Senior Mike Boeckman whirls by his defender. Chris Heermann’18/Media editor

After finishing with a 10-9 record last year, the CA boys lacrosse team entered the 2018 season with a revamped roster and a new coach. Thirty year-old Derek Lichtfuss has taken the reins, and with a young team in tow, he looks to catch opponents by surprise. 

Over the break, the Vikings traveled to Nashville, Tennessee, to match up against elite out-of-state competition. Though Academy lost to both the University School of Nashville on Wednesday, March 28, and to the Ensworth School on Saturday, March 31, the trip was a positive one due to the building of team chemistry alone.

When the boys returned home, a road clash with Westerville Central awaited them. CA battled hard, but it wasn’t enough to stay with the talented Warhawks, who earned an 11-6 win. The Vikings fell behind early and didn’t have the offensive firepower to claw their way back. Junior Keenan Bellisari and sophomores Andrew Swartz and Charlie Yaw had 2 goals apiece for Academy.

Though the Vikes put forth solid efforts in their first three games, CA has several things to clean up on both sides of the ball to earn its first victory. The Vikings have several upcoming opportunities to do just that, as they will host Oakwood on Wednesday, April 11, and visit Buckeye Valley on Thursday, April 12, before returning home to clash with Pickerington North on Saturday, April 14.