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07/27/2017 12:00 AMShane Molloy has always been an active kid, and his time as an athlete at Guilford High School proved no different. In his last year with the Guilford boys’ lacrosse squad, Shane seemed to be everywhere on the field and earned a slew of major accolades as a result.
Shane, who recently graduated from Guilford, was spurred to start lacrosse in 8th grade after watching his older siblings play the sport. As an attacker and the Indians’ lead face-off man, Shane made his final high school foray count by collecting several distinctions for his excellent play this spring.
Shane earned All-SCC First Team and Connecticut High School Coaches Association Class M All-State honors for the second straight year to go with a spot on the New Haven Register All-Area Team. On top of that, Shane garnered All-American status after finishing the year with 42 goals and 23 assists for Guilford, which advanced to the Class M quarterfinals.
“It means so much to me that everyone thought I played that well. I want to see the game grow across the country and become better known,” says Shane, who is also the Indians’ all-time leader in ground balls. “We had a strong offense this year with some young and good players. We were quick and able to move the ball around. Our defense stepped up, and Evan Hilgert stepped up huge in net. We also had an amazing coaching staff.”
Shane went through quite an evolution as a member of Guilford boys’ lacrosse. In his freshman year, Shane was timid around the ball. However, by the time he reached his senior season, Shane became an aggressor who was always looking to strike at a moment’s notice.
“As a freshman, I nervously played the game. I never attacked and was always afraid to make mistakes,” Shane says. “As a senior, I looked for goals and looked for the ball. I wasn’t as afraid to make mistakes as I went on, because I knew I could always make up for them.”
Shane was a tireless worker from one end of the field to the other with the Indians. When it came to perfecting his quick skills on the draw, he had it down to an exact science and ultimately won 70 percent of the face-offs he took.
“With face-offs, it’s important to be the quickest one out there and to punch down to the right at a 45-degree angle,” he says. “A strong player has to be able to play all around the field in all aspects of the game. You also have to know how to rile your guys up.”
Guilford Head Coach Brian White praises Shane for leaving a lasting impact at Guilford. White feels that Shane can only get better from here after seeing him accomplish so much with the Indians.
“Shane is one of the hardest working and most talented lacrosse players ever to come out of Guilford,” Coach White says. “He truly has developed his game and elevated his ability to exceptional levels. He has a bright future ahead of him, and I look forward to seeing what he is able to accomplish at the next level.”
While Shane is currently undecided on his major as he gets ready to attend Division I Towson University in Maryland, he’s prepared to take on any obstacles that come his way, whether athletically or academically. Regardless of what path he travels, Shane knows that he will always have the everlasting support from his fellow members of the Guilford sports family in his corner.
“Guilford lacrosse has made a huge impact on my life. I’ve seen four years of players, and I am still good friends with former teammates, and they’ve had a big impact on me,” says Shane, who thanks his family, Coach White, and former Yale University men’s lacrosse coach Graham Niemi. “I want to be able to play lacrosse at Towson by my sophomore year. It will be tough, and I know I’ll have to train every day to be in shape. It will also be a challenge academically, but I know I’ll have the people from Guilford behind me.”