RIVERSIDE HIGH SCHOOL LACROSSE 2004, DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA

| Home |

2006 season outlook

by Coach Jim Kirkley

2006 Pirates a mystery with an unpredictable ending

Like a good mystery novel, the 2006 Pirates have a lot of unanswered questions, and they may be a puzzle for their readers for a good portion of the season.

The 2005 edition of the Pirates won the regular season PAC VI crown, only to lose the tournament championship to cross-town rival Jordan, and then get upset by Wilmington Hoggard in the first round of the state playoffs. After those two disappointments, RHS also had to endure the loss of All-American middie Joey Pietrantoni, All-State and National Senior All-Star defenseman Murray Forbes, and eight other seniors. Those graduation losses left the Pirates with some huge holes to fill, and a lot of challenging conundrums heading into the 2006 season. And with only six seniors with varsity experience on this year's roster, the solutions will have to be provided by youth.

Chapter One: The Attack

The attack unit has the most experience, since it returns four of the top five from last year. Led by two-time First Team All-Conference selection and leading scorer junior Tim Woolley (22g, 29a), the attack should provide the stability and the punch for the Pirate offense. Woolley is joined by First Team All-Conference selection, senior Alvin Black (30g, 1a), junior Doug Cook (18g, 12a) and junior Colin Cash (7g, 1a). Those four accounted for 45 percent of last year's goals, and should increase their output this year. They have to play central roles if the Pirates are to unravel this intrigue. The supporting characters are senior Ben Gibala, sophomore Russell Warren and freshmen Dylan Britt.

Chapter Two: The Midfield

Senior co-captain Jonathan Beck (10g, 2a) will anchor the face-off duties where he won 61 percent last year. He will have to continue that performance if the last chapter of the Pirates' book will end on a positive note. But the lead character in this novel may well be junior Bob Kercher (22g, 15a). Kercher was a First Team All-Conference selection last year and is being touted as one of the top players in the state this year. Unfortunately, in a scene reminiscent of last year when Joey Pietrantoni was sidelined at the start of the season, Kercher is presently in a cast due to a broken hand and his early season status is uncertain. However, he should be the Pirate's leading scoring threat from the midfield when he gets on the field and a solid candidate for All American. Speedy junior Philip Tieszen (8g, 2a) is showing signs of having a breakout year, and should provide some scoring balance at the midfield slot. Those three will be complemented by senior Matt Tieszen (3g) and sophomores Clayton Abbott and Mike Schwartz. The defensive midfields will be anchored by senior co-captain Kyle Massey (23 GBs, 13 LBCs) who was a stalwart last year. He will be joined by sophomore Sam Cordones, juniors Corey Stanford and Felipe Jolles, senior long-pole Kieron James (19 GBs, 15 LBCs), and junior long-pole John Diguiseppi.

Chapter Three: The Defense

The defense took a big hit with graduation, losing three of their top four guys. Junior Matt Weaver (36 GBs, 14 LBCs) saw action as a freshman and was a starter all last year. He will have to take over the stopper's role this year. He will be joined by junior Bobby Trimble (2 GBs, 2 LBCs) who will could be a huge force on the field and sophomore Zack Brown, who is just up from the JV but who has a great future. Their backups will be senior Matt Erexson and sophomores Will Boone, Clark Harrison and Brian Juranas, all of whom were on the JV last year. This is the youngest and most inexperienced unit the Pirates field. How quickly they gel and learn will go far in determining the conclusion of the Pirates' saga.

Chapter Four: The Goal

In the goal the Pirates return senior co-captain Brad Smith. After two years on the JV, he started the first half of last season, racking up a 56 percent save percentage, before being sidelined by a back injury. He will need not only to be solid between the pipes, but also to take control of the young Pirate's defense. Backing him up will be junior Steven McGhee in his first year in a Pirate's lacrosse uniform. Both of the goalies have looked sharp in early season practice, and that bodes well for RHS.

Chapter Five: The Ending?

So, what will be the outcome? I am afraid you are going to have to read the book. If you enjoy a good mystery, then this year's Pirate Lacrosse team may be the one for you. With all the questions that come with young players and inexperience, combined with a very tough schedule, predicting the last chapter is certainly a guessing game at this point. You might be able to figure out the central characters in the novel, but the supporting roles will be the keys to unlocking the mystery. Will this year's story of the Pirates have a happy ending? Who knows? That last chapter hasn't been written yet. So sit back, get comfortable, and enjoy the read. That's the great part of a good novel anyway.

This site, rhslacrosse.com, is the unofficial Web page of the Riverside High School Pirates lacrosse team. It is for the enjoyment of parents and supporters, as well as any lacrosse fans who stumble upon it. If you have a comment about the Web page, e-mail to . If you'd like to contact Riverside's lacrosse coach, e-mail to .