The boys lacrosse season hasn’t even kicked off yet, but postseason expectations are already being heaped on to the shoulders of the Smithsburg Leopards.
Coach Cullen Ganley’s Leopards have been a state power, with the team being a regular competitor in the MPSSAA Class 1A Championships for the better part of the last decade. Smithsburg will be seeking to not only make a return to the state playoffs, but the Leopards will also be battling to win their first state title in program history.
It will be easier than done for Smithsburg after heavy graduation losses, but the Leopards bring back a few valuable players that can keep the team in contention. Buckle up.
Before the spring season begins, Local.News1 will spend the next several days previewing multiple sports from the seven teams in our coverage area: Waynesboro, Greencastle-Antrim, Chambersburg, Fairfield, North Hagerstown, South Hagerstown, and Smithsburg.
Today we’re going to take a closer look at boys lacrosse, before shifting our focus to other spring sports in the days to come.
Below is a team-by-team preview for each of the four boys lacrosse teams in the Local.News1 coverage area:
Smithsburg Leopards
Coach: Cullan Ganley
Division: Washington County Public Schools
Last season: The Leopards are coming off a 15-2 season that came to end in the MPSSAA Class 1A State Semifinals with a 10-2 loss to Fallston.
Top projected returners: Ayden Weakfall (Sr., Mid), Blake Linn (Sr., Attack), Zach Linn (So., Mid), Vinny Roncone (Sr., Mid), Kaden Dietrich (Jr., Attack, 5-7, 130)
Notable: Smithsburg’s lacrosse squad has been among the top programs in Maryland for several years now, with the team making six-straight appearances in the state semifinals … The Leopards, who are pursuing their first state title in program history, were MPSSAA finalists in 2018 and 2021 … A return to the promised land, however, is no guarantee for Smithsburg, which graduated a talent-rich senior class that included Josh Kalons, Ashton Redman, Joey Ryan, Zak von Garrel, Isaac Rhoderick, Garrett Mazenko, and Bruce Reynolds … The good news for the Leopards is that they return two of Washington County’s best players in seniors Ayden Weakfall and Blake Linn … Weakfall recorded 40 goals and 10 assists last spring, to go along with 28 ground balls … Linn is coming off a season that saw him total 21 goals, 33 assists, 18 ground balls, and 10 caused turnovers.
Opener: Friday, March 21, at South Hagerstown
Chambersburg Trojans
Coach: Joseph Wilmot
Division: Mid-Penn Commonwealth Division
Last season: The Trojans played to an 8-10 overall record last season, which includes a 4-4 mark in the Commonwealth. Chambersburg did not qualify for the district playoffs.
Top projected returners: Ryan Cosey (Jr., Mid/Attack, 5-8, 150), Matt Tucker (Jr., Attack/Mid), Blake Dupont (Jr., Attack/Mid), Quinn Makosy (Sr., Mid/Attack, 5-7, 140), Blake Hitchens (Jr., Mid), Elvys Morales (Sr., Attack/Mid, 5-11, 150), Tavian Ferguson (Jr., Mid, 5-4, 125), Elijah Herbert (Jr., Mid/Defensive Mid), Conner Munson (Sr., Long Stick Mid/Defender), Kellen Sanders (Jr., Goalkeeper, 5-11, 165)
Notable: Chambersburg will be aiming for its winning season since 2019, when the team went 11-7 … The Trojans will attempt to do so with a roster that graduated four Mid-Penn Commonwealth All-Stars — Second Teamers Sam Kunkleman and Jackson Beardsley and Third Teamers Riley Harmon and Garrett Iser — a quartet that combined for 66 goals and 56 assists last spring … Chambersburg does return one Commonwealth All-Star in junior Ryan Cosey, who landed on the Second Team last season after leading the Trojans with a team-high 34 goals, to go along with eight assists … Look for Cosey to get some offensive support from returners Matt Tucker (18 goals, 21 assists), Blake Dupont (10, 6), and Quinn Makosy (6, 3) … Kellen Sanders is expected to return as Chambersburg’s starting goalkeeper after serving as a backup last spring and posting 14 saves and a 5.6 goals allowed average.
Opener: Friday, March 21, at home vs. CD East
North Hagerstown Hubs
Coach: Larry Winston
Division: Washington County Public Schools
Last season: North Hagerstown finished 5-8 last season, with its season coming to an end with a 7-6 loss to Frederick in the MPSSAA Class 3A West II Region Quarterfinals.
Top projected returners: Q’Maree Winston (Sr., Attack/Mid, 5-7, 130), Liam Warwick (Sr., Long Stick Mid/Defender, 5-10, 145), JP Aleshire (So., Goalie), Grayson Pack (Sr., Attack/Mid), Chase Garver (So., Mid), Michael Guerra (Sr., Attack/Offensive Mid, 5-8, 123), Paul Houpt (Jr., 6-1, 150, Attack/Offensive Mid), Donovan Mulkey (Sr., Attack, 5-7, 149), Gideon Williams (So., defender, 6-1), Kaden Hewlin (Jr.), Mason Mauriello (Jr., Defense), Tai Gilljam (Jr., Defensive Mid), Travis Correia (Jr., 6-4, 235).
Notable: The Hubs will be aiming for their first winning season since 2016-17, when they went 8-6 … North Hagerstown scored 79 goals last season, and allowed 121 … The Hubs graduated a key player in defender/mid Ethan Stevens, but return a playmaker in Q’Maree Winston, a senior who recorded double-digit totals in both goals and assists last spring.
Opener: Thursday, March 27, at Catoctin
South Hagerstown Rebels
Coach: Tim Rockwood
Division: Washington County Public Schools
Last season: South Hagerstown played to a 2-10 record last spring, with its season coming to an end with a 19-3 loss to Tuscarora in the MPSSAA Class 3A West Region I Quarterfinals.
Top projected returners: Nick Bryan (Sr., Attack), Marques Barnes (Sr., Mid/Defense), Thurman Harold (Sr., Mid), Av Tellez (Sr.).
Notable: South Hagerstown will be looking to build off its success from last season, when it logged a 7-4 win over Chapelgate Christian to snap a losing streak that dated back to 2017 … The win came under the guidance of coach Tim Rockwood, who took over the Rebels program in 2022 … The top order of business for South Hagerstown will be finding a replacement for graduated goalkeeper Joseph Fox, who finished his high school career with a state-record 774 saves … The Rebels are coming off a season that saw them score 38 goals and allow 151.
Opener: Friday, March 21, at home vs. Smithsburg
