This article is part of a series.  If you missed Part 1 be sure to check it out.District 6 This is the third year of our district by district previews.  Over the next couple of week’s we’ll be  breaking down each district and taking a look at the guys to watch, who the new coaches are, and which teams look ready to break out and make some noise this season. This year, the district-by-district preview is brought to you by RipNet. RipNet is a new goal scoring app and social network for players that is available for free on iPhone, Android and online at www.rip.net.  The apps help you become a better player, follow your friends’ game, and stay connected with all things lacrosse. This video will show you how RipNet Performance Technology works and what you can do with the app. watch video. You studs will be the first to let it rip, which makes RipNet even more fired up to help you put more balls in the back of the net and share your success on the field with players across the state and country.  Good luck this season. Now get out there and start scoring! District 6 The District 6 teams will be highly competitive amongst each other. Each team has stand out players and only Matanzas and Pedro Menendez are full of seniors. Saint Augustine and Flagler Palm Coast are loaded with youth. Pedro Menendez was the runner up last year.  They have 5 seniors and a lot of young players returning. Look for junior  Nick Argitis. He has led team in goals, points scored and ground balls every year.  Nick has played on Team Florida the last years and was selected to North Florida Elite. FPC is young and full of new faces. After last year’s class of 13 seniors it will be a struggle to replace key scorers and a solid goalie. Those guys know they have their work cut out for them and are eager to work hard and defend their reputation. Saint Augustine is now in the third year of their program. Last season they won their first game and ended up 6-8. They will be young and rough around the edges, but still have their sights set on winning their first district game this year.  Defense will be led by senior Jacob Hardy. He will be backed up by Sr. Dreyton Masters.  The midfield will be led by Junior Captain Austin Kubart and Jr. Jeremy Harmon. At the attack position All County Honorable Mention recipient Jr. Rob Gober will lead the way. Two up and comer sophomores to look out for are Alex Gonzalez and Griffin Loughlin.   These guys are the ones to watch in District 6; Matt Gutiearez -MHS freshman goalie Josh Holbrook- MHS senior Defender Spencer Sargent-PMHS senior midfield (FO) Nick Argitis- Senior Zach Westfelling- PMHS goalie Zach Prince-PMHS junior defender John Zeaslowski-FPC junior Attack Mike Forte- FPC freshman Midfield Griffin Laughlin,-SAHS junior attack.  District 7 Oak Hall only lost one player from the 12-5 District 7 Championship team from last season.  The will be challenged by both Buchholz and Trinity Catholic once again.  This has become a very competitive district. Oak Hall returns all of their top scorers including All District players; junior attackman Jake Kirschner (73 points,) senior attackman Ty Randell (69 points,) and junior middie Tyler Baggett (63 points.)  You should also watch senior Nate Koons D, Gainesville Sun POY who is back for another season.  They are returning a solid middie in Danny Stirt who played very little last season because of injury. Two senior defensemen, Nick Sarantos and Josh Noble, also return. Buchholz is still the only team in Gainesville with a JV team (Oak Hall has middle school). They are returning 18 Varsity players and their JV posted a 5-1 record last year, outscoring opponents 54-20 with 3 shut-outs.  Sam Coons (Captain), Jalen Johnson, and Matt Kimball are all returning starters expected to anchor the defense with Ilie Tomlin returning in goal. Returning starting attackmen Briggs Kirby (Captain) and Nick Sivils will lead the offense. A large junior class will also be expected to make important contributions and provide depth.  Buchholz will look to again contend for the District Championship after losing the past 2 years to Oak Hall.

Trinity Catholic will return their two leading scorers in seniors Hunter Fuhr (Furman) and Kevin Norman (Wingate) as well as senior goalie, Carl Leibrandt and senior mid fielders AJ Mendola, Tanner Waite, D’Andre Washington and Gage Smith.  They also return senior defensemen Anthony Crisera and LSM Tyler Porter as well as junior defenseman Braden Doyle. If they stay healthy, Trinity Catholic should be able to build upon last season’s 10-5 record. TC’s goal is to win the district but that will be a tough task with Oak Hall and Buchholz.  Both are very well coached programs and have a ton of kids with a lot of lacrosse experience and talent. Eastside boys’ lacrosse continues to grow and mature; in their third year they are poised to make a run at their first district tournament in 2013.  Returning starters include two of their tri-captains from last year’s team, team captain and runner up all district goalie; junior Grant Berg leads the team along with returning senior captain and midfielder Devonte Horne.  Eastside returns a number of starters including last year’s leading scorer junior, Charles Bouie; Bouie scored over 30 goals last season.  Other retuning key starters include seniors Fen Bowen and Preet Gandhi, sophomores Johnny Jacobs and Akis Pardalos.  Key losses for the Rams in 2013 will include senior graduates mid-fielder Rodney Young who signed to play lacrosse at Mars Hill University in Ashville N.C. and Defenseman Brandon Brown who signed to play lacrosse at Point University in West Point GA.

