COLLEGE PREVIEW 2014 NCAA DIVISION I MEN’S TOP 20 13 Mike Pellegrino W
Enemy Lines WHAT RIVAL COACHES SAY
“New offensive identity. Who can break a defense down? … Can they adjust to being quick and slick on offense? No more ‘Green Bay’ power sweep… Benn, Stanwick and Brown would be about as skilled and slick as there is in the entire country and could create havoc in unsettled and transition situations… The game has not passed Petro by. He is preparing to bring this younger group to the final four.”
Johns Hopkins BLUE JAYS
2013 RECORD: 9-5 (INDEPENDENT) COACH: DAVE PIETRAMALA (14TH YEAR) • RECORD AT JOHNS HOPKINS: 147-50
09 10 11 12 13
Schedule Feb 9
Key Game The Blue Jays’ three-goal
loss to the Tigers last year at Homewood was a bad omen, as they failed repeatedly to produce quality wins. Knocking off the Ivy League favorite would be a huge confidence boost.
Feb 15 Feb 22 Mar 1 Mar 4 Mar 8
Mar 15 Mar 22 Mar 29 Apr 4
Apr 12 Apr 18 Apr 23 May 3
Ohio State Towson
Michigan at Princeton
at Mount St. Mary’s at UMBC Syracuse at Virginia
North Carolina Albany
Maryland at Navy Villanova at Loyola
Projected Starters A Wells Stanwick (Jr.)* G: 24
ith all of the talk about the new-look offense at Homewood, the biggest question goes back to what has
been Old Reliable since Dave Pietramala’s arrival in 2000. When you think Johns Hopkins, you think stingy defense. But the Blue Jays lost defensemen
Tucker Durkin, an All-American, and Chris Lightner, plus goalkeeper Pierce Bassett — all three-year starters. They must push on with a heap of inexperience under the demanding Pietramala, who is very hands- on with the defense.
Johns Hopkins
no doubt needs to score more to return to the NCAA tournament it missed for the first time in 42 years. To that end, the Blue Jays, who traditionally have relied on midfield dodgers to initiate the offense, have turned the page
schematically like numerous teams have in recent years. Johns Hopkins will be committed to hard cutting and pick-and- rolls, in an effort to exploit the off-ball and finishing skills of its shooters. But the Blue Jays also must grow up
quickly on the back end, where only senior Jack Reilly brings a proven presence.
44 LACROSSE MAGAZINE February 2014 >>
Top Returner M ROB GUIDA (SR.)
Guida is at full strength after a broken collarbone limited him in 2013. His vision and quickness could also work on attack.
That means long-stick midfielder Mike Pellegrino and short-stick
defensive
midfielder Phil Castronova must lead one of the game’s better looking rope units. It also means Robert Enright, John Kelly and Nick Fields must help Reilly stabilize the defense in front of goalie Eric Schneider, who gets his first and last call as a starter. “I’m not uncomfortable with our personnel,” Pietramala said. “Athletically, we’re in great shape with guys like Reilly and Fields, who doesn’t play like a freshman. It doesn’t mean we’re going to become Defense of the Year, but we weren’t about that with Tucker Durkin.” Johns Hopkins is about system first.
The Blue Jays are a slide-and-recover team that would rather not chase ball carriers and go for turnovers. When things are clicking, they switch, hedge and roll in and out of double teams, forcing shooters into lanes and angles the Blue Jays prefer. Schneider differs from Bassett in that
he has the ability (and green light) to ignite the fast break with his hands and his feet. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Kelly gained confidence in the season-ending 9-4 win at Army, when he replaced an injured Durkin and shut down Garrett Thul. — G.L.
A Brandon Benn (Sr.)* G: 34
A Ryan Brown (So.) G: 17
M Rob Guida (Sr.)* G: 3
M Rex Sanders (Sr.) G: 13
M Connor Reed (So.) G: 0
A: 23 A: 1 A: 4 A: 4 A: 0 A: 0
FO Drew Kennedy (Jr.) FO%: 54.4
LSM Mike Pellegrino (Jr.)* GB: 39
D Jack Reilly (Sr.)* GB: 14
D John Kelly (Jr.) GB: 4
*returning starters
X-Factor D JACK REILLY (SR.)
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Reilly was out of place two years ago as a long-stick midfielder, but his brand of skill and athleticism is well-suited down low as a cover man. He’ll draw top attackmen.
Power Ratings (SCALE OF 1-5)
3 3 3 3 OFFENSE DEFENSE GOALIE FACEOFF A Publication of US Lacrosse
D Robert Enright (Jr.) GB: 6
Pts: 1 CT: 15 CT: 13 CT: 1 CT: 2
G Eric Schneider (Sr.) GAA: 9.59
SV%: 50.0
Tournament Trend
QUARTERS 1ST
RD
QUARTERS QUARTERS
©LEE WEISSMAN (MP, RG); ©JOHN STROHSACKER (JR); ©KEVIN TUCKER (DD, TH, TF)
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