ROBBINSVILLE: Offense aids RHS lacrosse in nice start

By Justin Feil, The Packet Group
   John Demkovitz expected an experienced offense to help carry the Robbinsville High School boys lacrosse team to new heights.
   It has.
   Demkovitz scored five goals to lead the Ravens to a landmark 11-10 win over Hopewell Valley last Thursday. It was Robbinsville’s first win over Hopewell in program history.
   ”We’ve never beaten them before,” said Demkovitz, the senior attack. “As a program, it’s a first. We want to continue to get better. North, South, we never beat them. Princeton, we never showed up in the past. We want to show we can compete.”
   Robbinsville has already done that. They opened the year with a challenging back-to-back of West Windsor-Plainsboro South and Notre Dame, two of the more experienced teams in the Colonial Valley Conference. The Ravens lost to both, but learned from them. They played Notre Dame to a 4-3 game over the final three quarters. The Ravens outscored South, 5-2 in the second half.
   ”It helped our confidence out,” said Demkovitz of coming back against South. “It showed we can play with them. We outscored them in the second half. It showed we can beat them. We just have to play a whole game.
   ”That was a tough game (against Notre Dame). They’re a good team. I think we can beat them. We have to play a whole game. That’s always been our problem — not showing up for a whole game. South, we basically only played the second half. Notre Dame, we didn’t show up in the first quarter.”
   The Ravens bounced back with a big second week. They went into overtime with Princeton High where they finished in an 8-8 tie with one of last year’s Group II state finalists. Then they held off Hopewell. Jim Eckstein and Jake Sonnenfeld had two goals apiece and Jack Virgie had a goal and three assists. Ryan Mayer contributed a goal, Jared Icenhower and A.J. Sanguinetti had an assist apiece.
   ”We felt good because we had solid play from everyone,” Demkovitz said. “A.J., Jimmy Eckstein, Jared Icenhower and Jack Virgie all played well in the midfield. A.J. and Jimmy led the midfield, Jared and Jack and I are on attack.”
   It’s been that same sort of lineup for three years for Demkovitz. It’s why he had such high hopes for this year.
   ”Offensive is definitely our strength,” Demkovitz said. “We have more experience and me and Jared Icenhower, we’ve been on the same line for the past three years. With A.J., he provides a lot for me. Me and A.J. and Ice probably work the best together.
   ”As a senior, having experience and getting better over the summer and also playing more and more with the same people helps. Not many teams can say they’ve played with the same people three years. We can say we have better chemistry.”
   The defense has proven up to some early challenges. They came up biggest when they needed it in front of Jeff Kalczynski, who made 12 saves in the win over Hopewell. The Bulldogs pulled within one goal with less than a minute to go.
   ”There was still plenty of time to score,” Demkovitz said. “The defense did a good job of getting the ground ball and clearing it. The second half, Jimmy Eckstein and A.J. Sanguinetti, they had a strong second half. A.J. and Jimmy, every time they played defense, they played shut down defense.”
   With a defense that is coming along and an experienced offense, the Ravens feel good about their chances against anyone. They will get their next test today when they play at West Windsor-Plainsboro North, which made the Group III state final last year. Demkovitz likes the challenges facing the Ravens, who are playing the more established CVC teams this year, and WW-P North is up next.
   ”We know they’re going to come out strong,” Demkovitz said. “Their last couple games, they’ve been playing a lot better. As long as we stay in ourselves and play a whole game, I think we can take them.”
   Demkovitz is looking forward to another challenge in the sport that he’s grown to love. He will continue his career next year in the Montclair State men’s program.
   ”It’s always entertained me,” said Demkovitz, who also played three years of basketball for the Ravens. “It’s fast-paced and fun. I grew up with baseball. Once lacrosse came to my town, it took over for me. Standing around wasn’t my thing.
   ”I started when I was in fourth grade. Me and A.J. Sanguinetti, we’re neighbors. We grew up playing with each other every day. That’s where we built our chemistry on the field.”
   That chemistry has paid off handsomely for the Robbinsville team that has shared the wealth up front as well as any team. Demkovitz notched his 100th career point earlier this season in a 13-2 win over Princeton Day School. Icenhower began the season with more than 100 points. Sanguinetti is well on his way.
   ”We have really high expectations considering we have so many returning players,” Demkovitz said. “Our offense was good last year. There’s no reason it shouldn’t be a lot better this year.”
   Along those lines, Demkovitz his holding himself and the offense to a higher standard this season. He wants to live up to the higher expectations.
   ”I’d say my role is a little bigger this year,” Demkovitz said. “I have to carry the offense a little more. Having the same people return makes it even stronger. A bunch of my goals, Jared Icenhower and A.J. set me up. I did the same for them.”
   They are combining this year to try to produce the best year in Robbinsville history. It’s the way John Demkovitz hopes to leave the Ravens.
   ”I think we’ve progressed a lot,” he said. “It definitely has been higher than my expectations. Sophomore year, it was hard playing against juniors or seniors. But definitely after my junior year, I really had higher expectations on the offensive end because of our attack was returning and we worked really well as juniors. As a senior, I wouldn’t expect anything less.”