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Schools

Beyond the Boxscore: Boys' Lacrosse Will Have Focus Tested Once More

The Eagles overcame a long delay to record a playoff win on Thursday, and will again be tested on Tuesday.

As the buckets of rain poured down at West Deptford High School Thursday, the boys' lacrosse team sat patiently, waiting to find out if the home playoff game against Pascack Hill was ever going to take place.

It would be hard to fault the players if, while waiting, their minds wandered a little bit to the prom, which was to take place Friday, or even the weekend which was to follow. Yet once it became clear that the rain would not be enough to force the game to another day, all of those thoughts had to migrate back to one thing and one thing only: lacrosse.

Complete focus is never a given for high school athletes even under the best circumstances, so the distractions in front of the Eagles on Thursday was, at the very least, a reason for slight concern prior to game.

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Fortunately for the team, and head coach Mike Yaruso, there was a template to refer to for situations similar to Thursday’s.

Last year it was the Eagles who were on the road and had to wait for their game at Glen Rock to get started. When things finally got underway West Deptford jumped all over the guests and never looked back in a playoff victory.

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With his team now in the same mode Glen Rock was a year ago, Yaruso was quick to remind his players how important it was to remain focused on the objective and get out to a fast start.

“I didn’t want the same thing that happened to Glenn Rock to happen to us,” Yaruso said.

His players didn’t either.

West Deptford dominated play in the first quarter, exiting with a 4-1 lead in what became a runaway 16-5 victory.

“We wanted to come out fast, get the win and move on to prom,” said Nick Baud, who had three goals.

The team's focus will again be challenged on Tuesday as it has to embark on a two-hour bus ride to West Essex. While long bus rides can affect the way teams perform in the early stages of a game, the Eagles are not worried about the travel. In fact, they seem to embrace it.

“The bus rides are fun,” said Eric Gendron, who scored four goals on Thursday. “We are one of the smaller teams so we are always traveling to far places and we have a good time on the rides.”

Because boys' lacrosse is not offered at many schools, the NJSIAA only produces one playoff grouping for the entire state. The result is long trips such as the one West Deptford will endure on Tuesday.

Once West Deptford—a No. 12 seed—arrives to take on a West Essex team that is seeded fifth, getting off to a fast start will again be crucial.

Said Baud: “We just have to clear our minds, not be scared of their seed and just do what we have practiced.”

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