Lawrence gets late surge

BOYS LACROSSE

By: John E Powers
   Anthony Ammirata has been realistic about the prospects for his Lawrence High School boy’s lacrosse team this year, his first as head coach.
   When the season began, Ammirata thought a .500 season as one of the Cardinals goals.
   That objective faded after a 0-8 start against a brutal early schedule, but the Cardinals are now making gradual progress and with a favorable late-season schedule, 8-10 is no longer a dream.
   "We weathered the early storm," he said.
   The Cardinals (4-10) have won two straight and four of their last six.
   That is certainly a sign of an improvement.
   The Cardinals went 1-16 last year and 1-14 in their first year as a varsity program in 2004.
   "We took some knocks early," Ammirata said. "But you’re looking at some outstanding teams like Princeton, West Windsor-Plainsoro South – Hopewell Valley. The moral was low, but we kept at it."
   Now that Lawrence already faced the more established programs, the Cardinals can focus on competing against the teams closer to their level.
   "I want to compete for four quarters," said Ammirata, also the defensive coordinator for the Cardinals’ football team. "Whatever the bottom line is it is. Our goal is to adapt our scheme and improve technique."
   Freshman Dan Koellner led the Cardinals to a 9-5 win over Ewing (3-10) Tuesday with four goals.
   Junior attack Dan Schindewolf chipped in with two more and junior attack Matt Watson had a goal and two assists.
   Junior middie Steve Boucher and junior middie Steve Sikora had the other goals.
   Watson has 35 goals and 12 assists. Watson, the team’s leading scorer last year, had just five goals and two assists. The Cardinals scored just 16 goals a year ago.
   "He’s really having a nice year," Ammirata said.
   The Cardinals beat J.P. Stevens 16-12 Monday in what Ammirata called "a sloppy game."
   Koellner had five goals and an assist in the 16-12 win over J.P. Stevens and Watson had four goals and two assists. Sikora had three goals and Boucher had two goals.
   "If we’re a more established team we would have locked that game away," Ammirata "It was just a sloppy game."
   Sophomore goalie James McIntosh made 27 saves for the Cardinals.
   "I think we’re playing a little better, hopefully we’re beginning to be less selfish," Ammirata said. "That’s been one of my main objectives to make the kids think team concept first. A big part of it is putting the team first."
   Ammirata’s team will play at Allentown Saturday, then play host to Ewing Monday before playing Allentown again Wednesday at home.
   "This is a big stretch for us," the coach said.Allentown is ranked 107th in the state by laxpower.com, while Lawrence was 121st in the latest power point rankings. The Redbirds were 7-6 after a 6-4 win over New Egypt Tuesday.