LINWOOD – The Mainland boys lacrosse team will be looking to turn the page from a losing 2021 campaign with a group of young players that features 10 juniors and eight sophomores.
The Mustangs lost their final three games last year to fall under .500, including to rival Ocean City in the regular-season finale and to Clearview in the first round of the NJSIAA Group III South Jersey tournament.
But coach Clayton Smith said he is expecting his team, as young as they are to bounce back and perform competitively against their opponents in 2022 – with no excuses.
“I would definitely expect them to be more competitive than last year,” Smith said. “I can’t stand using the COVID thing as an excuse anymore. The younger players never had the upperclassmen, especially my senior class, when they were freshmen to learn and have leadership skills.
“So last year, we worked on building those leadership skills, which are in place a lot better this year. So I believe that our leadership on the team will be a lot stronger, which will make us a stronger team.”
Juniors Jack Venneman, Joe DeGaetano and sophomore Jack Kwapinski are back on the offensive end after learning the ropes last year while Paul Lombardo and Tommy Shenkus are expected to provide the defense for the Mustangs.
“[Venneman] is a very well-established player,” Smith said of his co-captain along with Lombardo. “A lot of people know his name around the area. He plays club and he’s looking to play at the collegiate level eventually. He’s fairly vocal and verbal.
“The way his level of play now, he’s a hustler, a grinder and just a really tough player. He leads by example and this year, more than years past, he’s becoming a true leader of being vocal, directing people and encouraging some of the younger players that are newer and struggling. He’s just a very good all-around player.”
Smith said Lombardo, the Mustangs’ top defensive returner has gained a significant amount of experience in the off-season.
“He’s been playing throughout his whole life as well,” Smith said. “Paul’s kind of the leader of the defense right now. He’s more vocal than anybody else we have on defense. And he’s just a big, strong athletic kid that can play lacrosse really well. He leads by example a lot, as through verbal communication.”
One new name Smith said fans will get used to hearing is freshman Harrison LaMonica, whom he believes will make a statement for the Mustangs. Smith said Drew Kwapinski is another freshman who can make an impression in his first year.
“[LaMonica] will be stepping into a key role at attack,” Smith said. “He is a very well-established freshman and played on the same South Shore travel team with many of our other kids. He’s a big one.”
Shenkus will become the Mustangs’ full-time goalie, with Smith saying his role will be critical for Mainland’s success this year.
“He’s a junior but this is his first true start as a full varsity player,” Smith said. “He’s going to make a big impact for us. Goalie is the only position on the field you can’t play the game without. You can lose an offensive player or defensive player, depending on which end of the field you’re on but you can’t play without someone standing in goal.”
Smith said Shenkus will have the responsibility of not only upping his game but setting up the defense, which can frustrate their opponents.
“If you have a goalie that’s verbal and vocal and can run the defense, they can prevent the other team from taking more shots not because they’re doing a better job but because they’re being controlled by the goalie.”
What will it take for the Mustangs to be successful in 2022? Smith said staying healthy will be an important factor because of numbers and inexperience.
“The whole Cape-Atlantic League is plagued with the same problem but we can’t afford any injuries,” Smith said. “We’re very, very small numbers-wise and it’s key that a lot of players are staying healthy. After that, we need to be constantly improving all season and playing as a unit. Team unity is about playing as one unit.”
Smith said there are several games that can give an indication of how the Mustangs are doing this season. Mainland will play arch-rival Ocean City twice – at home on April 5 and at Ocean City on April 28. Smith said the season-opener against Holy Spirit will provide an important test for the Mustangs.
“Holy Spirit has come on very strong and powerful the past few years,” Smith said. “So Holy Spirit’s a big game for us to start. Obviously, the games that are always big are against our main rival Ocean City. Even if one of us has four players on the field, it’s still going to be a big game. That’s how those rival games turn out. Another big game will be Egg Harbor Township.”
Smith said he and his players, though, are just ready to get the season started with no excuses.
“You go through practice and practice and even a scrimmage is still fun, but it’s time to start games,” Smith said. “So that’s when you really get rolling and that’s when the true fun happens. The kids play a game and then we go back to practice and figure out what worked, what didn’t work in the game, then we go play another game.
“We continue to work on stuff through the regular season and that prepares us for the post-season. That’s where you want to be, playing at your peak at the start of the post-season.”
By CLYDE HUGHES/Special to the Sentinel
