Lacrosse is not exactly front and center on Greg D’Arienzo’s mind these days.
Who can blame him? After all, the rising senior from Carey High School (Franklin Square, N.Y.) is busy preparing for the football season.
Last season he rushed for 1,300 yards and 11 touchdowns and earned All-Nassau County honors.
But D’Arienzo is also a lacrosse star. That’s the sport he will be playing at the next level — at the University of Maryland.
And as far as the midfielder is concerned, the fact he does play football — and play it well — is a big reason for that.
“Playing football has had a huge impact on my lacrosse skills by making me a tougher and more physical athlete,” he said.
It’s no secret those attributes are also needed to be an effective two-way midfielder.
“Both football and lax are sports that require a lot of time and commitment,” D’Arienzo said. “Also, both are physically demanding sports.”
But it’s lacrosse that has gotten the agile and hard-working D’Arienzo to the Division I level.
D’Arienzo got a preview of the type of talent he will be playing alongside and against at Maryland when he committed for the Long Island team at the Under Armour Underclassmen All-Star Classic on June 27-28, helping Long Island win the team title.
D’Arienzo was joined on the Long Island team by another Maryland recruit, defenseman Michael Ehrhardt of Chaminade.
After also considering Maryland and Hofstra, D’Arienzo decided on the Terrapins.
“Growing up, I was always a Terps fan,” he said. “I loved the coaches and the facilities. In the end, it came down to Hofstra and Maryland.”
Darien’s Benitez finds good fit in Stony Brook
George Benitez first paid an unofficial visit to his ultimate college destination prior to his junior season for five-time Connecticut state champion Darien.
And it didn’t take the defenseman long before he realized Stony Brook University was the perfect fit.
“It’s a nice campus with good facilities and a good setup for the team’s athletes,” Benitez said. “The coaches are a dedicated group and I was impressed with their commitment to the program.”
Joe Lombardi, who has been a fixture on the lacrosse scene during the sport’s rapid growth in the New York metropolitan area, produces editorial and video content for LaxLessons.com. He may be reached at joe@laxlessons.com.
