The Mamaroneck boys lacrosse was one of the surprise stories in all of New York State last season.
The Tigers, who lost eight straight games in the middle of the 2012 season, came out of nowhere to win the Section 1 Class A title, beating defending champion Mahopac 9-8 in the championship game.
One of the heroes’ of the Tigers’ unlikely journey to their first-ever sectional title was goaltender Thomas Brill, Brill, who made 20 saves against Mahopac, took over the starting job after Jake Danehy, now a freshman at Colgate, was lost for the season with a shoulder injury.
The 6-foot, 180-pound Brill, who is now a senior, has decided where he will play his college lacrosse. He has given a verbal commitment to the recently launched Division II program at the University of Tampa.
Brill is an agile and athletic player with good field vision who also has strong communication and leadership skills, as evidenced by his highlight reel.
Now, here’s a Q&A with Thomas on his commitment.
What were the main factors in your decision?
Definitely the academics. The University of Tampa had a great Sport Management program, something I have wanted to pursue for a while.
When I visited, I also felt very comfortable with the players and with my surroundings, and could see myself spending the next four years there.
What other schools were you considering and what schools did you visit?
My second choice was Salisbury University. I also visited and was considering Washington College, Amherst College, Boston University and Skidmore College.
What are your strengths as a player and how would you describe your style of play?
I feel my strengths are communication and leadership. I love to see everything in front of me and work together with my defensemen. I see myself as a very aggressive player and love to run out of the cage.
What areas of your game have you been working to improve on?
I feel I need to improve on my composure in the clearing game. At the next level, it definitely becomes more important. Hitting the wall and watching college goalies helps me a ton.
Who have been some of the biggest influences on you during your development as a player?
Without a doubt Jake Danehy, who plays at Colgate now, has been a huge influence on me. Last year I took the starting job after he was injured in one of our hockey games. Throughout the season he mentored me both mentally and physically. It must have been tough for him watching from the sideline during his senior year, but I owe everything to him.
Also my coaches, (Mamaroneck Head) Coach (Jeff) Barnard and (Assistant) Coach (Aaron) Taback, helped me grow throughout the season.
What travel team did you play on and what were some of the big showcase events you participated in last summer?
I played for CP Lax based out of Chelsea Piers in Connecticut. We went to a couple big tournaments such as King of the Hill and Long Island Shootout. The Blue Chip 225 All-Star game at Bryant University was huge for my recruiting process, and it was definitely a lot of fun as well.
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Posted In: Recruiting Rundown, Section 1
Congrats. Yeah great game vs Pac.
Congrats mah dude
Good job TB
Great to see Thomas representing Section One in helping the growth of the game in the Sunshine State.
It’s a new era. It won’t be LP and Pac flip flopping as Class A winners every year.