Season Outlook For 2006
The 2006 Exeter lacrosse team is certainly all about senior leadership and experience. With the largest squad in recent memory, and twenty seniors leading the way, the 2006 team should be in for another great season.

Leading the way will be senior tri-captains Sam Duprey, Brett Hughes, and Michaels Scalise. This talented group have all been recruited to play DI college lacrosse in the Ivy League, and they are attending Yale, UPenn, and Harvard respectively next year to start their college careers. They bring experience and leadership, and they will certainly want to finish their careers at Exeter with a great season.

The defense lost key players to graduation last year, but despite this, it appears we may even be stronger than the great 2005 defense. Returning from last year's varsity will be 2005 All-American Brett Hughes to lead the way. In addition to Brett, hockey superstar Kevin Crane (Princeton bound for hockey) is a returning at long pole and will see lots of action at both close defense and LSM. Evan Crosby, another returning veteran who like Kevin is a college bound (Tufts) hockey player will play mostly at LSM, a position he excelled at in 2005. PG defenseman Andrew Farrissey and Colin Murphy have both looked great in preseason and will be key guys in making the defense a strong point of this year's team. Rounding out the long poles will be Dwight Curtis, John Dwyer, and Saxby Stradinger, all JV stars from last year's excellent JV squad. A real key to the defense will be short stick defensive play, and the twin combo of Chris and Nick Downer will fill the shoes vacated by last year's short stick defensive ace and current Harvard player Kirk Bansak. Chris and Nick are great 3-sport athletes and tough competitors who will be a great compliment to the long stick brigade.

The midfield is all about depth with 12 midfielders on the roster. Captains Sam Duprey and Michael Scalise are returning starters and will lead the way offensively. There is also Wes Chaput, Tom Clayton, and Ace Ohira, a trio of returning varsity midfielders that will surely play an important role this season. A very strong group of JV midfielders have joined the varsity this season. Evan Rose, George Negroponte, Eric Eberhart, and Andrew Hong were the heart of a great JV team last year, and they have all looked very good in preseason. Newcomers Stephen Moulton, Chris Silberman and Mike Kelly have been impressive additions to the squad, and look like impact players already.

The attack will be completely new this year and early indications are that they will produce even more points then last year's unit. PG's Scott MacKenzie (Princeton bound) and Chris Duffy (Manhasset, NY), will lead the way. Three year veteran Bruce Hallett (Middlebury bound) has been moved down from his customary midfield spot, and he along with PG Sam Cooper and JV returner Charlie Brewer all give the unit left-handed flexibility and balance. Rounding out the attack unit are JV stars Alex Katz and Henry Porter, as well as Sam Gardner, the only 9th grade player to make this year's varsity.

The goal situation is in very good shape despite the graduation of last year's MVP Matt Harrigan. Returning backup Alec Shand (Washington College bound) had valuable experience in many games last season and is ready to step up and take over the starting job. Alec will be hard pressed by Yuri Larrabee, the athletic JV starter from last year and another wannabe starter. PG middie Stephen Moulton has also played goalie, and gives us incredible depth at this important position.

Exeter opens up the season against powerhouse Bridgton Academy on Wednesday, March 29th. Click here to see the entire 2006 schedule.