With a decent first half of the season, the Annandale Atoms Men’s Lacrosse team stands just below .500, with a record of 3-4. The job, however, is not finished. The Atoms still have four games to go, which may make or break their record and standings at the end of the season.
“We’ll need to start playing as a team, we have a lot of players that play lacrosse as a secondary sport, so while we may not be the most talented team, we are certainly hard working and resilient. If we can put that all together by being on the same page, we will definitely be a force to be reckoned with.” said junior Peter Abraham.
The eight seniors on this team play a crucial role in their success. The guidance and leadership that the seniors are able to provide for the rest of the team. “At some point, some of the juniors and underclassmen are going to have to step up, because they’re going to have to be the captains next year,” said junior Pascual Rodriguez, “even this year, we will need to leave it all out on the field for the seniors and get them as much help as possible.”
In the Lacrosse team’s intense practices, they work on their fundamentals like passing, shooting, and ground balls. Coach Bill Maglisceau has been prioritizing hydration in these practices, to keep the players energized and ready to play.
Hydrating goes a long way and is a necessity in the spring heat.
In the National District, the Hayfield Hawks are currently ranked #1, with the Atoms in a four way tie with the Thomas Jefferson Colonials, the Justice Wolves, and the Falls Church Jaguars at a record of 1-2. If all goes well for Annandale, they have the opportunity to greatly advance up the rankings and get a better seed in the playoffs.
One player who has progressed greatly and really stood out over the past few weeks is junior Jack Barnes. He had a three goal game against the Lewis Lancers and has been on fire not only in games but at practice.
Barnes said, “I have become more confident with the ball and it will only keep getting better and better.”
“One of the team’s goals for the end of the season is to host a playoff game, because we haven’t hosted a playoff game since before COVID times.” said junior Daniel McLendon. This team is hungry for their upcoming games and is looking for a home game to try to make a statement in the playoffs. The Atom’s upcoming games prior to the postseason are going to be the Falls Church Jaguars, who stand at a weak 1-6, the Thomas Jefferson Colonials, who stand just below the Atoms at 2-4, the Edison Eagles, who just barely stand over the Atoms at 4-5, and the Mount Vernon Majors, a tough matchup, as they’re well above .500.
Overall the team is very excited to fight like madmen these last few regular season games and really make a statement in the district.
Please come out and support your Atom’s lacrosse team!
