Photo By Abigail MacMillan, Editor-in-Chief
By Natalie Dodson
After last year’s success, the men’s lacrosse team is looking to make waves in the Landmark Conference.
The River Hawks achieved their first winning season (10-8) since 2019 last season, reaching the Landmark playoffs for the third consecutive year. With key players returning and new players in fold, Susquehanna is primed for a great season.
SU has started the season with a 3-1 record, including three straight wins since a season-opening overtime loss to Bridgewater. Head coach Stewart Moan said that the team’s success has come from incorporating new strategies and trying new things.
“I want to stay innovative and try new things,” said Moan, who is in his 17th season at the helm in Selinsgrove. “I’m willing to fail… that’s how you learn. We took a risk this year incorporating a complex defense scheme and I don’t expect it to be perfect right away”.
Junior attacker Brennan Lorence figures to be one of Susquehanna’s top players. Lorence won the conference rookie-of-the-year award in 2022 and earned first-team all-Landmark honors last season after a campaign where he scored 62 goals. He scored 5 goals in SU’s 15-5 win over King’s on Feb. 24.
Along with Lorence, junior midfielder Jack Gaillard will make an impact on the offensive end. Gaillard scored 17 goals and contributed 32 assists last season. Moan believes that these two juniors have continued to season their skills throughout their college careers and anticipates that they will continue to excel, saying, “They are both top-level players and I am excited to see what they do this season”.
Moan identified first-year players Pat McDermott and Rob McCullough as two River Hawks who will make an impact this season. “These are two freshmen who are very talented and have a great presence on the field,” Moan said. “I really like bringing players in as freshmen and watching them develop throughout their careers on and off the field”
The team was picked to finish fourth in the Landmark Conference preseason coaches’ poll. Elizabethtown and Scranton tied for first, while Catholic finishes one spot ahead of the River Hawks in third.
Moan said that while the team’s main goal is to make it to the Landmark playoffs, it’s key to treat every game like it is the most important. While they are excited about their winning streak, Moan explains that it is even more important to continue playing with consistency. “Take it one game at a time…the next game that you play is the most important game of the season. We have to be excited about today not the game two weeks ahead. Many athletes fall in the trap where they drop down a level because they are caught looking ahead”.
