Sean Doyle playing in Maryland during the Fall 2010 West Coast Starz trip.

Preface Note: After several outstanding seasons as a attack player for the RC Starz/Del Mar/ WCS and Torrey Pines High School, Sean Doyle has become one of the most talented High School attackmen in Southern California. Sean has recently verbally committed to play lacrosse at NCAA Division I Cornell Unviersity, and is our February player spotlight.

How did you first become involved with lacrosse, and who got you into it?

The first lacrosse game I saw was at Torrey Pines when I went to watch Cito and Kenny Williams play in high school. I instantly fell in love with lacrosse and begged my Mom to sign me up for CYL. I first did an instructional camp and then started with CYL in 5th grade.

You recently won an elite So Cal Cup with the Del Mar Bears, tell us a bit about that experience…

Winning the Starz Cup at Del Norte High School was a great experience for our team.   We were missing a few kids and had to bring some players up from the other Bears Elite team; and, those boys played their hearts out and gave us what we needed to succeed.   Also, the leadership of our veteran players played a key role in the outcome.  We were down 5 to 2 at halftime in the Championship game, and were able to keep our heads and come out with a win. I couldn’t have been happier with the result. It was a true team effort.

You recently committed to play lacrosse for Ivy-League powerhouse Cornell University. What role did Starz play in the recruiting process for you?

The Starz organization played a HUGE role in getting me noticed by the lacrosse world.  I played for both RC and Del Mar Bears, attended clinics, and participated in many Starz tournaments.  In addition I was fortunate to be a part of West Coast Starz and was able to compete on the east coast, which offers a high level of lacrosse play.   Each of the camps and showcases Starz offered were opportunities for me to show the coaches and other players what I can do with a lacrosse stick in my hands. Without the consistency and support from the Starz family, I don’t think I would have been as successful nor had the exposure in lacrosse.  The coaching and guidance on and off the field will never be forgotten.

Which coach has been the most influential in your playing career?

The coach that has been most influential in my career is Jono Zissi.  Zissi has been my coach in some capacity for 6 consecutive years, and helped me accelerate my game, particularly in the middle school years.  He was also instrumental in guiding me through the recruitment process for which I am so thankful. Recently
, Zissi was hired as Head Coach of my high school team, so I have the next two years to learn and develop as much as I can with him at the helm.   Not only has he been a great factor in my lacrosse career, but he has helped me compose myself on and off the field.

Do you have any goals for this upcoming season and at Cornell?

My goal for the upcoming season is to win a CIF championship. I have two more opportunities at Torrey Pines, and I believe if we work hard enough we can achieve that goal. As for being a freshman at Cornell, it is still two years away so I’m trying not to get too antsy. I want to focus on preparing myself as a student and an athlete so I can immediately contribute to the Cornell Family.

If you could improve one aspect of lacrosse on the west coast, what would it be and why?

If I could improve one aspect of lacrosse on the west coast it would be to add more NCAA Division 1 and Division 3  college lacrosse teams. I would love to attend a collegiate level lacrosse game instead of watching it on TV for a change!

What pro athlete would make the best lacrosse player and why?

I would have to say Chad Ochocinco because of his athleticism and outstanding hand-eye coordination. Plus lacrosse needs a big time personality like Ocho.

What do you think will be the biggest adjustment for you jumping to the east coast?

In all honesty, I would have to say the lack of authentic Mexican food would be my biggest adjustment to the east coast.  I’m most definitely going to have serious Roberto’s and California Burrito withdrawals!

If you could sit down to dinner with three historical figures/celebrities/pro athletes who would it be and why?

I would sit down with Chris Farley, Kobe Bryant, and Marcus Luttrell. Farley because he was the funniest guy in the world; Bryant because he is an extremely focused athlete who only gets better at his game; and, Luttrell because I have a HUGE respect for Navy SEALS, and am in awe of the heroism he displayed to benefit our country.

Lastly, pose your own question and answer it….

Outside of lacrosse what is your favorite mode of exercise to stay in shape?

I would have to say “shake-weighting” because it increases my shot speed. If you need some tips on shake-weighting visit my workout video called “Shakeweight Adventures” on youtube.com.

