Regardless of how well it fares this season in what is regarded as the most competitive prep lacrosse league in the nation, Boys' Latin's exploits on the field will likely be overshadowed by the impending retirement of legendary coach Bob Shriver.
The dean of local lacrosse coaches has cast that large of a shadow during his 36-year tenure that will end in May.
And while Shriver's final squad may not have the wherewithal of its most recent predecessor that posted an 18-0 record and captured the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference crown last May, it still possesses more than enough talent to mount a serious a repeat bid.
The main reason for such optimism begins with an attack unit that boasts big, strong and mobile athletes who know how to score, despite losing the nation's No. 1 recruit, Shack Stanwick, from last years's group to Johns Hopkins University.
The returnees should be able to make a seamless transition because Loyola University Maryland-bound Patrick Spencer and Syracuse University recruits Devin Shewell and Logan Wisnauskas are skilled and physical imposing enough — Shewell is a hefty 6-foot-1 while Spencer (6-3) and Wisnauskas (6-4) are even bigger — to produce plenty of goals.
Senior Jared Snyder (Colby) will be first off the bench when he's not running on the first midfield line with classmate Anthony Wyler (Air Force Academy) and sophomore Greg Ey (Penn State).
Senior speedster Kyle Weatherford and juniors Luke Murray, Davey Lizana (Furman) and Ryan Shaw (Delaware) vie for spots on the second group while senior Charley Hughes and Jake Glatz handle faceoff chores.
On defense, seniors Dylan Gaines, Matt Sacks (Furman), Chas Collison, Gavin Callahan and Miles Cohen and junior Andrew Murrow will protect goalies Liam Frerichs (senior, Army) and Jack Pezzula (junior, North Carolina).
Although Pezzulla earned the job last spring during the Lakers' magical run to a mythical national title, Shriver insists "there will be a fair and open competition" for the starting nod this spring.
Meanwhile Gaines said that competing against the talented attack in practice keeps the BL defensemen on their toes.
"It's great for our defense.," he said. "They are very different types of attackmen. They really help our defense get prepared for the different types of attackmen we'll face during the season. That competitive atmosphere really helps replicate game-like situations in practice."