Chardon's newest sport has lots of fresh faces.As lacrosse has gained popularity across Northeast Ohio -- particularly in Geauga County, with boys and girls varsity…
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Chardon’s newest sport has lots of fresh faces.
As lacrosse has gained popularity across Northeast Ohio — particularly in Geauga County, with boys and girls varsity teams at West Geauga, Kenston, Chagrin Falls and Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin — the Hilltoppers are the next chapter.
The boys-only team is still a club sport. But it seems inevitably headed toward the varsity stamp, like boys and girls swimming was a season ago.
Dakota Romine is the team’s first head coach. From Marysville, Romine is an all-state lacrosse player in high school, and played college football.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime deal,” Romine said of Chardon, “coming here to start your own program.”
The Hilltoppers are more advanced than most start-up programs, Romine said.
Gary Wascovich, whose son Tyler is on the team, is the board president and helps secure things like practice uniforms and matching helmets, luxuries for beginning programs.
The team will play other club teams across Ohio, and some JV and varsity teams.
“We’re not the big dogs of lacrosse yet,” Romine said. The team has four kids that don’t go to Chardon because of its status as a community club team.
Of the team’s 26 players on the roster, 17 are freshmen. There are four seniors: Mike Milam, Sean Maroney, Ben Cyvas and Joe Malone.
It’s a team sport, but individuals have opportunities to shine.
Malone, a defenseman, had never tried the sport until two months ago.
“Everything is going really well,” Malone said. “We’re starting to click.”
If you’re athletic, lacrosse can come fairly easily, Malone said: “We are learning on the fly.”
Running and cutting Malone is used to, but the lacrosse stick skills are new to him. He uses a long stick, which helps him play defense, as opposed to shorter sticks, which allow greater flexibility.
Tyler Wascovich is the opposite; he has been playing for five years.
The linebacker originally just wanted to stay in shape for the football season. But then he fell in love.
In lacrosse he’s a mid-fielder who plays offense and defense, but it’s apparent he’s also one of the team’s top attackers, as he spins through the defense and fires a shot at goalie Noah Levy.
“Baseball was too slow,” he said. “I didn’t like soccer. Lacrosse is a contact sport, and it’s fun.”
Wascovich is only a freshman, but his experience makes him a leader.
The Lake County Lightning is a club team for young kids. Wascovich, like many of his teammates, got his start with the Lightning.
Had Chardon not developed a program, he was likely to attend a school that did, like NDCL.
Levy is an above-average goalie who also started with the Lightning.
“I just went in one day, and I really liked it,”?he said. “I told my dad I’m going to want to do this for a while.”
A lacrosse ball is a solid rubber ball that is heavier than you’d think. When it hits you, it hurts, and Levy’s shins, bruised in places, show the perils of defending the “cage,” or goal, from attacks.
“A lot of people say it takes guts to stand in goal and be willing to be hit with shots,” he said. “But after a while (he’s been doing it six years) you just get used to it.
“It’s a little harder this year.”
“The kid is an absolute monster,” Romine said. “He’s easily one of the best players I’ve seen play goalie. He has some of the fastest hands we’ve ever seen.”
Romine appreciates lacrosse’s connection to football, so the team uses the same script Chardon on its red helmets. The sport itself represents a combination of soccer — 10 vs. 10 with attackers, midfielders, defenders and a goalie — and hockey, with contact and sticks — shoulder pads and a penalty box for infractions.
There are picks, like basketball. And offensive sets are similar to basketball.
The coach thinks there is a greater opportunity for college scholarships in lacrosse.
“We are trying to build off of football,” Romine said. “I think we are the next big thing here.”
Crowds have been sparse at first, Romine said as his team scrimmaged on half of Memorial Field.
He continued: “It’s just as much fun to watch as football. Come to a lacrosse game.”
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