Youth South Champions: Laxdawgs

Laxdawgs Youth Champions

The Laxdawgs had a tremendous run this winter ending in their first ever SoCal Cup in the Youth divsion. The Laxdawgs boast a large core of young talent led by Head Coach Brian Dozier, which overcame a formidable Quad Cities opponent that the Dawg’s had played to a 2-2 stalemate just one week prior. Offensively the Laxdawgs were led by Timmy Ferrar(2 Goals), Cole Carlson(1 Goal), Dalton Kinney(1 Goal) and Joe Byrne( 1 Goal). The defense was quarterbacked by goalie Easton Gormican who had a shutout in the final game, and allowed just two goals on the day. Defensemen Austin Dozier, Liam Bolotin and Noah Packard led the tough defensive unit in front for the Dawgs’.

“The game quickly became very physical but the LaxDawgs kept their composure and won the ground ball battle.  The midfield and especially the attack did an exceptional job of riding Quad City.  Sullivan Alexander and Cameron McMahon had strong games at midfield.  We had a great Starz season.  The kids really came together and played their best lacrosse this past weekend.  The championship was the perfect culmination to the Starz winter season.  All my players are now super stoked for the Spring season to begin.” – Head Coach Brian Dozier

Starz Cup Final: Laxdawgs 5 Quad Cities 0

Middle School South Champions: Quad Cities

The Quad Cities Middle School Champs

Quad Cities had a great run in the Southern Regional Starz Cup this past weekend, ending with a SoCal Title. The #1 seeded QC team began their run with a solid victory over the #3 SD Shredderz before beating the Laxdawgs in the finals.

On the defensive end, Andrew Parker and Austin Gent were huge contributors in stifling the Laxdawg offenses. Some tremendous goalie play from goalies Jack Sieger and Tyler Lombardi also contributedto a low scoring game on the opposing end.  Quad Cities offensive firepower stemmed from a solid attack unit featuring Tucker Reed and Jack Pope and Hunter So. QC also controlled possession with a tremendous core of midfielders including: Mitch Mammini, Duncan Copeland, Alex Mceneany, and James Nagro. After the final I spoke with head coach Rob Bauer, who said this about his championship squad:

“The overall season was fun and rewarding the kids learned a lot about sportsmanship and what it feels like to work hard and achieve positive results. Every player put 110% in every practice so that they could have success in the game and ultimately have fun.”

Starz Cup Final: Quad Cities 8 Laxdawgs 3

High School South Champions: Gryphons

Gryphons South High School Champions

The Gryphons made quite the mark in the High School division this winter season. In their first season of existence the Gryphons Black team rolled through the competition going undefeated this winter. Comprised mainly of Bishop’s, Cathedral and Rancho Santa Fe players and led by Coaches Shane Robinson and Erik Sullivan,  the Grypons let up just five goals in three games during their Starz Cup run beating the Gryphons Purple, Del Mar, and Quad Cities in the finals.

“Our offense has became very unselfish, we don’t depend on one or two guys to make things happen for us.  Whenever we have the ball our guys have a high level of aptitude on finding the open man or the back of the cage.  It is very fun and exciting to be a witness to it all.I am very proud of this team.  We started off slow but as the season went on we got better and better and luckily for us, we are peaking at the right time.  This is a enjoyable group of guys to coach and Coach Shane and I are glad we were able to end on such a high note.” Coach Erik Sullivan

Starz Cup Final: Gryphons Black 7 Quad Cities 3

Elite South Champions: Del Mar Black

The top-seeded Del Mar Bears also defended their stake in the SoCal Cup this past weekend, earning their first Elite SoCal Cup and capping off a tremendous run this winter season. Led by head coach Greg Kirk, the Bears Moved past a talented Quad Cities 7-5 team in the semi-finals before facing the perennial champion/elite powerhouse Laxdawgs squad in the final. After leading 2-1 at the half, the Bears went on to build their lead in a closely fought game, pulling out a 8-5 victory. Offensively the Bears were led by senior Matt Landon (2 Goals 1 Assist), Sean Doyle(2 Goals 4 Assists) and sophomore Tyler Yamamoto (2 Goals).

