Several Division I College Programs Pursue Yorktown's Mabus

Yorktown junior Justin Mabus became more aggressive, more physical, and evolved into more of an established scorerfor the Huskers this season. 

Mabus' leaps-and-bounds improvement came partly at Huskers coach Dave Marr's urging, partly at Mabus' desire to expand as a player and refine some facets of his game. 

Mabus deposited timely goals in crucial games, supplementing Yorktown All-American Kevin Interlicchio on the wing this season. He operated offense, used his body more effectively, and manufactured offense around the cage. 

Several Division-I programs have been in active pursuit of the 6-foot-2, 160-pound midfielder. St. John's, Fairfield, and Army, have all been in constant contact with Mabus, who has been playing lacrosse for eight years. 

"Those are the main ones," said Mabus of the trio of potential lacrosse living rooms.   

Schools such as Loyola-Maryland, Towson, Hartford, and the University of Maryland have also expressed interest. Mabus said he's interested in Maryland, the most reputable of the bunch. The Terps' tradition of success and academic prestige intrigues Mabus, who could be sifting through more and more letters as he plays for West Rock on the summer travel circuit. 

Mabus will make a decision based on the team, the system of the team, and how well he'll be able to mesh under that style of play. 

A more confident and composed Mabus left his fingerprints on some crucial games this season.

"At the beginning of the year, I was a little hesitant," Mabus said. "I guess you can say my confidence built, too. I was having a lot of fun and loosening up, which helped me do better towards the end of the season." 

The Huskers, who faced a tough national schedule, were feast-or-famine throughout the 2010 campaign. Their season concluded with a loss to cross-town rival Lakeland-Panas in the Section I championship. The loss ended in dramatic fashion, with Lakeland-Panas scoring a game-winner in a sudden-death overtime.

While the loss is a tough pill to swallow, Mabus said it's only more motivation for his senior year. In the Section I championship, Mabus scored two goals and handed out three assists to spearhead the Huskers. 

He helped Yorktown come roaring back from a two-goal deficit with a timely goal that tied it all up in the fourth frame. 

"Justin did great," said Marr, following the Huskers' devastating 8-7 loss in the Section I/Class A final. "We've been trying to get him to do that all season in terms of being aggressive and using his body and understanding he can make guys slide and find open men. He finally did that and it led to a couple nice goals." 

Also a football player, Mabus is the starting quarterback for a Huskers team which utilizes both his aerial and running game. Lacrosse, however, has become his true labor of love and the sport he will take to the next level.  

Mabus tried out for the All-American talent Yorktown varsity team in his freshman year. He said he wasn't discouraged about getting cut. 

Fast forward to a year later. 

Buying into the team concept, Mabus made the squad and served as a setup man for then-senior John Ranagan.   

Ranagan, who now plays at NCAA perennial power Johns Hopkins, where the aforementioned Interlicchio is headed, was the benificiary of many pinpoint passes from Mabus. 

"It helped having John Ranagan on my side," said Mabus while assessing his development. "They like me on the wing, and I was able to help out John. That's really how I was able to help the team out last year." 

Mabus has made campus visits to St. John's, Fairfield, West Point, and Loyola-Maryland. St. John's may have the upper hand on Mabus. Assistant coach Brian Dalton, the former professional who starred at Lakeland-Panas, coached Mabus' sixth grade summer team. The two have been close ever since. 

Though Mabus heated up as the season hit the late stages, he doesn't think he give an accurant account of himself in 2010. 

"There were times where I should have stepped up or didn't, which kills me inside because I have a couple of regrets for a couple of games," Mabus explained. 

He'll have other opportunities to prove himself, starting with Jake Reed's Nike Blue Chip camp at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC). The camp, which will take place at the end of the month, is billed as a "who's who" of the nation's top juniors. An overabundance of scouts and Division-I coaches are expected to attend.   

"If I play well there, I'll have the chance to get some even better looks from colleges and scouts," Mabus said.