Dylan Jinks still has two more varsity seasons ahead of him, which makes what he’s accomplished so far at Southern Regional High School in New Jersey all the more impressive.
The rising junior attackman scored his 100th career goal for Southern Regional, which finished 18-2, losing to Tournament of Champions winner Ridge 12-4 in the Group 4 final.
Jinks, who had a 53-goal, 33-assist season in which he earned All-Shore honors, now has 105 varsity goals.
So it’s clear there will be many more highlights yet to come for Jinks — both at Southern Regional and the next level.
Late last week, he decided where that will be. Jinks verbally committed to the University of Hartford, as reported at Twitter.com/Joe_Lombardi.
Jinks, a resident of Manahawkin, N.J., has an outstanding shot to go along with good foot speed and skills..
Now, here’s a Q&A with Dylan on his commitment.
What were main factors in your decision?
The campus, location, coach and lacrosse were all outstanding. Having my major sealed the deal. They say when you know, you know and after the visit, I knew Hartford was the place I wanted to be.
What other schools were you considering and what school did you visit?
There was interest from Michigan, Richmond, St. John’s and Rutgers. I visited Merrimack, Delaware and Towson.
What are your strengths as a player and how would you describe your style of play?
I am a catch-and-shoot type of player, coaches tell me I have great field vision, and I enjoy working hard on rides to help create turnovers. I like to play fast and physical.
What area of your game do you need to work on?
I work on all facets of my game however, I am concentrating on developing my off hand. To play at the higher levels you need to be effective with both hands so you are not predictable to the defense.
How did you get introduced to lacrosse and what other sports have you played?
My older brother (defenseman Nick Jinks, a four-year starter at Southern Regional), who will be playing lacrosse for Eastern University next year, introduced me. He started to play and I used to go to the practices. I started to mess around with a stick on the side while they practiced and really liked it. I started playing the next season. I have played football.
What travel team do you play on and what showcase events did you participate in?
I play for South Shore Lacrosse and went to MVP, Uplax, Crab City Challenge, and the Philly Invitational. Individually I went to the Philly Showcase, played for Team NJ South in the Brine National Classic, and am going to Super Sophs next week.
105 goals after soph seson. WOWSER!