“I was very proud of the way our boys played on Sunday. We were missing quite a few starters, but fortunately we have great group of veteran leaders as well as some talented young players that stepped up.  To come back from 3 goals down against a team like the Laxdawgs says a lot about the character of this group.” – Head Coach Greg Kirk

Starz Cup Final: Del Mar Black 8 Laxdawgs Royal 5

The event was a showcase for many of the Starz Regional teams. As you may know, Starz Lacrosse has several regional travel teams which were showcased over the weekend. These regional travel teams pull from a broad region throughout Starz territory, and have been turning heads on the recruiting circuit. For more coverage of the event, be sure to check out the West Side Lax page. Congratulations to all the Starz Lacrosse Clubs who competed last weekend in no particular order we just wanted to recognize: Vegas Starz, South Sound Starz, Seattle Starz, Laxdawgs, OC Kings, LA Lazers, RC Starz, QC Snipers, and our Champion SD Shredderz! We hope that 2011 will only bring some more great Starz Lacrosse action to a field near you.

LA Lazers

A LA Lazers Midfielder dodges against a Fog City defender.

First up, we have the LA Lazers. As their name implies, the Lazers are comprised of some of the best talent from the Los Angeles area. This is their first tournament appearance together as a team, and the Lazers christened their outing with a tremendous performance over the weekend. From the LA Lazers Pink squad Ryan Kole (Mira Costa HS) was dominant throughout the weekend at the the face-off x. Defensively the Cody Smith(Mira Costa HS) and Cole Bender(Palos Verdes) defensive tandem played some staunch defense, causing several turnovers. Coach Jim Borell also mentioned the athletic play in transition from midfielder Zack Hankhouse(Palos Verdes)who was a force to be reckoned with both offensively and defensively. On the offensive side of the ball, Grant Consoletti(Oak Park) had several snipes for the offense. The LA Lazers High School team advanced to the playoff Quarterfinals, losing a tough bout with the Arizona Burn Orange team, as did Middle School Lazers Squad who lost a tight 4-2 battle against the QC Snipers. The Youth team fared well going into the playoffs winning a pair of victories against the Cascade Clash and Laxdawgs before losing a tough semi-finals match against the RC Starz. LA Lazers/Loyola Marymount coach Michael Gvozden had this to say about the weekend:

“The Adrenaline Challenge was incredible for our Starz players to compete in. The boys on the LA Lazers High School team had their first tournament together and bonded faster than any team I have ever coached. It was an invaluable growing experience. The Starz community was well-represented at the tournament and performed valiantly. The all-star game was littered with Starz players, who all lead their respective teams to great showings throughout the weekend”

O.C Kings

An OC Kings Player dodges against the OC Starz

Like the LA Lazers, the O.C. Kings are still in their debut season. Comprised of top-notch talent pulled from throughout Orange County, the Kings took the field this weekend in some fresh purple and yellow unis(best in show in my opinion).  The Middle School Kings team, coached by WCS coaches Max Ritz and Kyle Harrison fared well throughout tournament play going 4-2 over the duration eventually advancing to the Championship game. Despite a valiant effort, the Kings fell 7-3 to the talented Team Talon. In the Elite division, the Kings narrowly missed the Championship match, and were edged out 5-4 by the Champion  SD Shredderz team.

Arizona Burn

An AZ Burn player dodges against the OC Force.

(As told from Arizona Burn Coach John Lamon)

It was a great overall weekend for the boys from the “valley of the sun.”  After a 7 hour journey from California’s neighboring Arizona, the Burn guys were greeted by beautiful weather and an extremely well run tournament by the crew at Adrenaline, complete with west coast dazzle.

The Burn brought four teams to the tournament brackets, consisting of two teams at the Elite level and two at the High School level.  The Burn’s high school Orange made it the furthest of the four losing a tight game to OC Force in the semifinal’s.  The Elite Orange team won the “B” bracket championship over St. Ignatius in a non lacrosse fashion.  The Burn Orange team and St. Ignatius decided to put the championship on the line over a game of touch football; Burn was victorious, winning by a touchdown. The team was led by director and Coach Chris Malone at free safety, running back interceptions for touchdowns like Ed Reed.

