The Southern Wake Athletic Conference for boy's lacrosse is year-over-year on of the most competitive conferences in the state (the conference went 22-5 in regular season non-conference play in 2018). It is home to traditional powers like Apex and Holly Springs, the newest big-boys on the block in Middle Creek, and two of the most up-and-coming programs in Fuquay-Varina and Apex Friendship. Expect this conference to be just as tough this year.
Team Previews
Cape Fear
Cape Fear enters it's first year of NCHSAA play as the only small-school dividion team in the SWAC. The Colts have a good balance of youth and upperclassmen with five seniors and two freshman on the innaugural squad. Cape Fear will look to Junior Tyler Finley to lead the way on offense. Finley and sophomore Hudson McFadyen have been named the team's first two captains. The Colts have a tough schedule as part of arguably the toughest conference in the state, year-over-year
South Garner
The newest school in Wake County is South Garner. The Titans are poised to be part of the SWAC as they forge their way into the lacrosse world. The Titan coaching staff has been working to gain interest through out the off-season and will see the team compete at a JV level for 2019. Look for the Titans to make their Varsity debut in 2020.
Middle Creek
The Mustangs saw their 2018 campaign fall just short of repeating as state champions when they lost to Lake Norman (13-11), but will be looking to get back on the horse for 2019 to make a run for its second title in three years. They will have to do so with out the all-time NC record holder Owen Caputo (Duke), transition terror AJ King (High Point), JJ Tolentino, and Jimmy Slaight. In all the Mustangs will be looking to replace over 300 points from the 2018 campaign.
Most of the responsibility is going to fall on Owen's younger, but not little, brother Jake (53g/42a - Duke), David Baird (43g/9a) and Junior Nathan Greenberg (29g/30a) a transfer from Holly Springs. Junior Captain Ben Lever (Furman) will be taksed with leading the defense along with Junior goalkeeper Lance Skelton.
Probably the biggest advantage for Middle Creek is at the Face Off dot. There they boast one of the best in the state in Graham Schwartz (267W, 78%). He will be asked to take some of the pressure off by keeping the ball in the Mustangs offensive end.
Apex
Apex finsihed tied for second in the SWAC in 2018 with a 13-6 overall record. The 2019 Cougars reload offensively returning 9 out of their top 10 scorers from 2018. Seniors Christian Cechini and Carter White provide Senior leadership from the attack while do-it-all midfielder Preston Lalicker will test opposing team's midfield defensive units.
Defensively, Apex has to replace two big-time players in Alex Baker (Queens) and Spencer Stokes(Pfeiffer). That duty will fall to Junior goalie Zach Vigue (Richmond) as he looks to direct a new defense in front of him. Senior Mike Davis and Sophmore Matt Gully and will be called upon to anchor the defense.
Holly Springs
The Golden Hawks come off a successful 2018 campaign that saw them tie for second in the SWAC and earn a playoff birth. Sophomore Kolson Huff is the teams returning high scorer (35g/16a) and, with the transfer of Nathan Greenberg to middle creek, will have to take on a more leadership role on the offensive end of the field. Senior Cody MOrton and Junior Logan Kennedy will join Huff on the offenseive end.
Defensively Holly Springs is lead by Junior Noah Areneson (Marsit), an agressive and savvy defender who causes havoc all over the field. Areneson, however will be without the saftey net of Sean Jesrani (514 career saves) this year.
Holly Springs will be lead by first year coach Chris Baranello this year.
Apex Friendship
The Patriots finished 4th in the SWAC in 2018 and earned their first playoff birth in program history and finished with an 8-8 overall record. Friendship returns all three of its leading scores in Seniors Dan Ritcey (32g/13a), Zach Mullins(26g/14a), and Dominic Miracola(25g/15a). Senoir Jacob Pedneau will lead Friendship from the midfield
Defensively the Pats will look to Senior Justin Havill, and Sophomore Zach Umstead to front Senior goalie Zach Pagan.
Peter Hagermoser will be the third coach in the programs history in 2019.
Fuquay-Varina
Fuquay-Varina enters 2019 starting it's sixth year as a varsity program, and the Bengals have their eye on improving from last years 8-8 record that saw them just narrowly miss the playoffs. The Bengals will be looking to fill the void of Seniors Max Quinn (Mt. Olive) and Quinn Rundgren (Marietta) on the offensive end. On the defensive side of the ball F-V will be looking to have a replacement for Defender Cole Allen and Goalie Connor Williams (176sv).
The Bengals do return 11 seniors as the core of this team. Juniors Logan Wheeler (30,26) and Matt Lyons (10,21) along with sophomore JJ Dickens (14,18) will look to spark a veteran Bengals offense. Seniors Chase Taylor & Garrett Lasher will anchor a defense along with Juniors Sean McCarty-LSM and Goalie Cody Seaman-Goalie.
Garner
The Garner Trojans finished the 2018 4-13. They played as tough a schedule as anyone and went 3-1 in non-conference play. They return a large chunk of their offense in Seniors Connor Kocher (31g,20a - Guilford) and Lucas Carter (17g,10a). Senior Isaiah Anderson will probably be asked to do more this season to help create more offense for the Trojans. Defensively, the Trojan lost Captain Nicholas Oerter, but return 3 Seniors in Reid Ankarstran, Quincy Goldsmith, and Matt Bauer.
Conference Prediction
- Apex
- Middle Creek
- Holly Springs
- Apex Friendship
- Fuquay-Varina
- Cape Fear
- Garner
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