Jack Lambert and John Jay will be tested from right the start.
The Indians’ annual showdown against rival Yorktown, regarded as the unofficial game of the year in Section 1 (NY) boys lax, is scheduled for Week 1 of the regular season, on Saturday, March 30 at 7 p.m. at JJHS.
In the teams’ last meeting, Yorktown pulled out a dramatic 9-8 overtime win in the Section 1 Class B title game.
Now a senior, Lambert, a highly skilled defenseman one of the nation’s leading players, hopes to help the Indians win their first sectional title since 2010 when John Jay beat Somers 9-6 in the title game. In that game, Lambert, then a freshman, memorably cleanly won a faceoff and went in for a score, just days after another longstick standout, Duke’s C.J. Costabile, scored a similar goal against Notre Dame.
There’s no question Lambert, who is headed to the University of North Carolina, has many more highlights in store before starting his college career.
Now, here are Jack’s perspectives on the upcoming season.
What have you been doing to get ready for the season?
I’ve been working out three times a week and spending as much time as I can on the turf working on agility and stick skills. We have also got together informally as a team once a week before we started indoor conditioning in February.
How does your schedule look, what games are you looking forward to most, and who are some of your scrimmages against?
We have a good, tough schedule this year starting with three scrimmages against Darien, Delbarton and Fairfield Prep, all top schools that will help show us what kind of team we will be.
Of course, we always look forward to the Yorktown game. They got the best of us in the finals last year and that will be another great test for us early in the season. And we look forward to getting another shot at Manhasset after the OT loss last year.
What player or players on your team do you think will surprise some people this season?
A lot of guys will surprise you this year. We are a cohesive group and playing unselfish lacrosse will bring out the best in a lot of guys.
Bowen Clymer, a midfielder, came back to John Jay (from Hotchkiss School) this year and should find himself on the field a lot. He is a strong two-way middie, can keep the offense moving and is a strong defender.
And Ryan Lee, a sophomore attackman, made the team as a freshman and has been working hard in the offseason. He should have a breakout season. He will be fun to watch.
What do you think the strength of your team will be this year?
Our defense will be strong as people suspect and our offense will surprise people. (Senior midfielder) Tommy (Beck) will get guys to step up and the unselfish play of our offense will make great things happen.
We have a few guys too that are having an awesome season in hockey and are going to make sure that the momentum carries into this season. They are going to come in fired up.
How do you view the race in your league and who do you think some of the contending teams will be?
Yorktown is just a great program and has a rich history. We respect and have played with these guys since grade school. They are the team to beat right now and they will get everything we’ve got. Somers seems to be contenders for the section finals every year and I don’t see why that wouldn’t be the case this year as well.
* LaxLessons.com story on Jack’s commitment to North Carolina
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Posted In: Player's perspective, Section 1
Best wishes for an awesome senior year Jack!
The Lee Brother-ship will have true domination in this season. Also if Bostwick is as good on the grass as he is on the ice he will be dominant. Also have Dan LoBosco return from RIT to just randomly take someone out in the Yorktown game will provide the Indians with an early advantage right from the beginning.
Probably the best player Section One has seen since a few years back with Ranagan and Marasco.
No question one of the top longstick players to ever come out of the Hudson Valley.
I wonder if Beck can run the offense well enough to win a section title, D is always great at Jay and I am looking forward to seeing this Bowen Clymer play, I’ve actually heard great things!!
Can’t wait till Week 1 – Columbine then Ytown. Let’s start out 2-0!
Congrats to J on an incredible 5 goal(inc. 1 empty net) comeback in 3rd period to get to D2 NYS hockey final tomorrow!!
John Jay will play Jamesville-Dewitt (Section 3) for the state title at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday. If that state championship game matchup sounds familiar, it should. John Jay’s lone state-title appearance in lacrosse in school history came against JD in 2008.
Joe it’s actually a combined team of CBA and JDW.
Great season for JJ Hockey. Much like lacrosse, the semifinal win proved to be fantastic, came back from a 4-1 deficit with 7 minutes left in the game to win 6-4. Stunning comeback, too bad they couldn’t win the final.
Thanks for the congrats Slacrosse. It is interesting the state final in hockey tomorrow will vs JD again.
Remember it well. Still a big upset that the JJ team that beat Huntington could lose to JD. JD has certainly used that game as a springboard, winning two more state titles since.
Oh boy. If we start reliving memories of that game I’m sure we will starting hearing how the John Jay bus driver made the wrong turn, the team wore spikes instead of turf shoes and all the other excuses from John Jay fans for that horrible loss to JD in 08.
It really is ironic that the first state title appearance for a JJ team since the JJ-JD lax final in ’08 comes once again vs JD, whose hockey team does also include CBA players.
Congrats to Jay for having a great hockey season and emerging as another top state team for Section 1
Good game CBA/JD who won 4-2 ( inc 1 empty net)
JD has become JJ’s nemesis
Thanks slacrosse. It really was a great run. Incredible season but no turnaround time for the kids who play both sports. Now time for lax!
Hopefully those JJ kids who played hockey won’t have to do as much running in practice today!
Not likely haha
JJ Hockey players didn’t have to run in practice yesterday!! I like that coach is giving their legs 1 day of rest, now its back to work boys!
Think there is a question of somewhat different muscle groups being worked in hockey vs lax so need to go bit slower for the ice boys to start
Let’s hope Jay carries the momentum of hockey run to state finals into Week One games vs. Columbine and Yorktown.
Congrats on making the Top 25, Jack!
http://www.laxlessons.com/2013/03/13/top-25-national-high-school-boys-lacrosse-player-rankings-released/
Tremendous honor, Jack!
Definitely. No one would have thought JJ would be in the state final before the season. Could this be a foreshadowing for 2013 lax season???
Wouldn’t that be nice!
Honestly think JJ will surprise a lot of teams this year, 2 super solid middie lines and defense is always good at JJ… The main thing for JJ to be successful is for the goalie to step up and some attackman because Middies will be better than last year by a lot and defense should be just as good maybe better
Do ur thing tomorrow Big Jack!