The Elite Orange team played a tough schedule in day one going 2-1, losing to the eventual tournament winners, San Diego Shredderz Blue.  The team was led by Ryan “The Doctor” Manos in the net surrounded by his three over 6 foot monsters Charlie Hushek, Mac Regan and future Sun Devil Ramie Arbid.  Tyler Kunce was the one to start the plays off at the face-off X with guys like Brandon Moranz and Brock Ghelfi leading the Elite Burn Orange at the midfield.  The offense was anchored and quarterbacked at attack by Arizona State commit Rockne Repp.  Coach Malone was impressed with his guy’s intensity but thought there was “too much talent” to end up where they did.

The Burn High School Orange team was going hard all weekend before falling short of the championship game and ending there weekend at 4-1.  Russell Bartle and Bradley Nordstrom led the way in the cage for the high school team letting in just 5 goals in four games.  Although not to take any credit away from the keepers their defense was stacked with a guy like Robby Leonard who was bumped up from the Burns younger high school team.  Rob got plenty of help from Ryan Geller, Lance Pavlina and Chris Schafer; while Trevor Sciotto and Ryan Lynch split time at pole.  It was very evident that the defense was the backbone of the Burns High School Orange.  Offenses was still nothing less then stellar with Trenton Fleetham facing off and help from Demetri Tsirigotis and Tucker Wells at midfield.  The attack was led by two Canadian brothers in the Ganger’s while Brophy Prep teammates Ben Cummings and Spencer Smith showed their skills through their connection.

San Diego Laxdawgs

Dakot Rholin dodges against an RC Starz defender.

The SD Laxdawgs, which pulls mostly from the southern San Diego/Coronado region had several teams in the hunt for a Challenge Championship. The eldest Laxdawgs sqaud(Laxdawgs Brown),  is coached by veteran coaches Dan Meehan and John Chrismer, and has fared very well thus far in the winter season. The Laxdawgs Brown had already taken the Sundevil Sizzler Championship earlier on the year, and was looking to remain atop the podium again in the Adrenaline Challenge. Despite a strong 3-0 start on day 1, the Laxdawgs Brown fell to the eventual tournament Champion SD Shredderz team 6-3 after some phenomenal goalie play from Shredderz goalie Eric Sanschagrin.

RC Starz

An RC Attackmen sets up a dodge against Team Talon during their semi-final matchup.

The RC Starz, also hailing from San Diego, pulls from several schools in the central/northern region of San Diego county. RC Youth and Middle School teams have been terrorizing the lax tourney scene for years now, and had their sights set on the Adrenaline Challenge.. The RC Middle School fared the best, reaching the tournament Semi-Final match and losing to eventual tournament champs Team Talon 6-5. The Elite team also fared well, eventually reaching the Elite Quarterfinals match falling to the AZ Burn Orange team. The future is bright for RC however, as the RC Youth team headed by coach Eric Smith went 4-1 throughout the Challenge, winning the Youth Championship in a landslide 10-1 victory over the LaxWest Wahoos. Congrats boys!

SD Shredderz

Eric Sanschragrin quarterbacked the Shredderz stifling defensive unit.

Of course this blog would be incomplete with no mention of the unbeaten SD Shredderz Blue team who drove through all opposition en route to a perfect 5-0 run to the Elite Championship over the talented Brady’s Bunch.  Jesse Foss’s Shredderz team had to overcome a tough Laxdawgs Brown team 6-3, before striving out another hard-earned 6-5 victory over the OC Kings in the semi-finals. In the end, the superior defense quarterbacked by future Princeton goaltender Eric Sanschragrin was instrumental to the Shredderz 7-3 Championship win over the Brady’s Bunch. Head Coach Jess Foss had this to say about his team:

“It was exciting to see players step right up into roles. Some of the stand outs this weekend were Brendan Gaughn, who played attack and midfield for us. He scored a hat trick in the championship game. Nic Scaramella dominated at the face off X allowing us to control possession time. Mike Riis, LSM, scored some huge goals throughout the weekend including 2 in the semi’s. Luke Willon shut down every teams top attackman all weekend. Eric Sanchagrin was lights out as usual, making good shooters rethink their shots.”

