MHS lacrosse ready for states
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
The youngest of three brothers, Mark Yetter’s arrival to the Montgomery High School boys lacrosse team was highly anticipated.
His departure will be met with less excitement, but the senior attack hopes to extend his career into the first week of June as the Cougars open state tournament play. Fourth-seeded Montgomery will host 13th-seeded Livingston, an 8-2 winner over No. 20 Cherry Hill West, 4:30 p.m. today.
In other Group III tournament second-round action, third-seeded West Windsor-Plainsboro North will host No. 14 Roxbury today. No. 11 WW-P South dispatched of Colts Neck, 13-3, on Saturday to improve to 13-6. They will play at defending Group III champion Ridgewood today. In Group II, top-seeded Princeton High hosts No. 16 Wall Township. Winners will play again Thursday, while the season will be over for the losers.
”It’s a weird feeling,” Yetter said of playing his final state tournament. “I can’t believe it’s coming to the end. I felt like it would last forever. I’m excited about my senior state tournament. It’s the time you have to step up.”
Yetter has been stepping up for the varsity since he was a freshman playing with the Yetter’s middle brother, Mike, when Montgomery won the Group III state championship.
”Me and my senior teammates are definitely going to bring everything we have,” Yetter said. “I remember watching my brother after we won. He was on cloud nine. I want that feeling too.”
To do so, the Cougars will have to turn around a disturbing trend. Their 10-9 loss Saturday to Somers, a New York team, was their second straight one-goal loss, and fifth one-goal loss overall in seven this season.
”We’ve lost seven games by nine goals,” said MHS head coach Don Green, whose team is 11-7. “Our team has done a very good job of rebounding from that. The teams we’ve lost to are very good teams. What we know is we can play with very good teams when we get on the field. Moving forward in the playoffs, I think it’ll help us that we’ve experienced so much.
”The areas we’re improved the most, we’re a very composed team. We can go down pretty significantly, and we can come back. We’ve done it the last couple times. We gave up a four- or five-goal lead to Immaculata and were able to come back. Yesterday, we were down significantly and were able to come back with six-goal third quarter to take the lead.”
MHS had the ball with two minutes to go, but couldn’t hold the lead. The Cougars have won a pair of one-goal games this season, but the one-goal losses aren’t easy to take. MHS lost in the Somerset County Tournament semifinals by a goal to Immaculata. They have lost four of five games coming into today, but three of them have been by that single tally.
”It’s the worst feeling ever,” Yetter said. “We have to figure out how to get on the right side of a one-goal game. Every team we play is pretty competitive.”
And every team knows well of Yetter, who entered the season 44 points behind his brother Mike for the career points record. He added another three points in the Cougars’ loss to Somers.
”He’s such a dynamic player,” Green said. “He’s such a threat on the offensive end that it opens up a lot of other guys. Teams focus on him so much. His ability to perform despite being the focal point of other team’s strategies, it’s phenomenal he can do that.”
Yetter has partnered on offense with sophomore Kevin Wanke, who is emerging as the next MHS offensive star, and senior Carter Oakley. Yetter is the leader of the group.
”The past three years, I’ve been playing with a bunch of great players — my brother, the Watsons, Kevin Hover,” Yetter said. “This year, I’ve become more of the quarterback of the offense and I’m trying to keep things going. We’re trying to possess a lot because of having a young defense and goalie. It’s getting used to playing with different players around me.”
In the midfield, seniors Amo Hare and Mark Treichler have been the leading scorers, and senior tri-captain Connor Oltmans leads the defense in front of first-year starting goalie Jim O’Brian.
”It’s coming along well,” Green said. “Rudy (Butler) was probably the best goalie in program history, so whoever had to step in was going to have big shoes to fill. For a sophomore to play as Jim has against the teams we’ve had, it amazing he’s been able to play so consistently and well.”
The schedule this year has had the Cougars take on Seton Hall Prep and Pennyslvania prep Penn Charter, South Jersey power Moorestown and now Somers in addition to their regular Skyland Conference powers.
”We’ve never played such a tough schedule,” Yetter said. “Usually we have a couple games where we win by 10 or 12 goals. Those are gone. It’s a different feeling.
”In states, every game is tough. Every single game we’ve played is tough. We’re ready for a tough game every time we step on the field. We’re prepared, better than in years past.”
MHS will need to be at its best as its path to the finals potentially has fifth-seeded Shawnee and top-seeded Ridge or annual power West Morris Central waiting on its side of the bracket.
”What we know,” Green said, “is we have the ability to win the state championship. Guys are ready for that. That’s really our goal.
”One of the reasons that we’re playing the teams that are farther away, is it’s important for New Jersey teams to represent outside of the state. It goes a long way in the lacrosse community to show New Jersey can play with teams in New York. It’s good to show how good New Jersey lacrosse is. People outside of New Jersey don’t give us much credit.”
The Cougars focus now is proving it’s the best in New Jersey. It’s the last chance for Yetter, who has an exciting future ahead as he will join the Delaware men’s lacrosse team that played in the NCAA tournament Sunday.
”I’m just thinking, thank God I have two months to work as hard as I can to get ready,” Yetter said. “They’re big and strong and fast. I have to get prepare for that. Playing for a tournament team is really exciting.”
Mark Yetter is excited for one last tournament run with the Cougars team that he’s been a part of for four years officially, but well before that while watching his brothers. Win or lose, Yetter leaves Montgomery with no regrets.
”I couldn’t ask for anything more,” he said. “It’s been the most fun I’ve ever had. Freshman year winning states to now playing lacrosse with all my best friends, all the kids I’ve grown up with. It’s been the best.”