Local News - March 2003

ELAX is back, looking to make more history

LINCOLN COUNTY’S ONLY LACROSSE TEAM

TERRANCE THOMAS, LTN Staff Writer

March 10, 2003 - The East Lincoln lacrosse club team (ELAX) is back again for another history-making season.

Last spring, ELAX made history by becoming the first Lincoln County lacrosse team ever.

On top of that, ELAX won its only home game at East Lincoln Middle School — that game was the first lacrosse match ever played on county soil.

This season, ELAX joined a Charlotte high school lacrosse conference and will play against Providence, Myers Park, Independence, Vance and others including Morganton’s Freedom High School. ELAX will play all those teams and others at home and away.

“This conference is dominated by Charlotte public schools who are all 4A varsity,” said assistant coach Butch Barker. “It’s going to be a tall order to be competitive with (some) teams in this league but we can compete with 40 percent of them.”

Head coach Gene Thompson said that teams like North Meck and Providence will have 60 players on their varsity. Right now ELAX has up to 16 players after picking up three players last week.

ELAX played a junior varsity schedule last year. Now with the majority of the team now juniors, the team will have to step up. But the top players on the team are back and ready to go with a season under their belt. Three eighth-graders have also joined the squad.

“Overall, we’re much improved,” Barker said. “We have a terrific group of super athletes. You won’t recognize them because they’ve done a lot of work. It’s really encouraging.

“We’re going to ask a lot for (our eighth graders), a lot more than we would like too. They are anxious for the challenge.”

Perhaps, the team’s top two players are Jay Thompson and Brian Barker.

Both are midfielders along with eighth-graders Luke Barker and Garrett Sumner.

In lacrosse, midfielders are the only players who can play both offense and defense.

The attackers try to score with the midfielders. Tim Moony, Clay Parker sophomore Jeremy Grove and eighth-grader Phillip Hamilton are the team’s attackers.

“On offense, we’re improved but slightly undermanned,” said Coach Butch Barker. “We have a solid core returning. Our (defensive players) are better than they were at the end of last season.”

The defense begins with goalkeeper Alex Martin, who played football for East Lincoln. As the only senior on the squad, he’s team captain.

Helping him out will be defensemen Chase Hardin, Duncan Carlton, John McCall and sophomore Trevor Barrick.

The team will probably need a few extra a players to come out.

The game of lacrosse is similar to open field hockey. The ball is passed in the air, however, instead of on the ground or across the ice. Also, just like hockey, players get to body check other players.

It’s tough like football and quick in action like soccer.

“You don’t have to be big or super fast,” Thompson said. “If you have heart and want to play, you’ll play.”

NOTES: ELAX opens its season today at 6:30 p.m. at North Meck and Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Providence. The team’s first home game is next Monday at East Middle against Independence.

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East Lincoln

LACROSSE SCHEDULE

March 10 at North Meck 4:30 p.m.

March 11 at Providence 6 p.m.

March 15 at South Meck 12 p.m.

March 17 Independence 4:30 p.m.

March 22 Myers Park 5 p.m.

March 24 at Independence 4:30 p.m.

March 29 South Meck 12:00

March 31 North Meck 5:00

April 3 at Vance 6:30 p.m.

April 5 Weddington 12:00

April 23 at Butler 5:00

April 28 Butler 5:00

May 2 East Meck 5:00

May 3 at Weddington 12:00

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