Each season is a unique experience, a new team, a new identity, and a new chance for Fort Lewis Lacrosse to prove itself as one of the top teams in the nation. A #20 ranking in the MCLA preseason poll sets the expectations high, and replacing the combined 175 points from graduated All-American attackmen won’t be easy, but the cupboard is not bare of talent for the Fort. Senior Captain Drew Larson returns as a defensive and offensive force, as does sophomore captain Grant Arthurs who was 2nd in RMLC D2 in faceoff winning % while scoring 50 points las year. The defense is anchored by dominant defenseman Shaun Koenig, a sophomore who may be one of the best takeaway poles in all of D2. Helping to hold the team together this season is team president and sophomore team captain Tim Topper who will be making a move to d-pole this year.
Following a 14-4 season, the first with coach Daniel Riecks at the wheel, the Skyhawks must find their new direction quickly. Luckily, 2012 Fort Lax grad Josh DeGuzman will be stepping up as a full-time assistant coach this season to help smooth the path and provide veteran wisdom for this young Skyhawk squad. The first month of the season is a gauntlet in which the Fort must play eight games on the road, with two games against MCLA D1 opponents, and 6 games against teams that were ranked in the top 25 for D2 last season. Survive that stretch, and the road to conference playoffs goes through Durango, where the Syhawks will play 5 home games this season.
Some of the exciting new changes for the Fort this year include brand new unique helmet decals that pay homage to Fort Lewis’ Native American tradition, while adding a little flash to go with the new Fort Lewis College logo (here). The Skyhawks also have partnered with Crossfit Durango to take their preseason training to the next level, and worked with local sponsor Moe’s Lounge to design some cool new shirts for fundraising and host team events. If weather permits, the Skyhawks may also be playing some home games on their new multi-million dollar athletic fields on campus. The season starts on February 16th in Logan, Utah against Utah State, an opponent the Skyhawks beat with an exciting 8 goal run last season, followed by Montana State on 2/17 in a rematch of last season’s RMLC semifinal victory by FLC.
Thanks for following us as we do our best to have an exciting and competitive season!
-Coach Riecks
flclax.com 