Recently, Dover Area High School’s boys’ lacrosse team faced off against York Catholic, falling to York Catholic 0-18.

Senior long stick midfielder John Brant shared insights on the team‘s preparation and one of their biggest challenges. “We watched some film to prepare for this game and practice every day, and work on our issues as much as possible. I am confident in our abilities going into every game, unfortunately, however, we only have 13 players — the only team in the county that has less than 20,” Brant said. With only three substitutions, the Eagles have almost no energy to spare midway through the game against teams with larger rosters.

Brant also explained the need for better offensive plays. “We have little to no possession or shots on goal,” Brant said. “We have to work on getting the ball into the offensive zone and maximizing scoring opportunities as well as capitalizing on the opportunities we do have.” 

Head coach Chantz Ilgenfritz gave some more insight on how he has tried to prepare his team for the season and for the next game. He focused on “wall ball,” a solo practice using a brick wall to pass and catch with yourself, improving their stick skills. He urges them to practice it daily when not at practice, so they can focus more on scrimmages, ball movement, and communication. 

Ilgenfritz shares the same concern as Brant regarding the roster shortage. He said, “York Catholic had twice as many players. They were able to sub in fresh legs constantly, and we couldn’t keep up with their pace.”

Both Brant and Ilgenfritz acknowledge that the team’s small roster was a major factor in the loss.