By Sam Michels
Round Table reporter
Lacrosse in Middletown has been growing rapidly for the past few years. This year’s team has been achieving greatness since they were in their youth. They consistently had very powerful teams.
Middletown ended its season last year falling one game short of the State Championship game where they lost to River Hill, in a close battle 9-6.
This year the team has no doubt in their minds that they can’t go one game more then last years impressive season.
Senior midfielder Ian Tolino says, “We were a young team last year and have many players returning, this year is going to be the year that teams talk about in the future of Middletown lacrosse.”
With only a couple days before the first game of the season at home against Carroll County powerhouse South Carroll, a game Middletown is looking to gain revenge from last years loss to the Cavaliers.
Middletown pulled out three explosive wins over the weekend in a scrimmage tournament down in Howard County where the team won games against Glenelg High School, a remaining state champion. They also beat Atholton High and Mount Hebron High School, who are all well known in the state for being strong lacrosse schools and are in the hunt for championships every season.
After last weekends scrimmages Junior Attackman Johnny Galloway says, “When were all on the field together, everything just comes together and things just fall into place. We just play lacrosse and were bringing something new to Middletown that no one has ever seen before.”
Middletown will rap up its preseason this week where they will play two more games to get set for the season to get underway. They will play a game this weekend against Hereford the class 2A state champ last year so they will be able to see where they compare verse the top level of competition. Middletown has a majority of a Frederick County base schedule where they will face off against such teams as Catoctin, Tuscarora, Brunswick, Walkersville, Frederick, and Thomas Johnson.
Senior Captain Tyler Lyons says, “Within the county Middletown is the team people should keep there eyes on were going to shock the whole county.”
This year the team seems to have a new vibe to them. Instead of just going off to practice everyday and playing lacrosse, the team is working for something that they have never accomplished, to be able to hold up a trophy at the end of the season at UMBC field. Most of the players have been playing lacrosse since they were in Elementary school and have achieved multiple undefeated seasons.
This year they hope to end in a place they have worked for ever since strapping on the pads for the first time. Many of these kids aren’t just playing for themselves; they are playing and giving it all they have for the team. The team has big dreams and isn’t going to settle for anything less then bringing home the schools first state title in the sport. Middletown’s season undergoes in less then a week and the quest for achieving greatness starts.