SD Shredderz The 2011 Adrenaline Challenge Champions

As the team prepped for the game with a good stretch, warming up their sticks and running through plays 1 final time before game time, it was hard not to notice over 200 recruiters lining every field at the park. The pairing of the IWLCA Coaches Convention with the President’s Cup resulted in representation from head and assistant coaches from all of the D1, D2 and D3 schools Nationwide, several of which took interest in coming to WCS games.

Game 1: West Coast Starz 16, KC Orange Elite 7

The WCS first game of the tournament kicked off at 9:00am sharp, and despite the jet lag the girls were off to a strong start from the get-go. The WCS girls set the tone off the first draw from Kiana Gibson (LCC ’13) to the stick of Stephanie Garrett (Scripps Ranch ’12). After a settled offensive series, senior Lauren Maack (Coronado ’11) came up with the first goal of the game off a crease roll. Strong defensive midfield play by Junior Caitlin Zirpolo (La Costa Canyon ’12) resulted in a forced turnover in the midfield and connected the ball to Anna Knowles. Anna found Brielle DiClerq (Westview ’12) on the crease who finished her shot. The team quickly got momentum behind them as they powered forward to finish the first game with a 16-7 final score.

There were 9 players out of the 17 on the WCS team found the back of the net at least once in the game versus KC Orange, and 4 players came up with at least 1 assist. Leading Scorers in game 1 were Lauren Maack (Coronado ’11) and Kiana Gibson (La Coasta Canyon ’13) with 3 goals and 1 assist a piece.

Game 2: West Coast Starz 6, StickBenders Elite 15

The second game of the tournament started at 11am back on Field #4. The team faced Stick Benders Elite who would ultimately advance into the Championship Game for the Open Division. We started off strong battling back and forth with goals. Goal keeper Hannah Sieger (Ranch Bernardo ’12) came up with a huge point blank save to start a transition for WCS. Hannah hit Kianna Gibson (LCC ’13) who found Megan MaCaulay (Rancho Bernardo ’12) in front of the cage and converted her shot. Shortly after, Anna Knowles (Torrey Pines ’11) came up with a clean draw and carried the ball all the way into scoring position making the tally 3-3. WCS went into the half down by 1 goal but ultimately fell short to StickBenders ability to convert several fast break transition goals in the second half.

Game 3: West Coast Starz 7, TNLax 8

The third game of the day was in the afternoon to TN Lax who was playing their second game of the day. This was the most physical game the team faced all weekend and was a battle from the start. Kiana Gibson (La Costa Canyon ’13) and Chloe Weinmann (San Marcos ’12) alternated taking draws to control the pace of the game. After 2 quick goals from TN Lax, WCS team quickly evened the playing field with Anna Knowles (Torrey Pines ’11) converting 2 passes in a row from Michaela Guerrera (Coronado ’11) into goals. The score of the game was never more than a 2 goal spread, all the way through the last seconds of the game.

In the last 10 seconds of the game Anna Knowles (Torrey Pines ’11) found an opening in front of the cage and hit an inside pipe shot that bounced out into the stick of Michaela Guerrera (Coronado ’11). Time expired before Michaela had time to get the shot off ending the game with a 1 goal deficit.

Game 4: West Coast Starz 10, The Brave 3

After the long 3 game stretch on Saturday, the team hit the fields refreshed and ready to play on Sunday. The team faced the Brave, a St Louis based team for a noon start time. The Brave’s first 4 attempts on an offensive set resulted forced turnovers by a strong WCS defensive unit led by Spencer Harden (Carlsbad ’11), Hailey Wilson (Coronado ’13, Chloe Weinmann (San Marcos ’12), Marissa Smola (Cathedral Cathlic ’12), and Goalkeeper Meganne Weissenfels (Coronado ’12) who had a shut-out in the first half.

