By Wendi Reardon Price
Staff Writer
wprice@mihomepaper.com
INDEPENDENCE TWP. — The Oxford Boys Varsity Lacrosse team kicked off the spring season with a trio of games last week, going 1-2 to begin the year.
The Wildcats opened the week with their home opener against Linden with a 13-3 win, April 2.
“Our home opener was a successful victory for the varsity team,” said Noah Grove, head coach. “The team was able to start the season on a high note due to large contributions on the scoring front from junior attackman Hunter Wittebort who had a hat-trick. We will be looking for great things from him this season. Owen Pavlock, is another junior we will look to during our games to make large contributions in the midfield.”
He added up-and-coming players to watch for this season is freshman Chris Pullman and the sophomore duo of Aidan London and Payton Scott.
“They will be breakouts on the offensive side of the field,” Grove said. “The main stays of our defense are back this year in junior PJ Wozniak and junior Reed Swieczkowski with the addition of junior Johnathan Corcoran and junior Brendan Cass this year, they should be a formidable force for our opponents all season long.”
The Wildcats traveled to Clarkston the following night and lost, 20-4.
Oxford found themselves quickly behind as the Wolves finished the first quarter with a 12-0 lead.
Pullman scored with 3:14 remaining in the first half to put Oxford on the board and Pavlock added one more with 22.2 seconds left, putting the scored 14-2.
Junior Hunter Wittebort and sophomore Anderson Krupa scored in the second half. Sophomore Gabriel Rugenstein had 11 saves in the net.
The Wildcats finished the week with a 19-7 loss to Rochester Adams last Friday.
Oxford (1-2) opened the week against L’Anse Creuse High School on Tuesday.
“We are looking for this year to be a season of growth amongst our young roster and that will start with our quest for the OAA league championship next Thursday against league foe and defending champion Falcons,” Grove said.
The Wildcats head to Rochester on Thursday and are on the road Friday against University of Detroit Jesuit High School, 6:30 p.m.
Oxford is back at home on April 18 against Troy Athens. JV plays at 5:30 p.m., varsity follows.