Highlights for the 2013 season will include the second annual Sarah M. Landauer (SMiLe) Lacrosse Invitational hosted by Eastside High School on March 1st and 2nd at the Alachua Recreation Complex in Alachua Florida.  There will be 13 boys and girls teams from around the state of Florida competing in the two day event that includes a 5K preceding the second day of competition.  Proceeds will benefit the Sarah M Landauer Memorial Soccer Endowment http://www.sarahlandauer.org/ PK Yonge continues to build their program.  This year keep an eye on junior middie Ed Bonahue and senior defenseman Ryan Nicholas.  Both will be looked for leadership on this team. The growth of lacrosse is booming in the Gainesville/Ocala area and there are a ton of athletes finding lacrosse. Kids are starting to play lacrosse at a much earlier age and with the youth leagues started by Lynn and Ian Millinoff and Jonathan Montes, the future looks bright for lacrosse in this area. District 8

Lake Mary is a clear favorite in this district.  With senior attackman Cole Lindquist (FSU) leading the attack they should have plenty of offense.  While Cole is probably the most talented player in District 8 he will get plenty of help from senior attackman Carter Gile.  Junior middie Josh Marmetschki will anchor a deep midfield.  A solid pair of junior defenders, Alec Quint and Evan Griffiths will help young sophomore goalie Chandler Harrsion.  Chandler is showing lots of promise and should become one of Central Florida’s top goalies. This team will be tested right out of the gate with a season opener at Tampa Jesuit followed by a neutral site game against Jupiter. Seminole High School is going to be solid.  They could win just about any game on their schedule on any given day and will need to be taken seriously.  Goalie Jacob Ormorand  (Wingate) is expected to have a big year.  They have a tremendous sophomore class featuring middie Alex Proley, attack/middie Ryan Ormorand, and defenseman Ryan Williamson. Winter Springs may not have all of the tools to compete for a championship in district 8 but what they do have is one of Central Florida’s best players in attackman Stefan Yocom.  This kid is an unsigned senior and should be playing somewhere next year.  One of the best unsigned seniors in the Central Florida area, this is his fourth season starting for Winter Springs. Father Lopez in Daytona will round out this district.  Their struggles are likely to continue but we have loads of respect for the work second year head coach Jordan Clancy is doing over there and all of the kids who lace ‘em up every day.  We have seen these kids play and they never quit and are great sports. District 9

Lake Brantley will continue to be very good this season.  In fact, this will be one of the best seasons ever for Seminole County.  Hagerty, Oviedo, Lake Brantley, and Lake Mary will all be top contenders this season and all have a good chance to win their respective districts. Lake Brantley will be lead by junior Tim Gelbach (North Carolina.) Big, fast, smart, great shot, quick release.  He has all the tools.  Middies Sam Rock and Austin Sopp will be huge contributors to a solid midfield this year and Caleb Ross (Tampa) and Hiram Carter will anchor a strong defense. Lyman was the number two seed in the district last season going into the playoffs before they ended up losing a tough OT game to Wekiva.  Look for a pair of seniors, John Byrne (attack) and Nick Hilborn (defense) to lead Lyman to the district championship game this season. Wekiva lost to Lyman during the regular season last year but won win it counted.  They finished the season with an impressive 10-6 record in 2012 after going 4-8 in 2011.  Will they continue this trend or was 2012 an anomaly.  We’ll have to wait and see. Apopka struggled last year.  A 2012 season netted a dismal 1-12 record.  That was on the heels of a 14-2 2011 that saw them win a district championship and advance to the second round of the regionals.  Perhaps Coach Mike Frost will be able to right the ship this season. District 10 West Orange graduated 17 players from 2012 team, including 8 starters but they have plenty of firepower left to take this district again.  Players to watch in 2013 include Nick Poidomani, Jr., A (32g/42a/74p in 2012); Senior middie Nick Jones and junior middie Grant Malquist (leading returning scorers at midfield; Malquist owns 193 f/o wins). Junior middie Logan Dyer and sophomore middie Bailey Sarp should both have break out seasons.  A solid pair of defenseman, Junior Trenton McGee and sophomore Ben Irwin is both very talented.  West Orange will look for leadership from a strong senior core of Jones, Josh Neu (A), Nick Graham (G) and David Gabriel (D).  These guys must lead a young and talented, but inexperienced varsity team.

East Ridge will once again be led by all around threat TK Shaffer.  Shaffer can play attack or run both ends of the field as a two way middie.  They return a lot of experience for new coach Derek Greene and should have their best district season ever. Ocoee won’t show a lot of depth this year but they do have senior attackman Trey Hartman who is a player to watch. Lake Minneola was winless in their programs first year.  For the program’s second outing they have a new coach in Sam Cassarino. Coach Cassarino will have his guys looking for that programs first victory this year. Be sure to check out Part 1 if you missed it and check back in soon for Part 3!