Moeller High School 1996-97 Lacrosse Articles

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uly 16, 1997

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Northeast Suburban Life A15

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y ~evln Bundy taff Reporter Nationally, Ohio isn't exactly reveled as a hotbed of 1gh school lacrosse, so when a team of state all-stars '-f layed in the 25th Annual Vail, Colorado Lacrosse y·~ ~.. ,I /"·, . / / ' .. ,J/··....... '.,, /-·· ----- . , ! hootout this month, nobody knew what to expect. / '.. f ' r . , .[ '"1~1'' ' ' / / J' But thanks in large part to four Moeller graduates and · / r ~ / .'

1 ·~ ~ · , I 1 f!, \ ' ' 1\ U\E' I~ '... '' 11e St. Xavier player, all of whom live in Symmes 1 ownship or Sycamore Township, a lot more will be Dlllft , ·:, . . \,<:·",J .;- . <pected of Ohio entries in the future. The five players · '- · : '·r>·,L.,1 .

1:\.v { \ r- (;"" ~lped Ohio win the 12-team tournament, despite being i I / . 0--"-'J I / I l 1:\-- ',"\..;JJ r-.• :eded lOth entering play. /6},~ ··~ ' . '.. ' ' ~) · . [ ·""""" :{ r,,r·~ .. @s~J ' (:\,"'fA'' "They didn't know what to do with us before the urnament because nobody really knew anything about hio," said Mark Lynch, a 1997 Moeller graduate who layed goalie for Team Ohio. "I think we really .._. f ! "' \ .. t."''. ·\ '1,!1\... $ ... ; ' ',\"-. . ' 1pressed some of the people there, especially from the f \ .}'; ~<~ f ~• · .\ "":/\. . . :' .

1 L:"""' .;·. ..., ........, ·~ A,.·-:,.·>· ,•.• ,,,,.__.., .: ,· ''I' ~.::· ·:. estern part of the country where lacrosse is really big." .....__...........~~~~\~.~<":.·•' . . _·.• -.,"-'~- ,.__....! . ,,,__,,.,. --' <::·-- . i ~?.:: Lynch was joined on the team by Moeller classmates 1t Kennedy, Joe Fedders, and Steve Schaaff. All four Graduates from Moeller and St. Xavier high schools were part of an Ohio team recently winning the 25th annual ere team captains this year for the Crusaders' lacrosse Vall (Colorado) Lacrosse Shootout. From left to right are 1997 Moeller grads Joe Fedders, Pat Kennedy, Mark am. Joining them on team Ohio was Kevin Begley, a Lynch, and Steve Schaaff. At right Is Kevin Begley, a 1997 St. Xavier grad. All five will continue their lacrosse )97 St. Xavier graduate, who led 'his team in scoring careers In college. is year.

Each of the five will continue tlleir lacrosse careers burg College in Lynchburg, Virginia. Begley, the Divi- give us a taste of what play is going to be like at the next hen they head to college this fall. Kennedy, a high sion III offensive player of the year in Ohio, is going to level," Lynch said. "All the teams that were in the tournament were all-star teams." hool all-American, will play at Syracuse University. Dennison University.

Ohio won a couple of close victories to start the tour"I think this was a great experience for all of us to vnch, Fedders, and Schaaff all are headed to Lynch~

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nament in Vail over Fourth of July weekend. They defeated San Diego, 12-10, in the opening round and later beat Michigan, 15-12. In the semifinals Ohio played defending champion Colorado and squeaked out an 11-10 victory.

That set the stage for the championship game against a team of northern California all-stars. Ohio scored early and often to jump to a 6-0 lead in the finals and cruised to a 16-5 victory.

Kennedy and Fedders each scored goals in the finals and Schaaff and Begley contributed assists.

Lynch and Kennedy were named to the 10-man alltournament team following the tournament.

"I thihk that says something for the program at Moeller, because the only two players from Ohio named to the all-tournament team came from the same school," said Kevin Lynch, Mark's father who accompanied the team to Colorado .

"There were 24 players on the Ohio team and all the local boys really stood out."

Fedders said the tournament was a great way to cap his scholastic career before heading to Lynchburg. The Crusaders went 15-6 overall this season and finished fourth in the state Division I tournament. , "We had a good year (at Moeller)," Fedders said.

"And then being invited to try out for this team and going on to win the tournament was a really good experience."

Moeller clashes with rival '?97 St. X' in lacrosse ' '

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The blue a~cf gofci Moeller High School team played undefeated St. Xavier High School in a recent lacrosse matchup.

The game was close through the first quarter with Moeller leading, 3I. With great passing and unbelievable defense, the Crusaders stretched the lead to I 0-3 at halftime.

With continued in'spiration, Moeller maintained offensive pres:sure throughout the second half, cruising to a 22-9 victory.

