After graduating 10 seniors from the 2009 team, the men’s lacrosse team looks forward to an exhilarating season with a new coach and new teammates.

Damian Hall is stepping up to fill the role of head coach this season. He has been an assistant coach for the past two seasons.

“For this season, I am really excited to see how this team gels. As coaches, we have been talking about this group of juniors and seniors for two years now. There is a lot of potential all over the field. I have scheduled some tough competition and am eager to see which boys will compete and rise to the challenge,”Hall said.

The varsity team of 35 men will have tryouts on February 15 and will begin practice on the 17 when the team is named. The team will be playing some tough competition this season, including both Wakefield and Cardinal Gibbons twice. Cardinal Gibbons was a 3A state finalist and Wakefield was a 4A state semifinalist

The non-conference schedule includes the difficult teams of Chapel Hill (4A finalist), East Chapel Hill, Durham Jordan, and Holly Springs. All of these teams made it to the playoffs last year.

The team will be looking to fill many spots this year, most at the midfield. Many core players are returning however, including junior Mitchell Dupere. Five other key players are returning, all of whom scored double-digit points during last year’s season.

Also returning is senior goalie James Foster along with most of last year’s defensive starters.

“Foster saved over 67% of the shots he faced last season. He is definitely the anchor of the unit,”Hall said.

Hall says that the most difficult part to the season will probably be getting used to the team’s new style of offense. He still has high hopes that the team will do well this season.

“I am going to ask a lot more of those guys than the past couple of years, especially in transition,”Hall said.

Hall looks forward to adding many of last year’sundefeated junior varsity players to his roster this year.

“Those players are bringing an attitude of winning that will be very important this season,” Hall said.