The first WCS goal of the game started in the backfield from a forced turnover by Spencer Harden (Carlsbad ’11) and a ground ball pick up from Kiana Gibson (LCC ’13). After moving the ball through the midfield, senior Anna Knowles (Torrey Pines ’11) converted on a free position shot. Natalie Simpson (Carlsbad ’12) came up with a huge ground ball off the next draw control and found sophomore Kiana Gibson (LCC ’13) in front of the cage. Kiana was given a free position shot which she passed cross cage to Anna Knowles (Torrey Pines ’11) off the whistle. Anna’s shot who’s top right shot made the spread 2-0 WCS.

From that point forward there was no turning back as Senior Michaela Guerrera (Coronado ’11) quarter-backed the offense setting up teammates Lauren Maack (Coronado ’11), Kianna Gibson (La Costa Canyon ’13), and Anna Knowles (Torrey Pines ’11) who finished the game with 7 goals.

WCS Goal Scoring Leaders – President’s Cup:

Anna Knowles (Torrey Pines ’11) – 14

Kiana Gibson (La Costa Canyon ’13) – 6

Lauren Maack (Coronado ‘11) – 5

Michaela Guerrera (Coronado ’11) – 4

Megan MaCaulay (Rancho Bernardo ’12) – 3

Caitlin Zirpolo (La Costa Canyon ’12) – 2

Defne Yilmaz (Torrey Pines ’13) – 1

Stephanie Garrett (Scripps Ranch ’12) – 1

Natalie Simpson (Carlsbad ’12) – 1

Brielle DiClerq (Westview ’12) – 1

Caroline Carlson (Coronado ’13) – 1

To view more pictures of the event, click here:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=238651&l=5da08797a7&id=114540698518

I had a chance to walk around the fields early Sunday morning taking in all of the games. The West Coast Starz seem fully adjusted as I did not see any of our teams fall behind in competition. I happened to run into Maryland head coach John Tillman who spoke a bit about the West Coast Starz:

“There’s a lot of great athletes on the West Coast and we’re excited to have them here competing against some of the best club teams out east. The game has really evolved out there, and you’re getting more and more players from out west with better coaching. The Starz program is really established and everyone knows it’s full of kids who have the potential to play down the road, so we’re excited to have them and there’s a lot of college coaches here to watch them.” – John Tillman

I also spoke with West Coast Starz directors Scott Hochstadt and Xander Ritz who had this to say about the the fall 2010 trip:

“This year’s tournament provided the intimate recruiting experience every club director hopes for their players with the highest level competition in the country.  Playing against teams full of committed D1 players gave coaches an opportunity to see our players against the best of the best.  The West Coast Starz kids brought their physical, high speed brand of lacrosse to the event and turned a lot of heads.  It’s always great when we hear from spectators how focused our teams are on the field and how well they play together.  At the end of the day that’s what every coach wants from their team.  So we were really happy with the trip, the event, and the way the guys performed.” - Xander Ritz

“Overall we were really pleased with the teams play.  We had what I think was one of the top coaching staffs assembled for a club program, in the country.  You’re talking about a staff full of All Americans and pro lacrosse players with lots of experience working with kids and great wealth of knowledge to pass on to the boys about the recruiting process, what’s important when looking for a school, and what coaches are really looking for.  Their tends to be a gap between what coaches are looking for and what players think coaches are looking for, narrowing that gap helps players realize what’s important to schools and how they can put their best foot forward.  We’re lucky to have such great coaches who communicate that message to the boys well.” – Scott Hochstadt

Full Sunday Results:

West Coast Starz 2014′s

Coaches: Max Ritz, Kyle Harrison

WCS 2014′s: 10 Virginia Elite 3

WCS 2014′s 5 Blackwolf 9

West Coast Starz Freshmen

West Coast Starz Black

Coached by: Jimmy Borell, Jesse Foss

WCS Black 9 Long Island Express 6

WCS Black 11 Virginia Elite 5

West Coast Starz Green

Coaches: Mario Waibel, Jono Zissi

WCS Green 11 Lax World 5

WCS Green 20 Team One 1

West Coast Starz Red

Coaches: Travis Begay, Craig Hochstadt

WCS Red 10 Carolina Lite 2

WCS Red 1 Lax World 9

West Coast Starz Navy

Coaches: Chris Malone, Tarik Ergin

WCS Navy 8 Long Island Express 4

WCS Navy 10 SMS 2012 9

West Coast Starz Navy

Thanks again for everyone who helped with the fall 2010 West Coast Starz trip. Full photos from the event can be found at our Facebook page here, and feel free to upload any of your own. We hope to see everyone again in the Summer 2011!