The offense was led by Steve Schaff with five goals and one assist, Pat Kennedy with three goals and one assist, Joe Fedders with three assists; Brandon Sallee with three goals and one assist; Tony lonna with four goals and one assist; Shaun Bischoff with three goals; Nate Reed with one goal and one assist; Tug Schroeder with one goal and two assists; Ben Quisno 'with one goal; Chris Balsley with one assist and good play from Chris Pottebaum.

The defense was lead by Joe Merritt, Jon Simon, Tim Schuck-

man, P.J. Hile, Dave Jones, Adam Policinski, Jason Susshine,· Matt Zix, Ariel Tincher, Mike Martin and Andrew Mercurio.

Stellar. goal play from mark .

Lynch and Jason Susshine solidified this fine team effort.

Moeller then wen~ to Worthington Kilbourne and lost 16-7. The Crusaders came out flat starting the game and it continued through all facets of their play_. Nothing they did seemed to work. It was just one of those games.

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Moeller was one of several area teams to compete in the fifth annual Cincinnati Lacrosse Festival spansored by the Greater Cincinnati Lacrosse Association. .

The event was May 2-4 at Riverside Park in Newtown, and featured some of the state's best high school, college, youth, girls and women's club teams. · Other .boys varsity teams playing included St. Xavier, Indian Hill, \.Sycamore, Deer Park, Summit, Wilmington and the Cincinnati Styx.

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"Lacrosse is an exciting sport, and it's great to see ii grow. ·It's been a lonely trip ali these years. " - Moeller coach Ken lwanusa

Lacrosse catching on across tate

BY DAVE SCHUITE

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The Cincinnati Enquirer/Michael Snyder

Moeller goalie Mark Lynch defends the goal during a recent practice at Sharon Park. Moeller's team has won two state titles, in 1992 and '0':1 in

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f this question was asked, only a few of Cincinnati's most ardent high school sports fans could provide the answer: Which school, and in what sport, won back-to-back state championships in 1992 and 1993?

The answers: Moeller in lacrosse.

And now the school is aiming for a third title.

'The major competition will come from Cleveland St. Ignatius and Thomas Worthington (defending state champions)," coach Ken Iwanusa said. "We played Worthington early in the year, and they beat us pretty good."

Since that encounter in the second game of the sea.son, the Crusaders have won seven of eight games and are 8-2, including a recent 13-5 victory over St. Ignatius. · Moeller's team was founded nine years ago, and its success has spurred interest in the sport throughout Cincinnati. St. Xavier, Sycamore, Summit Country Day, Seven Hills, Wumington and Indian Hill now field teams.

Players whose schools don't sponsor lacrosse can play for the Cincinnati Styx, an independent group that is eligible to participate in the state tournament "Lacrosse is an exciting sport, and it's great to see it grow," Iwanusa said. "It's been a lonely trip all these years. There were no local teams, and we traveled a lot nf mil~>~ to nlav. We we leo me the

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-~ ~s lacrosse?

Lacrosse was first played

by North American Indians .

Players use a long stick with a scoop on the end to advance a small rubber ball across the field and into the opponents net.

Important numbers: t> The field is 11 0 yards by 57 yards. t> The better players shoot the ball about 90 . mph, so all players must wear helmets. t> There are 36 high schools in Ohio with lacrosse teams, including seven local schools: Moeller, St. Xavier, Sycamore, Summit Country Day, Seven Hills, Wilmington and Indian Hill. local competition."

There are 36 teams playing lacrosse throughout Ohio,13 more than in 1996.

In order to keep the playing field level, the Lacrosse State Coaches Association divided the school into three divisions with the more advanced teams, such as Moeller, in Division I. The other Cincinnati schools compete in Division III. "Sycamore and St Xavier are improved and will probably move to Division II in 1998," lwanusa said. "We beat Sycamore early, but St. X is undefeated, and it will be a good game when we play next week."

Moeller's ootent offense is built

around Patrick Kennedy, an AllAmerican who accepted a grant-inaid from Syracuse University where his father, Tom, played .

In nine games, Kennedy has scored 40 goals and come up with 20 assists. Steve Schaaf has 16 goals and 14 assists, followed by Joe Fedders with 14 goals and 16 assists.

Goalkeeper Mark Lynch has also played an important role, keying a tough defense that has limited opponents to fewer than six goals a game.

"We were gently trying to steer Mark toward St. Xavier four years ago," his father, Kevin Lynch, said. "But Mark loved lacrosse, and St. X didn't offer it, so we let him attend Moeller."

Lynch became interested in lacrosse when the family lived in Baltimore. At age 12, Lynch start· ed playing in a recreational league, immediately taking over as the goalie.

"I've played other·sports," Lynch said. "But lacrosse is full of action and isn't boring like basebalL It's very fast and includes some hitting like in football."

Most local players were involved in indoor lacrosse during the winter months. This expl.'rience has helped improve all the local programs, especia]]y St. Xavier and Sycamore.

Moeller and St. X will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Sycamore soccer field, and Lynch isn't taking the Division III Bombers lightly. ''We know that St. X will be one of the toughest games on our schedule," Lynch said. "They11 be gunning for us."

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