TAHOE TRUCKEE LACROSSE ASSOCIATION

The Team to Beat: Galena

Galena brings back 12 seniors and eight starters from a team that gave High Sierra all it could handle last season. This year, it appears to finally have a team capable of wresting the championship mantle away from the Huskies. Galena will have its entire starting attack and first-line midfield back.

The team returns its top scorer in senior attackman Geoff Chrisman, as well as the brother tandem of senior attackman Rhys Caldwell and junior middie Austin Caldwell. Rhys Caldwell was Galena’s second-leading scorer in 2009. Senior middie Austin Bayliss is Galena’s top playmaker, and senior Tom Ferencik will be back to lead the defense.

Contenders: High Sierra, Bishop Manogue, Spanish Springs

The Huskies enter the season with one of the Western United States’ longest active winning streaks, having won 16 straight full-length, non-tournament games over the past two seasons. High Sierra is 16-0 since the start of the 2008 season, but the Huskies graduated several senior standouts so their stranglehold on the league title is tenuous.

This year’s team will be led by a fierce defense. Senior defensemen Nate Kaiser and Dominic Kelly will make it difficult for opposing teams to score. On offense, senior attackman Brady Murphy is back after he scored four goals in High Sierra’s win over Galena that clinched last season’s league title.

This will be the second year of varsity lacrosse at Bishop Manogue, which brings back seven starters. The Miners return their entire starting attack, two first-line middies, one defenseman and their goalie. Sophomore Jack Haley, an East Coast transplant who has played varsity lacrosse in Reno since he was in eighth grade, is the team’s top player and will pitch in on attack and in the midfield. Sophomore attackman-middie Joe Rainoldi, senior middie Dominic Gonzales and senior middie Dom Cavilla will also be big contributors.

Spanish Springs has one of its most experienced groups in program history. It returns nine starters off last year’s squad, including all three attackmen and all three defensemen. Senior attackman Lee Miller will be the catalyst of the offensive unit. Last season, he set a program record by scoring 11 goals in one game. Sophomore J.J. Phoenix will anchor the defense, and junior goalie Dylan Mooney will mind the cage once again.

Sleeper: Truckee

The league’s only California-based program will try to take it strong across the border. Truckee brings back four starters, one at every position, and expects around 10 players with experience to return from last season’s varsity. Junior attackman Ryan Cowie, senior middie Peter Stull and senior defenseman Josh Johnson are three players to watch.

Top Players: Austin Bayliss, MF, Galena; Austin Caldwell, MF, Galena; Rhys Caldwell, Att., Galena; Dom Cavilla, MF, Bishop Manogue; Geoff Chrisman, Att., Galena; Ryan Cowie, Att., Truckee; Davis Deuwel, Def., High Sierra; Tom Ferencik, Def., Galena; Dominic Gonzales, MF, Bishop Manogue; Jack Haley, Att.-MF, Bishop Manogue; Josh Johnson, Def., Truckee; Nate Kaiser, Def., High Sierra; Dominic Kelly, Def., High Sierra; Lee Miller, Att., Spanish Springs; Dylan Mooney, G, Spanish Springs; Brady Murphy, Att., High Sierra; Jon Noble, MF, High Sierra; J.J. Phoenix, Def., Spanish Springs; Joe Rainoldi, Att.-MF, Bishop Manogue; Mike Rapp, Att., High Sierra; Peter Stull, MF, Truckee.

Preseason Top 7: 1. Galena, 2. High Sierra, 3. Bishop Manogue, 4. Spanish Springs, 5. Truckee, 6. High Sierra II, 7. Damonte Ranch.

Notes: Spanish Springs has a new head coach this year, as Chris Tatro has taken over for Seth Graydon….There will be anywhere from five to seven teams in the newly-coined Tahoe Truckee Lacrosse Association in 2010. High Sierra, Galena, Bishop Manogue, Truckee and Spanish Springs will all definitely field teams. The status of a second High Sierra varsity team and Damonte Ranch are up in the air. If Damonte Ranch does not field a team, its players will once again go to Bishop Manogue.