by Zachary Keenan ’18
Led by seniors Trevor Adams, Mason Monahan, and Mitchell Rehak, the 2015 US Lacrosse season was a tumultuous one, filled with peaks and valleys. These peaks included beating Kenston, Westlake, Shaker Heights, and upsetting predictions made by critics. However, some of these valleys included a loss to longtime bitter rival, WRA; a game that ended 8-7 in overtime.
Worth mentioning, however, is Coach Jack Fisher’s theory of developing the team during the season by constantly testing the team against Division 1 powerhouses. This theory has been proven over the past 11 years Fisher spent as a coach at US. He took the team to 10 State Semifinals and 4 State Finals, 2 of which the Preppers took home the OHSLA State Championship trophy. Coach Fisher scheduled the team to play top-notch teams this year during the season, such as Division 1 state semifinalist St. Ignatius, Division 2 state champion Chagrin Falls, and Division 1 regional finalist Solon.
On May 14th while the US team travelled to Shaker Heights to play the Raiders, tragedy struck when Hawken seniors Alex Doody and Josh Weil lost their lives in a car wreck on County Line Road. Both Doody and Weil were active and respected lacrosse players, and Josh Weil was (and still remains) a captain of the team. When the Preppers squared off against the Hawks for the OHSLA Regional Final, captains Charlie Hruby and Isaac Woods held the shoulders of Weil’s jersey as they walked to the pregame captain huddle.
In a truly emotional match, the Preppers fell 13-9 to a strong team lead by hard work and determination. When asked about his mood toward the Preppers’ performance on the day, Jack Fisher stated that he had “nothing but respect” for the coaching staff and players at Hawken. The Preppers finished the season with 8 wins and 10 losses, a truly impressive feat with their difficult schedule.
Among the top candidates for Most Valuable Player stood 11th grader Chase Hunyadi. Chase topped off the season with a team high 40 goals, while also showing an ability to pass with 22 assists. On defense, junior, and captain candidate, Henry Boeschenstein picked up 40-plus ground balls, as well as hitting an average of two checks per game.
The coaching staff and athletic department eventually named Mitchell Rehak the Most Valuable Player for the 2015 season. Tallying 10 assists in the season, Mitch also found the back of the net 20 times, one of the top scorers on the team.
Looking forward to next season, the 2015 Prepper team was a very young one, lead by only seven seniors. This coming season, the team is highly ranked and is a favorite to play in the state championship this year. Highlighted by seniors Henry Boeschenstein, Will Karakul, Chase Hunyadi, Peter Benjamin, and Austin Loconti, the team will definitely thrive this year. The players are looking forward to meeting new coach Hans Rydquist, former head coach of Massillon Jackson High School.
Due to the coaching transition, captains for the 2016 season have yet to be named.
