Lacrosse looks to turn a great start into a championship

Coming off a 19-5 win against Sanderson, the Men’s lacrosse team looks to push their build on their current 5-2 record.

Most sports teams have one goal in mind, and that’s going to states and winning a championship.  Head Coach Derin Vacca and the lacrosse team are no different.  The team wants to take it all home this year, and they definitely have the opportunity to win with this fantastic 5-2 start to the season.

“We not only want to win the Conference championship this year but the state championship as well,” Vacca said.  “We just need to stay focused on the end result and play with poise.”

Vacca graduated from Wakefield in 2008.  Now he is giving back to the school, in the form of coaching the lacrosse team and building relationships with each player.  

“I have great relationships with the players on the team,”  Vacca said.  “As I myself am a younger coach.”

Senior Sam Groce is the only returning starter on defense for the lacrosse team.  He will have to be the leader this year – learning his younger teammate’s styles of play and merging them with his own in order to maintain a strong defense.

“I have all new guys on my line,” Groce said.  “I want to grow as one unit with my guys on defense and also with the rest of the team.”

As a senior, Groce will be a role model for younger players.  He has set some high goals not only for himself but the team as a whole.

“I want to lead the team in the best way that I can,” Groce said.  “I strive to make sure that everyone is making themselves better and that ultimately everyone is having fun.”

One of the reasons this team is experiencing success each year is the team chemistry.  The team is able to be around each other every day and they love every second of it.

“Our team chemistry is great,” Groce said.  “It is what makes us a great team.  We’ve all been close for a long time and I think that reflects in our play.”

Senior Attacker Cooper McKaskel will play as the leader on the opposite side of the field as Groce.  He will do anything that he can to keep everyone around him motivated and focused on winning game after game.

“I want to be a team leader that can help the team win as many games as possible,” Mckaskel said.  “In order to be the leader I want to be that means I’ll have to be a team player, willing to do anything necessary for success.”

Vacca makes the team run laps to keep them in good condition so they have the edge over their opponents.  McKaskel knows that the hard work is necessary in order to come away with the win each game.

“We have a great relationship with our coach,” McKaskel said.  “Even after all the running he makes us do.  It’s hard work but it’s worth it with the end result that comes from it.”

Senior Midfielder Ryan Finley believes there is still room for improvement for team chemistry, as it is still early in the season with new faces on the team.  He believes that will correct itself over time with effort.

“Our team chemistry is already pretty strong,” Finley said.  “We just need to work on meshing together as a unit.”

Since the players who are on the team have been playing with each other for so long, (some for all four years of high school,) there are strong relationships between them.  The friendships between the players are just as strong as that of the players and the coaches.

“I love each and every one of my teammates,” Finley said.  “They are my family, and I consider them to be my brothers.”