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Boys lacrosse season preview: Trevians trying to rebound in 2013
Wilmette, 5/01/12 New Trier's Rory McGinnis leaps and takes a shot during their match against Loyola May 1. | Curtis Lehmkuhl~Sun Times Media
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Jack Egofske (Sr.)
Long-stick midfielder
Evanston
Evanston has had just four first team all-CSL selections in the last decade, according to the team’s website, and a year ago Egofske became the Wildkits’ most recent selection. He also was chosen as Evanston’s team MVP at the conclusion of the 2012 season.
Rory McGinnis (Sr.)
Attack
New Trier
McGinnis earned first-team all-CSL honors a year ago. The senior captain will headline an attack unit which returns all of its players from last year, according to coach Tom Herrala. New Trier’s offense figures to receive a boost thanks to that experience and the return of sophomore Ben Connelly and senior Tyler Schmarak. Both suffered torn ACLs during the 2012 campaign.
Mike Schiappa (Sr.)
Defense
Loyola
Loyola’s defense was anchored by Dylan Harris and Schiappa last season, and the pair of US Lacrosse All-Americans helped the Ramblers win a state championship. Harris graduated in 2012, but Schiappa, a Lincolnwood resident, is back to lead the defense.
Cam Irwin (Sr.)
Attack
Glenbrook South
Irwin, Glenbrook South’s top returning player, committed to play at Tufts University earlier this year. The attacker was a first-team all-CSL selection a year ago, managing to distinguish himself in a conference full of quality attackers.
Ryan Maksimovic (Sr.)
Attack
Glenbrook North
Once Maksimovic’s hockey season concludes — Maksimovic is a forward for the highly-ranked Spartans — the senior will trade his hockey stick for a lacrosse stick and return to his role as Glenbrook North’s top attacker. Maksimovic has led the Spartans in scoring in each of the last two years and he was a second-team all-state selection as a sophomore.
Updated: April 15, 2013 10:12AM
WINNETKA — New Trier’s ultimate goal has been the same for nine seasons.
While winning a state title is rarely discussed during preseason boys lacrosse practices, seniors Tyler Schmarak and Rory McGinnis both agree that the Trevians are eager to try to wash away the disappointment experienced last season when their streak of seven consecutive state championships ended.
“I think the biggest thing that’s different is last year, there was kind of a sense of, ‘All right, we’re New Trier, we can win state,’ ” said Schmarak, a midfielder. “But after losing last year, we realized we’re mortal. We have to earn every win we get. We’re not just going to win, like coach (Tom Herrala) has been saying, because we’ve got New Trier written on our jerseys. There’s an extra sense of drive. We really need to go out there every game and play our best.”
Schmarak added: “We have to go out there and prove we’re the best team in Illinois.”
The Trevians’ goal has remained the same after last year’s squad — a team which finished 12-12 — was eliminated in the state quarterfinals by Wheaton Warrenville South. Herrala said New Trier returns its entire attack unit, four of its six midfielders and almost all of its defenders
New Trier responded by playing together more often in the offseason and trying to get stronger.
“We also have much more specific goals, like being more physical and being better teammates to each other,” McGinnis said. “We spent a lot more time on the field together this offseason, and in the weight room. Our team’s a lot stronger, faster and just overall more talented.”
Getting into the weight room and becoming a stronger, more physical team was a particularly large point of emphasis for Herrala. Not only does adding strength figure to help as the team tries to overtake Loyola, the defending state champions, but it also will likely be of benefit against the seven out-of-state opponents on New Trier’s schedule.
New Trier’s seniors “have made the effort to make sure they’re holding kids accountable for being in the weight room,” Herrala said. “That aspect of it has changed. We’ve been ramping it up over the years. We’re playing some of these out-of-state teams and they’re just always bigger and stronger. We have a strength and conditioning coach (Jim Davis) here at New Trier now, and that’s been a big addition.”
New Trier begins it season with the Oak Park-River Forest Invitational on March 16.
