Hastings' Fab Four Make Memorable Season For McCann

The days are long; the years are short.

 The adage has significant relevance to Hastings girls lacrosse coach Bob McCann. McCann arrived at Hastings High School in the fall of 2001. Then a paper-thin 22-year-old, McCann didn't just appear as if he were fresh from Springfield College graduation--he appeared as if he were fresh from his high school prom.  

As a first-year physical education teacher at Hastings, McCann was twice confused for a student during field trips. 

Since then, McCann says, the years have been flying by at a seemingly furious pace.    

McCann has seen a number of faces come and go. And along with boys coach Drew Wendol, he has helped establish a lacrosse culture in Hastings.

McCann's molded a core of talent and converted a number of athletes  into adept lacrosse players.

WhileHastings is a small school and close-knit community, McCann admits to frequent momentary amnesia when putting names to former faces--however, he will never forget the 2010 yellow jackets lacrosse team.

This year, McCann's team churned out an unprecedented four Academic All-Americans: Kari McWalters, Andrea Stephens, Maya Neria, and Dana Borelli.  

Laura Capucelli and Emma Nathaniel had received the award in previous years, but never has McCann had a quartet of top-stratum student-athletes on the same team. 

 The feat seems almost unheard of in a public schoolt.

 "I really don't want to sound like I'm bragging, but I can't think of any teams that have done that (had four players named to the prestigious academic All-American team) before," says McCann.  

 "There were lots of criteria for the award," he said. "The athlete had to have a GPA higher than 3.6. They have to hold some sort of leadership position on an athletic team. The athlete has to be at least an all-league player, which they all were on multiple sports teams."      

For McWalters, a three-year starter who evolved into Hastings' all-time leading scorer (tallying 186 goals and dishing out 42 assists), it was the icing on a prosperous career.   

Hastings High School's salutatorian, McWalters stuffed the stat book her senior season.

She shredded defenses to the tune of 3.5 goals per game, navigated double-teams, doled out assists, and rocketed shots from inside and outside.

The Duke-bound McWalters' most memorable performance was against Pleasantville, she said, in the opening round of the Ardsley tournament. 

Though the Yellow Jackets ended up falling in a 17-15 nailbiter, McWalters gashed the Panthers for a game-high seven goals, shooting the ball at smoking 7-for-8 clip.

She turned in a trio of seven-goal performances and found the back of the net 62 times.  

 "Right now, she's on the fence about playing (in college)," said McCann. "I'm telling her to try out, but either way she's got a lot to look forward to. She really left a lasting legacy here at Hastings."    

As did Borelli.

The recently graduated middie averaged 2.8 goals per game, erupting for four or more goals on five occasions.    

 Neria and Stephens, a pair of hyper-athletic and academically superb juniors, played significant roles for the Yellow Jackets as well.

Neria, a three-sport standout, emerged as the team's leader in assists. Her ability to create scoring opportunities and lead the break with a full head of steam has McCann confident the jackets can turnaround from a 5-12 campaign next season.    

Stephens registered a career-high four assists against Our Lady of Victory and erupted for six goals in a loss to Edgemont, which earned a berth in the Section I championship.    

Despite back-to-back league championships (and undefeated runs through the conference play)  in 2008 and 2009, the jump to a more competitive conference (consisting of teams such as White Plains, Scarsdale, and Edgemont) took some of the sting out of the Jackets.  

The All-American awards provided a bright spot during an otherwise down year for the program.    

"You had to be so good on and off the field to earn this type of award," explained McCann, adding that community service and leadership were also considered.    

McCann recognizes that in the world of coaching,  a special group of this caliber rarely comes around.    

The years may feel short, but his squad made 2010 that much sweeter for McCann.