This was what the Duke lacrosse squad chanted while waiting in the wings of Gillette Stadium last may, after a sensational semifinal match between Virginia and Syracuse, who won in overtime. Eager to take the field, the Duke team had no idea what was coming. What came was a shocking upset, courtesy of the team that at midseason looked like it would be lucky to reach .500. The Dukies' enthusiasm was charming (as charming as one can be when you're from Durham and wear that dreaded shade of blue) but they had another thing coming. His name? Paul Rabil. Dave Pietramala and his Blue Jays masterfully crafted a come-from-behind, last minute victory, that would send them soaring into Monday's finals. Cue the highlight reel for Kevin Huntley's behind the back goal. They ended up losing on Monday, to the evil nemesis, Syracuse. There, to me, is no more hated lacrosse program than that that has housed Gary Gait, Casey, Mike, and Ryan Powell. Oh, and Brett Bucktooth. Anyways, I did not stop crying the whole way back to Baltimore, and then some. But I was not just upset that Hopkins had lost. I was heartbroken that I had just witnessed Paul Rabil's last college game, his last game in that uniform, his last game playing for Petro, and he had not been able to go out on his own terms. Sure he scored 5 goals, or maybe six, the memory's fuzzy, but personal accolades are nothing to Paul. As a Blue Jay, it was not about him; it was about the team.
And now Rabil is gone. Drafted off to the Boston Cannons, as the MLL's number one pick. Gone is Doneger. Gone is Huntley. Gone is Bocklet. Gone is Peyser. Four All-Americans, countless other contributors. We now look to the new season, beginning in just two weeks, and we are full of questions. Will Gvozden be able to step up, or rather out, once again, and make the same crucial saves he had last season? Will Evans and Drenan take charge of a young defense and can Mike Kimmel become the next Paul Rabil? Apparently the new team chant is "Step Up," and the boys in blue will definitely need to keep this motto in mind. It could be a rocky season, or a great one. But one thing is certain; Dave Pietramala never ceases to surprise. Last season, the Blue Jays suffered an embarrassing losing streak, capped off by a blowout win for North Carolina on Hopkins' own turf. Yet they charged back, making it to the finals, and slashing past Duke, who had already stamped its plane tickets to Cabo for a celebration vacation.
Criticism and pessimism is everywhere, and analysts, fans, the media, think the impossible certainly will not be done. But Hopkins has graduated great players before. In recent years, Hopkins has lost Jake Byrne, Jesse Schwartzman, and even Kyle Harrison, who is in my opinion the greatest player of all-time. Each year, the Johns Hopkins lacrosse team perseveres, and has made it to the finals the past two years.
Look for Steven Boyle, the returning leading scorer, to help Kimmel run the attack, and Matt Dolente to continue his dominance at midfield, ensuring possession. Brian Cristopher is consistently strengthening and will help garner the midfield. We can also expect great contributions from rising stars Mark Bryan, Sam DeVore, and Tommy Duerr. Struggling Siena and Princeton teams at the top of Hopkins' schedule provide potential wins to start off the season.
The main problem is not what these younger players are capable of doing, but it is whether or not they can continue to do what they do without Peyser to take the draw, or Rabil to snatch an iffy pass and finish for a goal. Without Doneger's dependability or a feed from Huntley. Without power attackers, the offense will have to shift its approach, and will rely on transition rather than Paul Rabil's power packages. As of now, no Blue Jay is dominant enough to take on two, or even three defenders, on his own during a man up situation. If Hopkins is successful in this transition approach, however, they will make it far for the third consecutive season. Before further analysis, I may need to watch a few games, but my feelings are that Pietramala and his boys could well be knocking at the door of another playoff run.
This season will separate the true fans from the fair weather fans, and the weak from the brave at heart, both on the field and off. It may be a roller coaster of a year, but that is one thing that the Johns Hopkins lacrosse team is not afraid of. After all, they just wanna lax.
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