* Another Kavanagh
* Paquette Provides a Boost
Back in November of 2015, the U.S. U19 team took on the Hill Academy (Ontario) in preparation for its journey to 2016 world championship in Coquitlam, British Columbia. The result was a 16-11 loss — but a stepping stone to a thrilling run to gold.
With the gold-medal victory, Coach Nick Myers earned himself a second world championship cycle with the U.S. U19 team. He made it clear he wanted more tests like the one Hill gave his team back during the 2016 cycle.
“We want them to start to get a sense of ‘Ok, here’s what we’re up against. Here’s how challenging this is going to be,’” Myers said.
Consider that wish granted.
Myers and his U19 program headed for Ohio State on Friday night with two of the top high school lacrosse teams on the slate, a training camp as part of the tryout process for the 2020 U19 world championship in Limerick, Ireland in July. First up was a Culver (Ind.) team that finished atop the Nike/US Lacrosse High School Boys National Top 25 in 2019.
The result on a brisk day in the 110,000-seat Ohio Stadium left the U.S. U19 team just as disappointed as they were four years prior. Culver used a five-goal second-quarter run to jump out to a large lead, and despite a strong second half, the U.S. fell to their high school opposition 9-7.
Jackson Gray and Ryan Essensa led the Culver effort with three goals apiece, while goalie Michael Gianforcaro held strong in goal, particularly in the first half, with a number of acrobatic saves.
Patrick Kavanagh led the U.S. team with two goals, opening both the first and third quarters. Goalie Jared Paquette provided a boost, coming on for the second half and halting the Culver momentum with a handful of saves in the third quarter.
The loss served as another reminder of the work Myers and his staff has ahead of them as they prepare for 2020.
“It humbles the men to see how challenging it can be,” he said. “You start to gain an appreciation for your opponent. There are a couple guys on that Culver team that I think we’re going to see in Ireland. If we can get that appreciation now as opposed to over there, I think that’s a huge step.”
After a 2-2 first quarter, the U.S. team was introduced to its first adversity as a unit. In the first game in which this group of 32 players had suited up together, Culver got hot. The Eagles scored five straight goals, a few perfectly placed in the top corner, to grab hold of the 7-2 lead heading into halftime.
And unlike the 2016 world championship cycle — when the U.S. came back from down six goals to beat Canada in the gold medal — the quarters now run for 15 minutes as opposed to 20. That meant the U.S. had even less time to mount a comeback.
But as was the case in Coquitlam, Myers’ team had an answer. Paquette came in and the defense stepped up to hold Culver to just two second-half goals, allowing Team USA to claw back.
Kavanagh picked up his second goal, Brendan Grimes ripped a shot to the top right corner, Alex Slusher cashed in close to goal and Brennan O’Neill scored on a bouncer to cut the Culver lead to 7-6 with just over 10 minutes left.
However, Culver found its offense shortly after, putting the game out of reach for the U.S. with goals from Essensa and Grayson Feick. In the end, the 9-7 loss was what Myers called a lesson.
The difference between the loss four years prior and now is that the U.S. has another game to play — against the Hill Academy.
“We did this four years ago,” Myers told his team in the locker room Saturday. “We had this feeling in our gut, right? And then we didn’t see each other for a few months. This time, we get to go home and put this jersey on tomorrow and do it again.”
The U.S. U19 team will look to reverse its fortunes against the Hill Academy on Sunday at 10 a.m. in Ohio Stadium. If nothing else, it will serve as another opportunity for the training team to grow.
Another Kavanagh
Seven years ago, a teenage Matt Kavanagh and the U.S. U19 team took home gold in the world championship held in Turku, Finland. It was the start of what has turned into a successful lacrosse career for the Notre Dame and Redwoods’ star.
At home in New York, 12-year-old Patrick Kavanagh watched the games online, cheering his brother on the entire tournament. Even at that age, he had aspirations of following in his brother’s footsteps.
Now a freshman for the Fighting Irish and a U.S. U19 training team member, the youngest of four Kavanagh brothers is hoping to accomplish what Matt did — winning gold and taking home Tournament MVP honors.
Just three events in, Patrick Kavanagh is letting the opportunity sink in.
“It’s been a dream come true,” he said. “I remember walking out of the [Ohio Stadium] tunnel thinking ‘I can’t believe I’m doing this right now.’ I was watching my brother do it a couple years ago.”
Matt and Patrick Kavanagh sure look alike off the field. And on the field, the similarities continue. Both are quick cutters and aggressive near the cage.
“But he weighs a little more than me, so he can lean in a little more,” Patrick Kavanagh joked of his brother.
Give it seven more years of lacrosse and that might not be a problem.
Paquette Provides a Boost
Jared Paquette never thought he’d be here, in Columbus and on the U.S. U19 training team. The West Islip (N.Y.) native turned Yale freshman wasn’t sure he’d even make his travel A team.
In the sixth grade, he was cut from the Team 91 Long Island A team and it still serves as motivation. He was disappointed, but he loved lacrosse too much to give it up.
“That was a wake-up call,” Paquette said. “That’s when I started to be better. That’s a stupid thing to say, but it gave me fuel.”
Paquette continued to work on his game as he grew up on Long Island. Years later, he’s one of just three goalies on the U.S. U19 training team. He arrived in Columbus after a fall with Andy Shay and the Yale Bulldogs.
In a couple weeks under coach Colin Nesdale, Paquette picked up on plenty of technical skills. He also tweaked a few mechanical issues with his game that arose when he got excited. His poise in the cage on Saturday — in a game for which he admitted he was excited — showed.
His saves in the third quarter helped propel the U.S.’s second-half rally. He was a bright spot for Myers’ program.
“I just went in with the mindset that I had nothing to lose, and I could just play my game and make some saves, and I knew we could pick it up,” he said. “The defense played amazing in the second half, only letting in two goals. I’ve never played in a stadium like that. All my family was there, so it was really nice for them to see me walking out with USA on my chest.”