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Wolves Still Not Over Loss

Bookmark and Share Printer Friendly Jul. 2, 2010

Wolves Still Not Over Loss

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Days after the Worthington Kilbourne High School boys lacrosse team's 10-8 loss to Upper Arlington in the Division I state championship June 5 at Dublin Jerome, it was difficult for coach Drew May to talk about the season in the past tense.

"Every time someone congratulates me on the season, I wish we were still playing," said May, whose team finished 16-7 overall. "I don't think I've gotten over it yet."

Kilbourne entered the season as an unknown quantity after losing 15 seniors from last season, when the Wolves finished 21-2 and won their first state title, defeating UA 7-6 in the championship.

The Wolves lost two of their first four games, but a 10-8 win over Hudson Western Reserve Academy on March 28 showed their potential.

Kilbourne was bumped from the "A" bracket of the Midwest Scholastic Lacrosse Coaches Association tournament after a 16-5 loss to UA on May 4 and lost to Mount Lebanon (Pa.) 7-5 in a "B" bracket semifinal May 7 but then won seven consecutive games before facing UA in the championship. During the winning streak, the Wolves outscored their opponents 94-43.

"That loss to Mount Lebanon was a turning point," May said. "After that, we rebounded and learned from our mistakes."

Kilbourne tied Jerome and Hilliard Davidson for second in the OCC-Buckeye Division at 4-2, behind UA (5-1) and ahead of Dublin Coffman (2-4), Thomas Worthington (2-4) and Dublin Scioto (0-6).

The Wolves appear to have a huge rebuilding project ahead of them next season as they lose 16 seniors, who compiled a 79-19 record the last four years, marking the best four-year period in program history. During that span, Kilbourne reached a state semifinal four times and the state final three times.

"They were a pretty tight group," May said. "They went about their business as a team."

Among the seniors are goalkeeper Cole Horwatt, defenders Jake Hertenstein and Alex Watson, attacker Cory Spencer (46 goals, 17 assists) and midfielders Will Campbell (48 goals, 8 assists), Kyle Giannamore, Conor Igoe (44 goals, 17 assists) and Tyler Johnson (15 goals, 5 assists).

Campbell, the OHSLA's Midfielder of the Year, and Igoe were named All-Americans as well as first-team all-state, all-region, all-league and all-Midwest. Hertenstein and Spencer were first-team all-state and all-region and second-team all-league and all-Midwest. Horwatt was second-team all-region and honorable mention all-Midwest and Giannamore and Watson were honorable mention all-region.

"We surpassed everyone's expectations," Igoe said. "Our main goal was to make it (to the state championship). We had success no one thought we were going to have."

Behind the seniors is a group of players eager to take their place. Junior Alex Wylly and freshmen James Gundling and Kyle Johnson are expected to compete for starting goalkeeper. Juniors Kevin Carey and Nate Labin and sophomores Devin Heath and Trae Starker should be back on defense.

Expected to return on attack are sophomores Charlie Bassani (26 goals, 29 assists), Nick Bortolani (8 goals, 2 assists), James Meager (32 goals, 15 assists), Brian Miller and Ryan Pritchett (24 goals, 8 assists) and freshman Jake Roberts.

In the midfield, juniors Dominic Luckino, Matt Malone and Payden Pierce, sophomores Jared Wright and Tae Young Kim and freshmen Jon Watson and Matt Wylly are expected to return.

Meager and Bassani were honorable mention all-Midwest and Bassani was honorable mention all-league.

"We're going to be young, but we do return some players who got a lot of time this year," May said.

At a glance

•Record: 16-7 overall, 4-2 (tied for second) in OCC-Buckeye

•Seniors lost: Will Campbell, Tyler Englehart, Michael Frizzi, Tim Gebert, Kyle Giannamore, Matt Goldberg, Jake Hertenstein, Cole Horwatt, Conor Igoe, Tyler Johnson, David Rainey, Matt Roper, Travis Seeger, Jacob Seidensticker, Cory Spencer and Alex Watson

•Key returnees: Charlie Bassani, Kevin Carey, Nate Labin, James Meager, Payden Pierce, Alex Wylly, Matt Wylly and Tae Young Kim

 

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