Arts and Entertainment Editor
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| 2012 men's lacrosse team pose for a group picture. |
The Apex men’s lacrosse is preparing for an exhilarating spring season. After an exciting season last year with only two losses, the lacrosse team is hoping to build off that momentum and continue with another successful season. Captain Hayden Foster reflected on last year’s season and expects the team play even better this year. “We have learned many lessons as a team, [including] always set the intensity level, don’t let the other team set it; always hustle and never quit, no matter what the score is…That should help our performance and help us win many games,” Foster said.
Foster set forth his goals for the Cougars in the upcoming season. “My goals for the lacrosse team this year is to improve every game, grow as a team, and make it to the state championship and win. Not many things have changed since last year; we are still a very strong team,” Foster said. Fellow Captain Jake Fegley’s goals were more incremental, with a step by step plan to take the team further. “We just want to do the best we can. Every team’s goal is a state championship, but we just want to take it one step at a time and hopefully we will take enough steps to win a state championship,” Fegley said. The Cougars’ are looking at a different season than any they’ve played in recent years, with tighter conference competition. “Things have changed a lot,” Fegley explained. “The conference is changed up now, and we aren’t really the only powerhouse team anymore. We have to share that top spot now with the other great teams in our conference.”
Both Fegley and Foster agreed that Cardinal Gibbons would be Apex’s toughest rival this year, with Athens Drive also providing some stiff competition for the Cougars. “Apex's rival this season is definitely Cardinal Gibbons. They just came into our conference this year and are a very big competitor. We will prepare the way we do for every game and go into it with intensity and hard work,” Foster said. Fegley concurred, stating “Cardinal Gibbons and Athens are our biggest competition in conference play and that makes the games more intense and creates a rivalry between us.”
Coach John Hayden has high hopes for this year’s team, though he admits the team is going to have to push themselves to the limit. “We are working through a tough early season stretch of games, trying to find a good rhythm with our offense. We have some new faces in key spots and it takes a little time to get in sync. I expect to improve a lot over the course of the season and hopefully be ready to make a playoff run in May,” Hayden said.
