Chesapeake-AA Boys Lacrosse Faces Tough Week After Fast Start

The Chesapeake boys lacrosse team has begun the 2016 season brightly.

The Cougars are 2-0 after picking up wins against MIAA schools Annapolis Area Christian and Glenelg Country School. Chesapeake has outscored their opponents 26-13.

The pressure on the team will ramp up this week though, as the Cougars have a tough slate of games on their schedule. First, Chesapeake will square off with Dulaney from Baltimore County, followed by a battle with Anne Arundel County rival, South River. Both teams made the 4A/3A state semifinals last year, with South River reaching the state final.

"This week will test our team and show us if we can play with some perennial powers in the state. We should be able to see what we need to fix going forward," Chesapeake head coach Rodney Beres said. "Whenever you face well coached teams early in the season it helps you adjust and allows you to improve your team."

The team's attack has been its strength in its first two games. Jay Minor has led the team with 13 goals thus far, also adding two assists while Chase Kipke has seven goals and five assists.

While those two have been doing a good job of finishing offensive possessions, Beres says the play of Sam Colebrook and Joey Soroka has also been key. The duo has done an excellent job of passing the ball and making the offense more fluid by constantly finding the open man.

"I think this offense has the ability to score the ball this year," Beres said. "We have some kids who can really shoot the ball, we'll just need to make sure they are quality shots with good placement."

Chesapeake's defense hasn't been bad either. Justin Corcoran has had a good start to the season in goal, while Michael Blum's play at short stick defensive midfield has been crucial in helping the team transition from defense to offense. The trio of Michael Altmann, Jacob Crane, Trace Sullivan has led the team in close defense, which has helped round out the entire team's defensive effort.

Looking ahead, Chesapeake can expect to be tested on a regular basis by the different powerhouses in Anne Arundel County like South River, Severna Park and Broadneck. Once the team gets through the regular season though, there's a sense of unknown as the Cougars will be participating in the 3A/2A postseason tournament this season, unlike previously when the team was a member of the 4A/3A tournament.

Despite the excitement about playing in a new postseason classification, Beres doesn't want to put too big of expectations on his team. He is optimistic about Chesapeake's chances of being successful this season, citing the team's senior leadership and overall commitment as exceptional.

Rather than focus the team's energy on long term goals, Beres would prefer his players think about the next day.

"I try to keep them focused on getting better each day by working hard and worrying about the things they can control," Beres said. "They know it's a great day because they get to play lacrosse!"