This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
04/23/2018 12:00 AMThe Valley Regional boys’ lacrosse team is off to a modest start in 2018 after claiming its first Shoreline Conference title last season. Last week, the Warriors picked up a 5-0 shutout win against Old Saybrook that was sandwiched in between a couple of defeats. Head Coach George Hudson’s squad has a record of 3-4 as it looks to make its way back into the playoffs.
The Warriors grabbed their win last week by posting a shutout at Old Saybrook on April 19. Valley was faced with a major challenge in going up against Rams’ goalkeeper Keaton Roarick, and Coach Hudson felt proud of his club for being patient and picking its spots against a tough opponent. Junior Dylan LaPlace made seven saves in net to get the shutout for the Warriors.
“We worked hard in that game. They have one of the best goalies in Keaton Roarick. That guy is phenomenal,” said Hudson. “We looked for our shots when we could get them. We were being patient and smart with the ball.”
The Warriors scored early against Old Saybrook by netting two goals in the first quarter and three more in the second. Junior Sean Cole notched a goal and three assists in the contest and is making a big impact on the Warriors’ attack this year. The junior already has 14 goals and is moving the ball well, as evidenced by his 18 assists. Coach Hudson thinks that Cole has taken the next step, and he feels that bodes well for both this year and next season.
“Sean is really stepping up on attack,” Hudson said. “He was important last year as one of the major contributors. He’s still only a junior, which is huge for us.”
Other contributors in Valley’s win over Old Saybrook included junior Rick Persico, who hit the back of the net twice with a pair of goals; plus Cameron Frazier and Finn Miller, who both scored a goal.
Last year, Valley was bolstered by senior leadership all over the field, and one athlete who Coach Hudson is looking to fill that role this spring is senior captain Soren Frantz. Hudson said that Frantz looms large in midfield and disrupts the offensive momentum from the opposition. The senior has five goals on the season.
“He plays close defense, but he’s a midfielder. He has the green light to go at any time,” Hudson said. “He has great stick handling skills. He’s that universal player that I can lean on.”
The Warriors’ other senior captain is Charlie Ferrucci, who maintained his presence around the team while he was working his way back from injury. Ferrucci got back on the field the last few games, and he’s tallied four goals with two assists.
Prior to defeating Old Saybrook, the Warriors lost a close home contest to Old Lyme by the final score of 10-8. Ferrucci notched three goals in the game, while Cole and Frazier had two apiece. Cole also added two assists, and Miller picked up a goal and an assist in the defeat.
Miller’s presence on the field has been an unexpected bonus as the senior transferred to Valley and brought a veteran mentality with him. Miller also excels at winning face-offs, and Hudson plugged him into the lineup when Ferrucci was recovering from his injury.
“Finn Miller’s filled a big gap for us in the midfield,” said Hudson. “He’ll be a major contributor for us this year. He’s a face-off guy for us and a big contributor.”
Valley’s schedule features some stiffer competition than in years past. Coach Hudson scheduled some additional games against difficult non-conference opponents, and one of those teams was Waterford, which defeated Valley 15-4 on April 21. Although the Warriors scuffled early, Hudson saw them settle in and get back to their style of play as the game progressed.
“We didn’t play our best, but I don’t think we played our worst. Once we settled down and played our run-and-gun game, we were more successful,” said Hudson. “We upped our schedule picking up a few out-of-conference teams. We’re always striving to get better every day. We don’t want to be complacent in what we do.”
Junior Charlie Haughton corralled four ground balls for Valley in the loss. Cole had two goals and an assist, while Frazier, Ferrucci, and Persico each had a goal.
While the Warriors are still finding their way this year, Coach Hudson has high expectations for the squad with his sights set squarely on the postseason.
“I think the expectation is to make it to the Conference Tournament and to make it to states,” Hudson said. “We have a good tradition at Valley, and we have good players. The goal every year is to get into the tournament. That’s what we set up this year: to have a good showing and compete.”
From the Sidelines
The Valley boys’ lacrosse has wins against Haddam-Killingworth (11-6), Cromwell (12-5), and Old Saybrook (5-0) this year. The Warriors’ losses have come against North Branford (12-10), Morgan (8-4), Old Lyme (10-8), and Waterford (14-5).
Warriors’ Head Coach George Hudson welcomes new assistant coach Mike Orfao to the fold this year.
The Warriors had their best season in program history last year with a 15-5 record and their first Shoreline Conference Tournament championship.