Falcon boys lacrosse started off the 2015 season with a brand new coach, Jamie Carver, a coach with tons of experience and passion. Coming off of a disappointing previous season, a new leader at the helm was exactly what the team needed. The Falcons finished the regular season with a 5-6 record. This may not seem like a huge success, however, considering last year’s 2-10 record, and a tough conference full of hard competition, it is a actually a huge stride.

Last year, the Falcons didn’t earn their first win until after mid-season. With the help of an influx of new players and a new vision, the Falcons came out with a big W in their third game against the Sarasota Military Academy. Essential to this early success was the depth on the bench, leaving starters to feel more comfortable getting a breather, with confidence in the fresh legs on the field. The addition of these players can be attributed to senior captain, Luc Geoders, who persuaded a couple of seniors to come out to play during their last year at SSES.

Coach Jamie Carver did his best to quickly teach the game of lacrosse to these beginners. His skills and tactics as a coach were made clear when several of the rookies scored against Admiral Farragut. Thanks to Carver,  freshman Andrew Ross scored without hesitation, just before getting bulldozed (literally a full-speed tackle), by the Admiral Farragut goalie.  Even off the field, Coach Carver displays a well-balanced, calm character.  He’s even successfully dealt with Curtis Stump’s ’16 antics!

Even with the successful results, an underlying question haunts the team and its future: “Will they ever win a regional title?”

Jamie Carver set a goal that can be achieved for this season: being named regional runner-ups. This means the Falcons would beat Out-of-Door-Academy and Sarasota Military Academy, but lose to Cardinal Mooney in the final game. Beating Mooney would be an ego boost for the Falcons because the Falcons have not beaten Mooney in years. Advancing to Regionals could be achieved in the near future with the help of Coach Carver’s coaching.

Considering the talent among the Falcon’s star players, Coach Carver’s goal could be achievable. Senior captains Luc Geoders and Garret Barnes have scored and assisted in impressive numbers, averaging 1-3 goals per game. The offensive quarterback of the team, Luc Geoders, also helps others score with the highest number of assists on the team so far. Midfielder Garret Barnes drives the offense and aids the defense, winning many loose ground balls and providing powerful outside shots.

Then there’s the goal-scoring champion, Ali Sammour ’16, who has been averaging 3 goals per game since sophomore year. Sammour said, “I’m successful because Luc helps me and I listen to what coach says.” With these star players, the chances of achieving Coach Carver’s goal are high.

As it seems now, achieving district runner-up will be a tough mountain to climb, but the chances are slowly rising as Coach Carver recruits other coaches to help the team. The new defensive coordinator, Max Cornelius, is a huge bonus for the Falcons. After beating SMA 12-0, the Falcons look sharp.

One big challenge will be overcoming the ODA loss. The Falcons lost to ODA 3-11 earlier in the season. Despite the score, the Falcons played badly that game and didn’t have all their players. In fact, half the team was still involved at the time in their winter sports. With the addition of penalties, the whole team was frazzled.

Despite the embattled defense, goalie Matt Geoders ’17 managed to save more than half of the shots that ODA fired. Matt Geoders was the leader of the defense, calling out formations and creating possession for the offense. These decisive moves were executed successfully under pressure, proving that the Falcons still have a chance to beat ODA.

Still the question remains, “Can they win a district title and maybe advance to regionals?” The answer is “Yes.” With the help of Coach Carver and the growing popularity of the sport, SSES lacrosse players will flap their wings and fly high against fierce rivals ODA, SMA, and Cardinal Mooney.

Lets fly, GO FALCONS!