MAKING HIS MARK PRESEASON TOP 10 >>
1. LAKE HIGHLAND PREP (FLA.) The Highlanders unseated St. Andrew’s in the state final last year and remain a threat with players like Max Parker and Adam Sawicki.
2. ST. ANDREW’S (FLA.)
The Scots lost a lot of firepower with their seven departed starters but should once again reload for a run at a ninth title in 11 years.
3. EPISCOPAL DALLAS (TEXAS)
There is added motivation after a state semifinal OT loss to now-rebuilding St. Mark’s.
4. HIGHLAND PARK (TEXAS)
The 2012 state champion once again should be a contender with players like Harvard-bound midfielder Robert Mencke.
5. CENTENNIAL (GA.)
The Knights return 17 players (eight starters) from their first state title season, including three All-Americans.
6. THE WOODLANDS (TEXAS)
The Highlanders graduated just three starters and added some out-of-state competition to the schedule.
7. PONTE VEDRA (FLA.)
The Sharks reached their third consecutive final four and have a strong enough feeder system to replace the graduated talent.
8. MCCALLIE (TENN.) A challenging schedule should pay off for the
Toronado, which added depth and athleticism. 9. MILTON (GA.)
The Eagles are hungry after an
early playoff exit last year. They’ve got the personnel to bounce back, including McCallie transfer Chad Toliver.
10. CHARLOTTE LATIN (N.C.) The defending private-school champ boasts three Division I commits.
Son of a famous restaurateur, Syracuse-bound Sam Romano wants to be more than the best in Texas By Laurel Pfahler
t’s not uncommon for Sam Romano to hear jeers about Macaroni Grill while driving toward the goal. But the heckling does not faze him. Romano, a junior midfielder for Episcopal Dallas (Texas), can’t help but crack a smile at their attempts to use his father’s restaurant chain to rattle him. Phil Romano is the founder of Romano’s Macaroni Grill, Fuddruckers and several other restaurants his son likely will one day inherit. But for now, Sam Romano’s
I
primary focus is lacrosse. He wants to be known for his talent and work ethic. One of the top players in Texas, he’s on his way, committing to Syracuse in October 2012. “I’m proud of my dad, but I don’t want that to define me,” Sam Romano said. “I didn’t work for any of that — that’s his doing. I want to be somebody great. I want lacrosse to be what defines me.”
Romano said his desire to make a name for himself doesn’t mean he can’t follow in his father’s footsteps. He just wants to earn it. Growing up around his family’s restaurants, Romano developed a knack for business early on. As a child, he passed out menus to customers and made sure to save any tips he collected. “He’s got a lot of street smarts,” Phil Romano said. The boy can’t imagine not doing something at least similar to his father.
Episcopal Dallas midfielder Sam Romano is the one of the top players in Texas — and the heir apparent of Macaroni Grill.
D Jake Bargas St. Andrew’s (Fla.)
M Lee Belland Dallas Jesuit (Texas)
G Tate Boyce McCallie (Tenn.)
M Tim Gehlbach Lake Brantley (Fla.)
M Revin Koss St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.)
M Robert Mencke Highland Park (Texas)
M Sam Romano Episcopal Dallas (Texas)
G Adam Sawicki Lake Highland Prep (Fla.)
A Nathan Solomon Centennial (Ga.)
M Chad Toliver Milton (Ga.)
54 LACROSSE MAGAZINE March 2014 >>
“I grew up following him around, so I don’t know there’s anything else I could do,” Sam Romano said. “I want to do that, but I want it to be my doing.” Lacrosse is something he came to on his own. Phil Romano was a former UCLA football player and knew nothing about lacrosse. In third grade, Sam Romano’s friends picked up the sport. He liked being a part of something new. When his father bought him one of the best helmets on the market, Sam Romano, then in seventh grade, knew he had to stick with lacrosse. “It sounds silly, but I thought, ‘If I’m going to have this nice of a helmet, I better play really well,’” he said. “I couldn’t play like a bum in that helmet.” Now you’ll often see Sam Romano shooting lacrosse balls in his backyard. He has a goal with a backstop and spends hours improving his technique and accuracy — to the point where he nearly suffered a stress fracture in his back practicing after the Eagles’ overtime loss in the state championship last year. “On top of what he does with the team, he does a lot on his own and realizes that is what it’s going to take to be the best player he can be,” Episcopal Dallas coach Pat Kennedy said. “He is the complete package. He is a student of the game. He is a great athlete. There are no weaknesses in his game. He has worked hard at it.” LM
A Publication of US Lacrosse
>>
©JOHN STROHSACKER (SR); ©SCOTT MCCALL (MP); ©CECIL COPELAND (CT)
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