- Starz Lacrosse

WCS Coach Kyle Harrison Brings Team Yellow In

Results from Day 1:

Green Team (2012′s) Coaches Mario Waibel, Jono Zissi

The Green Team faced Team Blackwolf from the DC/Northern Virginia area.  A bit of jet lag showed in the first half as Green was off to a slow, but productive half finding themselves up 4-2 at half. The defensive unit held strong, stifling Blackwolf’s offensive efforts to a 4 goal total and leading the Green effort. Challan Rogers(Dr. Charles Best Secondary 12′) was instrumental at the face-off X, keeping possession in the hands of the West Coast Starz. On the offensive end Sean Doyle(Torrey Pines 12′), Jack Cruzan(Cathedral 12′),  Zach Fixen(Palos Verdes 12′), and Michael Marcott(Lincoln 12′) stepped forward to propel the Green Team’s 3-0 start. George Bailey(Coronado 12′), Sam Leggett (Bellvue 12′), and Eddy Glazner(Bishops 12′) showed great leadership between the  lines for the midfield unit.

WCS Green Full Saturday Results:

WCS Green 7 Blackwolf 4

WCS Green 11 Madlax 1

WCS Green 14 Mesa Fresh(13′)  2

WCS Navy (2011) Coached By Tarik Ergin, Chris Malone

The senior WCS Navy squad started their day against MadLax, again showing a bit of sloppiness within the opening half(Keep in mind these players are still at 6AM by West Coast standards). Led by some hard-nose defense from Knut Kraus, Matt McCall(Capistrano Valley 11′), Ramie Armbid(Mountain View 11′), and Michael Morse(Centennial 11′)at close defense while Bass Barfield(McCallie 12′) standing tall in goal. The offense began to click in the second half Tommy Pharrell(Mira Costa 11′), Bobby Gray(St. Ignatius 12′), Eric Klein(Dr. Charles Best 11′), Jake Fritz(Issaquah 12′),  Zach Handy(Foothill 12′) dominated face-offs all day while Reis Stanley(Coronado 12′)played well in the second match showcasing some outstanding saves and breakout passes.

WCS Navy 7 Madlax 5

WCS Navy 5 Mesa Fresh 7

WCS Navy 7 Blackwolf 5

Bass Barfield Lookin' sharp

WCS Red Coached By Travis Begay and Craig Hochstatd

The WCS Red team had a tough start meeting an extremely talented Mesa Fresh team during the first matchup of the day. Although overmatched at times, the Red squad fought to the finish of the first match-up. In the second matchup against team Blackwollf the offense began to find a rhythm. Mani Ghiasi(SF University 11′) had a productive day with several strong dodges from up top, igniting the unit. Tyler Knuce(Desert Vista 12′) did well at the face-off x all day. Defensively, the close unit was anchored by Joeseph Regan(Brophy 12′), Trent Lauer(Bishop’s 12′), Matt Camarata(St. Augustine 12′)and Fletcher Sipple(Laguna Blanca 11′) who had a tremendous showing. Long-stick midfielders Mitchel Drake and Travis Meersand showed some great athleticism between the lines causing several turnovers. After coach Begay revamped the offense to a 2-3-1 motion offense, 4goals with 2 helpers against Team One. Goalies Matt Mantell(Harvard-Westlake 12′) , and Ronald Pisano(Santa Margarita 12′)

WCS Red 1 Mesa Fresh 10

WCS Red 3 Blackwolf 7

WCS Red 10 Team One 2

WCS Black(2013′s) Coached By Jimmy Borell and Jesse Foss

The West Coast Starz Black squad survived initial jetlag, playing a tough Mesa Fresh squad to  5-4 victory. The stunner Sophmores rolled through game 2 as Kieran Eissler(Coronado 13′) , Lucas Gradinger(Torrey Pines 13′), Jake Douglas(Rancho Santa Margarita 13′) led an outstanding offense to run over Team One White 10 – 1. Frankie Berry, and Chris Carter(Torrey Pines 13′) and Stephen Tusing(Agora Hills 13′) had great third game. Clay Russert(Mira Costa 13′) also fared well in the final game, notching a hat trick to lead the WCS Black over Team One Black 8 -4 .

