It's always great when a team can start its season with legitimate optimism about the upcoming campaign. That is clearly the case for the Hackley boys lacrosse squad.
Last year Hackley finished 12-4 before losing to Rye Country Day in the quarterfinals of the Metro Tournament.
With the talent the Hornets have returning to the field this spring, Hackley should be able to garner another high win total and a postseason appearance this spring.
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"Our goal is to win the Ivy League title," Hackley coach Christopher Arnold said. "We need a commitment to defense and to team-driven offense. We have a number of weapons and they need to share the ball freely for us to be effective."
Hackley is positioning themselves for the title by working very hard during the preseason.
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"I love this team," Arnold said. "The returning players are totally focused on having a great season and they have been incredibly supportive of the new players. We have had a great preseason at 3D Lax in St. Petersburg, playing against outstanding competition. They love to compete and they work hard for each other. I think we have one of the strongest teams we have had in the past six or seven years, and we have a chance to have a memorable spring."
Leading the Hornets are top returnees including all-league junior midfielder Teddy Seem and all-league senior attack man Chris Starr.
They will be helped out by freshmen attack Sam Dardani and defenseman Chad Malinowski and sophomore middies Tucker Wright, AJ Alexacos and Jamie Curland, all of whom will make important contributions to this year's team, Arnold said.
Leading that team on attack will be Starr, whose performance on the offensive side will go a long way in determining whether or not the Hornets reach their goal of an Ivy League title.
"He (Star) is a tough player who loves to drive inside and eats up ground balls," Arnold said.
Sophomore Jiran Ahmad and Seem will be the keys to Hackley's midfield and its ability to get the ball upfield to the attack will also be a huge determining factor in how well the Hornets will fare this season.
"They are fast, athletic players and will be our best dodgers from up top," Arnold said.
Hackley's defense is senior dominated.
"Aiden Graham, Mike Curland and Brian Clingen are a tough, physical defense," Arnold said. "Chris, Jibran, and Teddy are the engine, but these three are the heart of our team."
The defense will be strengthened by two strong goalies in sophomore Mike D'Alessio and senior Roland Smith.
It's a good thing that the Hornets have the goalies that they do because strong goaltending is necessary to compete in the Ivy League.
"The Ivy League is a very well-balanced league," Arnold said. "There are strong teams from top to bottom, so you don't get to take any league games off. The fact that we play each team twice means that there are both historic and new rivalries every year, so the competition is fierce."
Hackley's first game is 4:30 p.m. April 7 at the Dalton School.
