchant Marine Academy. Swarthmore makes its home debut in the middle of spring break, welcoming North Coast Conference power Wooster to Clothier Stadium on March 11. The Centennial Conference schedule begins at home on March 18 versus Ursinus with Muhlenberg (March 28), McDaniel (April 4) and #2 Gettysburg (April 18) also coming to campus. The Garnet will also face a pair of talented Liberty League teams, R.P.I. (April 11) and Hamilton (April 16) in the middle of the Conference slate, welcoming both teams to the College.
Come by this season and watch Coach Gress and the Swarthmore men flip that switch.