2011 Kennedy Lacrosse Previews

Girls Lacrosse

2010 Record: 3-12

Head Coach: Kerri Andree (Fourth season) 

2011 Class: B-II

Top Players: Morgan Kitton, Kayleigh Grieser and Samantha Rothery.

The three seniors will be a big help this season for a rather young team. Kitton is a three-sport athlete and Grieser and Rothery have started since their freshman year.

Expectations: After a disappointing season last year, the Cougars are primed and ready to go for the upcoming season. While still a young team, Andre said the Lady Cougars have been working hard thus far and appear to have learned from last year.

"We're playing no nonsense everyday at practice," Andree said. "I told them I really want to make playoffs this year. I really want them to work hard. These girls mean a lot to me, I've been with them for four years ... so I have high expectations for them."

Big Games: April 9 @ Lynbrook (North Middle School), 2 p.m.; April 28 vs. Roslyn, 4:30 p.m.; May 2 vs. Hewlett, 4:30 p.m.

News & Notes: With the exception of the three seniors, Andree is working with a fairly young team. She is expecting her younger players, like sophomore Kerri Baum, to step up when the team needs it.

"We're a very young team," Andree said. Over the past two years we've lost our entire starting lineup that pretty much started for three to four years. ... A lot of what we were comfortable with over the past four years now has to be rebuilt."

Boys Lacrosse

2010 Record: 10-6 (Lost in the first round of the playoffs to Plainedge in double overtime)

Head Coach: Craig Papach (20th season) 

2011 Class: B-I

Top Players: Patrick Grillo (goalie), Zac Shuldiner (attack) and Will Diana (defense)

Grillo, Shuldiner and Diana are all seniors with multiple years of experience. Papach said they will be expected to lead by example this season.

Expectations: It doesn't matter what sport or what team it happens to, a sudden-death overtime loss as devastating as it gets and the Kennedy Cougars are ready to push forward after last season.

"We've made the playoffs three years in a row, so we expect to make the playoffs again, and then we want to build off of last year's overtime loss in the first round," " Papach said. "We want to win a first round game. If you a first-round game, you get to play at Hofstra. So those are the goals."

Big Games: April 13 vs. New Hyde Park, 4:30 p.m.; April 20 @ Carey, 10 a.m.; May 10 @ Jericho, 4:30 p.m.

Papach acknowledged that the nationally ranked Garden City and Wantagh teams will present a serious challenge, but the Cougars must beat the three teams mentioned above to have any shot at a playoff run.

News & Notes:  Kennedy has a large team with what Papach has described as a "healthy mix" of younger and older players. Out of 30 members of the team, seven are sophmores.

"We're young, but we do have a couple of experienced veterans," he said.

The Cougars went 10-6 in the regular season last year with a very tough schedule. This year's schedule will give Kennedy a similar challenge, but the Cougars have their sights set on Hofstra and very well might be on their way.