During Jeff Brameier’s 24-year tenure as boys lacrosse coach at Darien, 52 players have been named All-Americans. But the number that have gone on to play the sport at the college level is too high to count.
Soon, the five-time Class M Connecticut state champions will be adding four more.
That’s the number of rising seniors the Blue Wave have that have already made college commitments. Andrew West, who took over as Darien’s starting goaltender this past season for the the graduated Jameson Love, is bound for Cornell (Love is also playing at the Division I level for Bryant). Darien’s other committed players are: Bryan Annecchino, attack/midfield (Providence); George Benitez, defense (Stony Brook); and Bobby Nolan, midfield (Gettysburg).
Somers star attackman will attend Army
It’s always been Greg Petre’s dream to attend a military academy and to play lacrosse at the Division I level. Now, the Somers, N.Y., rising senior attackman will have the chance to do both.
Petre gave a verbal commitment to Army coach Joe Alberici to attend West Point last week.
“I was leaning toward Army for a while, but in the last few days, I realized I definitely wanted to do it,” said the attackman, who also drew interest during the recruiting process from Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart and St. John’s as well as numerous Division II and Division III programs.
“I unofficially visited Army mid-June and I loved the campus and all the facilities. Everything was pretty amazing.”
Petre, who was one of four team captains for the Section 1 Class B champion Tuskers this past season, is the third Somers rising senior to commit to a Division I program, joining midfielder Erik Pfiffner (Colgate) and John Bello (St. John’s). Petre will begin his career with the Black Knights by spending a year at U.S. Military Academy Prep.
"I have always been interested in the military,” Petre said. “I like the challenges involved and all the hard work.”
Petre said he’s learned what it takes to compete at the DI level by following the career of his brother Matt, a defenseman and team captain at Fairfield who graduated this past spring.
"I learned (from Matt) that you really have to love lacrosse because it is your life and there are going to be a lot of tough times but it’s always worth it in the end,” Petre said.
Yorktown goaltender makes his choice
Derek Koelsch has yet to start a game at the varsity level for New York State power Yorktown, but the rising senior has managed to land a spot on one of the nation’s premier academic and athletic Division III programs, Trinity College in Hartford, Conn.
“The campus was beautiful and I was drawn to the NESCAC league because of the great competition,” said Koelsch, who performed well at several summer recruiting showcases. “I liked Coach (James) Finlay’s honesty and openness. He focuses on a strong defense and coming from a program like Brown, he knows what it takes to win.”
Koelsch is expected to take over for four-year starter Michael Bonitatibus for Yorktown next season. Bonitatibus will be a freshman at Loyola of Maryland this fall.
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.
