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06/04/2023 07:55 AMEver since his sophomore season, it has been full steam ahead for Will Kleine in terms of producing points for the Hand boys’ lacrosse team-netting the Tigers several victories and himself multiple accolades and monumental milestones in the process.
After a 100-point season as a junior en route to earning Second Team All-SCC honors in 2022, Will has compiled a campaign stat line of 67 goals and 15 assists. The senior attacker, who has 132 tallies and 67 helpers for his Tigers’ tenure, additionally surpassed the 100-career goal threshold this spring and will play lax at Mount St. Mary University next season.
“I really just love the fast-paced and competitive nature of lacrosse, and I love making plays,” says Will, who also played on the gridiron for the Tigers. “My success has come mainly from out-of-season work. I just put in the work by hitting the wall and shooting. I also have had great teammates and coaches around me.”
Will recollects that he saw the full fruition of all of his long hours laboring over lax when he crossed the career threshold of 100 goals. Spoken like a true team player and competitor, he was so focused on the game that he was unaware of the feat until his colleagues communicated it to him.
“It was definitely a big milestone for me. It showed all of my hard work truly paid off,” Will says. “I did not even realize it when it happened. Once my teammates stopped everything and grabbed the ball to hand it to me, I realized then it was a big moment.”
Trapped in the frenetic frenzy that is atypical of any contest, Will will wait for the opportune moment for the opponent to make a sudden move before swiftly passing the rock off, or taking it on his own to drive home a score for his squad.
“In the moment, I just feel things out and the game slows down when I have the ball. If a slide comes early, then I will give the ball to a teammate,” says Will. “As an attacker, I love scoring goals, getting assists, and helping my team win games. It can be tough when defenders are attacking me all game long. When that happens, I trust my teammates to make plays, and I just let the game come to me.”
As a senior influencer on the squad, Will has seen several younger players come into their own this spring–just as he has done after finding his rhythm and swagger starting all the way back in his sophomore season.
“A lot of the young guys on the team this year have stepped up and made big plays, which is really good to see,” Will says. “Mentally over the years, I have gotten more comfortable since my sophomore year, and I feel more at home with my team and what to do with the ball in situations. I have gotten better with my stick skills, too.”
Hand boys’ lax Head Coach John Orlando is not shocked by Will’s wealth of numbers for his career since he knows he can beat opposing players via a multitude of techniques. Coaching Will from a young age, he has seen tremendous growth in his character and abilities, spurred on by his dedication to his craft.
“Will is a lefty attackman and is a natural goal scorer who has shown this ability since his youth days through high school,” says Orlando, who has coached Will since third grade. “He is a very competitive athlete that is very hard on himself and is quietly driven to succeed. He is a dual threat, because he can dodge and create goal scoring opportunities for himself, and he is elusive off the ball and has a very good lefty outside shot and can beat goalies by picking corners. Will is a player that has dedicated himself to the sport and has been playing offseason club ball since his youth days and has been involved in some of the top offseason tournaments and showcases to improve his game. He has certainly put in the time to be the best lacrosse player he can be.”
Moving onto Mount St. Mary University following this campaign, Will simply wants to excel in each facet of his newfound collegiate lifestyle. He adds a good deal of future success will come from his tenure as a Tiger that taught him the dividends of fortitude.
“In college, I want to keep my grades high, get on the team, get on the field, and help the team win,” Will says. “I have learned through sports that hard work will pay off, even if you will not see the rewards right away. I worked hard and came back the next year stronger after my first year.”
Even though he’s looking ahead to his future, Will and Hand still have much unfinished business with the Class M State Tournament. For he and the rest of his senior class, they would love nothing more than to cap off their many years together with a state crown that would double as a superb send off to a Tigers’ program still in search of that elusive first title.
“We have a great group of guys here; it really is a brotherhood,” says Will. “The seniors have been playing together since about third grade. It would mean a lot for the seniors to win a state title together.”