Lindbergh plans to rebound following disappointing season

The Lindbergh Lacrosse Club has high hopes for the 2004 season.

Led by captains Nick Jenkerson and Dane McDonald, the Flyers will soar into the new season with the largest number of eighth graders and freshmen in the club's existence.

Coach Jim Devoto feels this season will be much better compared to last: "Last season we didn't have the chemistry we needed. With the addition of a C-Team, the middle-school kids will develop their skills more quickly and will enhance our program in the coming years."

The varsity team, compiled of mostly juniors, will face a brutal schedule at the beginning of the season.

The Flyers open the season on March 11th at home against the Vianney Golden Griffens. Vianney finished 12th in the state last year, losing 14-6 to the Lafayette Lancers.

Lindbergh faces conference foe Lafayette in its third game of the year.

Though Vianney and Lafayette both played in the state tournament last year, defenseman Louis Moynihan says the team is ready.

"Even though they (Vianney and Lafayette) are very good teams both offensively and defensively, we think we've worked really hard during the off-season to prepare for the season and we think this season will be a good farewell for all our seniors," Moynihan said.

The varsity team, led by Jenkerson and McDonald, also features the offensive skills of Kevin Strohmeyer, Nick King, Justin Sherwood, Paul Cardwell, Sam Ashlock, Mike Rudoff, Clayton Prewitt and Brian Dixon.

On the defensive side, Moynihan, along with his 9th grade brother Nick, will head the pack with Joe Bogle, Chris O'Keefe, Nick Beckmann and Jenkerson.

Kurt Burgensen will serve as both the JV and varsity goaltender.

As for the junior varsity club, it will mostly be composed of "swing players," which are players who are allowed to play on both the varsity and JV teams.

Seniors are not allowed to "swing," they must play varsity.

During the off-season, members of the JV and varsity teams went to Sperreng Middle School to introduce the sport of lacrosse to the 7th and 8th graders. So much interest was generated from their visit that the Lindbergh Lacrosse Club established a C-Team.

The C-Team will primarily be freshmen and 8th graders.

No members of C-Team are allowed to compete in varsity games, however, at the coaches' discretion, they can play JV.

The teams have been having joint scrimmages through the winter every Thursday at the Concord Soccer Club, with members of all teams participating.

The teams will begin full-padded, outdoor practices on Monday, March 1st.