WCS Black 5 Mesa Fresh 4

WCS Black 10 Team One White 1

WCS Black 8 Team One White 4

More to come of WCS Yellow (2014′s) in Tomorrow’s post.

Jake Shepperd enjoys the "Towers of Midnight" (Required Reading?) at BWI

The players seem eager to quit the waiting game at BWI, and hop onto our charter busses as we head to our luxurious lodgings at the Comfort Inn College Park. After a flash mob of teenage laxers and parents swarm the lobby, players begin to get situated as room keys were divvied out between players. Judging by the bewildered look on the desk clerk’s faces, I could tell they had no idea what they were getting themselves into with our group. The players checked in, and were treated to some great pizza from Mama Lucia’s in College Park.

Some players enjoy some finely crafted pizza from Mama Lucia's

After eating, players suited up and grabbed their shoes, sticks and gloves to head out for a quick walk-through in the parking lot. West Coast Starz founder/director Scott Hochstadt brought the fives teams and some parents together and gave some great opening remarks as he introduced the star-studded coaching cast. As he went down the line with names and accolades he pointed out: (in no particular order)

Max Ritz

• All-ACC Attacker University of Maryland
• MLL Pro Player
• LXM Pro Player

Kyle Harrison

• NCAA Midfielder of the Year
• 2005 Tewaarton Winner
• MLL All-Star
• LXM Pro Player
• MCLA Coach Chapman University

Chris Malone

• NCAA All-American University of Maryland
• MLL Pro
• NCAA Division I Coach UPenn
• Current MCLA Coach Arizona State

Tarik Ergin

• NCAA Division I Player Cornell University
• All-Ivy League
• Current Head Coach Oak Park HS
• Former MILL Indoor Player
• 7-Year West Coast Starz Coach

Jamison Koesterer

• NCAA Division I Player John’s Hopkin’s University
• NLL Player
• Seattle Starz Coach
• John’s Hopkins Assistant Coach

Jono Zissi

• All- NESCAC Player Tufts University
• NCAA National Champion Coach Tufts University
• Bishops High School Assistant Coach

Mario Waibel

• MCLA Player Washington State
• Former Newbury Park High School Head Coach
• Former UCSB MCLA Head Coach

Travis Begay

• NCAA Division I Player Defensemen UMBC
• Rancho Bernardo High School Head Coach

Craig Hochstadt

• NCAA Division I Player University of Maryland
• 101 Starz Director
• MCLA Loyola Marymount Head Coach

Jesse Foss

• NCAA Division I Player Stony Brook
• La Costa Canyon High School Head Coach
• 

  Some of the WCS Coaches during introductions

  After the coaches introductions, Scott Hochstadt went into depth about what makes the West Coast Starz successful year in and year out. “We are the West Coast Starz.” he said. “Everyone here has a role, we all play as a team within the Starz system , no one here is an all-star” he added. The players then went for a lengthy strech (which was needed because of the nippy temperatures outside) before walking through the offense.

Scott Hochstatd addresses the West Coast Starz

West Coast Starz Players stretching before the walk-through

After Stretching, Xander Ritz and Scott guided the players through a brief skeleton offense session giving some insight into what the college coaches are looking for. “We’re not dodging to shoot here” he said “Very rarely will you see a player in college dodge to the goal and shoot right off the bat” he continued. “Rather than dodging and shooting, coaches are going to look for you drawing the slide, moving the ball, and creating a better opportunity for your team.” emphasizing the team aspect of the West Coast Starz teams. After walking through the offense, the group broke into individual teams based on age groups and picked up their jerseys and gear. I’ll keep everyone updated tomorrow as games commence at college park.