Billy Colbert, Jake Moffat, Tyler Hobbs and Patrick Spychalla captain Trumbull's boys lacrosse team.
Trumbull Athletics / Contributed photoTrumbull boys’ lacrosse has posted victories over Masuk and Danbury this far in coach Garrett Clark’s return to the Eagle sideline.
“I’m back home essentially,” said Clark, who coached Jonathan Law the past two seasons. “I was jayvee coach at Trumbull for (retired) Jim Kammerman the five years before that. I live in Trumbull, my son graduated and played lacrosse four years for Jim. I have all the THS t-shirts I need in the attic.”
Trumbull has the numbers. The ongoing process is putting young athletes in the best position to succeed.
“When we did Sticks for Soldiers last fall, we had 40 kids. In January we had a weekly clinic and 50 kids showed up every Tuesday night,” Clark said. “They came in ready to work in good numbers. We have a lot of kids on younger end; lots of kids who haven’t played varsity lacrosse. It is an adjustment to pace of play with varsity. The physicality of varsity games.”
Billy Colbert, Patrick Spychalla, Tyler Hobbs, Jake Moffat are team captains.
“My captains are starters who have a ton of experience. They were all with my last JV stint,” Clark said. They are good leaders. Jake Moffat is the best example. He is on his way to attend West Point. That shows his character and is true for all our captains. I have 13 seniors who are solid contributors.”
Marty McGrath, a senior, and junior Jarrett Flynn take faceoffs for the 2-6 Eagles.
“They are both giving their all. A lot of competition we see the faceoff guys are specialists. That’s all they do. It’s a very difficult position,” Clark said.
Wing players need to bring their best games.
“Support from wing players is that more critical. We try to put our most athletic guys there to support our faceoff guys while they go for the draw,” Clark said. “We alternate between two groups. AJ Wright is a phenomenal player as a sophomore and up and coming defender. Junior Jake Terlik is super fast. He seems to have a magnet in his stick for the ball. Another senior pairing is Will Lynch and Rob Selinger.”
Spychalla, junior William Zaslow, and freshman Reg Campbell lead the attack. Hobbs, Selinger and senior Connor Smith are midfielders.
“Alex Mumbach, a sophomore, is our starter in goal,” Clark said. “Reed Peterson is the backup as a freshman. Both are young and we want to develop both. Jake Moffatt and Max Kimball are my two best poles down low. They rarely make mistakes.
“It is hard to put specific goals beyond the obvious of making the postseason,” Clark said. “Coming in I had to read the room. Every day is a building day for us. We want to minimize our mistakes and get better every day.”
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