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JV lacrosse

CONCORDE DISTRICT Brian McNally, Journal Newspapers, 27.03.2003 COACH: Joe Bissette (7th year)
LAST YEAR: 11-5, region semifinalist
KEY PLAYERS: Eric You (A, Sr.), Max Whitaker (A, Jr.), Jonny Wood (MF, Sr.)
KEEP AN EYE ON: Greg Duboff (MF, Jr.), Cameron Will (D, Sr.), Henry Carr (MF, Sr.)
OUTLOOK: Despite graduating 13 seniors, the Colonials expect to be a region contender again by the end of the season. Two-time All-American Nate Whitaker took his talent to the college ranks, where he is already starting at attack for Penn State. He leaves behind a talented, but untested group. You is the leading returning scorer (15 goals, 23 assists), and Max Whitaker had a strong sophomore campaign (20 goals, 10 assists). Bissette believes DuBoff could have a breakout season at midfield and that Will has all the tools to become one of the best one-on-one defenders in the region.

27 Mar - Edison
Eleven Colonials contributed to the offensive effort in the team's season opening win. TJ outshot the Eagles 43-20. Sports Combine

12 Apr - Casalino Cup
Blair - TJ wins the first game of the Casalino Cup in dominating fashion, allowing only 9 shots for the game.
Patuxent - TJ wins its first Casalino Cup with a 12-6 win. Cameron Will was dominating on faceoffs and defense. Sports Combine

15 Apr - Herndon
TJ overcame a halftime deficit to knock off Herndon, thanks to 5 goals from Jonny Wood. Sports Combine

Colonials win Casalino Cup
By Greg Wyshynski, April 23, 2003, Connection
THOMAS JEFFERSON boys lacrosse coach Joe Bissette played for Len Casalino in the Calvert County Lacrosse Club, which was the only outlet for high-school-age players in that section of Maryland at the time. Casalino was one of the founding fathers of varsity lacrosse in Calvert County high schools. Last week, Bissette took his Colonials to play in a tournament named for his former coach — and won the Casalino Cup. "We did pretty well," said the Jefferson coach, whose team captured the tournament title on April 12 in Solomans, Md. It was only the second time Jefferson had been on the field after weeks of poor weather and field conditions in Fairfax County.
Jefferson won the Cup with a 12-6 victory over Patuxent, which had been undefeated coming into the game. New River Valley of Roanoke and Blair of Montgomery Co., Md., also competed in the tournament.
For the Colonials, the tournament marked a rarity this season — games that weren't canceled due to bad weather. Bissette said it was "the second time on the field" for his team this spring.
The competition in the tournament wasn't overwhelming, as Bissette said all three teams would be "middle of the pack" in the Northern Region. But Jefferson dominated the trio, blowing out Blair (18-1) and defeating New River Valley and Patuxent by a combined score of 24-12.
The top player in the tournament for the Colonials was defender Cameron Will, who won 22 ground balls in two games. Also strong was Eric You on attack.
Jefferson returned to district play last Tuesday with a win over Herndon, 9-6. The Colonials rallied from a halftime deficit for the victory, and Jonny Wood scored five goals.
Bissette's team is looking forward to Friday night, when it hosts the Westfield Bulldogs. "I think we'll know a lot about both teams [after the game]," he said.
Jefferson defeated Westfield twice last season, once in overtime.

25 Apr - Westfield
On a rainy, muddy, nasty night, TJ stays close in the first half, as the game was tied 2-2 at the end of the first quarter and 4-4 at halftime. Westfield busted out with 7 goals in the third quarter to seal the game. Sports Combine

29 April - Chantilly
A dominating third quarter performance in which TJ outshot the Chargers 17-1 leads to their third district win of the year. Next up, Oakton. Sports Combine

Jefferson down but not out
By BRIAN MCNALLY Journal staff writer, 29.04.2003
After his team lost a Concorde District game at home to Westfield on Friday, 14-10, Jefferson coach Joe Bissette saw a team as angry and disappointed as any he has coached.
"It was silent in that locker room. It was as tough as I've seen a team take a defeat in the seven years I've been here," Bissette said. "But I think the fact our players took it so hard is encouraging. They showed a real resolve when they could have died in that game. It shows they expect to have the same success we did last year."
The loss of a strong senior class from 2002 - which led the Colonials to an 11-5 record and a spot in the Northern Region semifinals - hasn't lowered the players' expectations for this year. Jefferson (5-2, 2-1 Concorde District) led eventual unofficial state champion Robinson in the third quarter of a region semifinal last season before losing.
Attack Nate Whitaker, an All-Journal selection last season and a two-time All-American, took his considerable talent to Penn State, leaving Jefferson searching for a way to replace the school's all-time leading scorer's offensive production.
Several players have helped fill the void. Senior midfielder Jonny Wood leads the Colonials in scoring with 19 goals, senior attack Eric You has 16 goals and seven assists and junior Max Whitaker, Nate's younger brother, has contributed as well. The Colonials are a young team, with four of six midfielders moving up from the junior varsity last year along with two of three defenders and junior Gordon Phillips, the team's starting goalie.
Jefferson could see Westfield again in the district tournament. And a matchup with district-favorite Oakton looms next week.
"It's a different group this year," Bissette said. "There are no standouts. It's just a solid group of lacrosse players. There's no one person we count on for us to be successful. We play very much like a team."

Jefferson's You Is a Handful
By Christian Swezey and Colin Fitzgibbons
Special to The Washington Post
Tuesday, May 6, 2003; Page D07
Senior Eric You leads Jefferson in scoring but knows he could be doing much better. You is the team's starting left-handed attackman -- even though he is naturally right-handed, and had played primarily with his right hand until he was moved three years ago.
"We had to move him because of our personnel," Jefferson Coach Joe Bissette said. "He's essentially been playing with his off-hand for three years. He is as good with his right as he is with his left. When he gets to college, when he can go back to his right but also use his left, he's going to be dominant."
You has 17 goals and 14 assists for the Colonials (6-3) this year. He had 15 goals and a team-high 23 assists as the team finished 11-5 and advanced to the AAA Northern Region semifinals last year for the first time in its history.
Fourteen players from that team graduated, but Jefferson has hardly missed a beat. You, junior attackman Max Whitaker (nine goals in the past two games), senior midfielder Jonny Wood (22 goals) and senior defenseman Cameron Will lead this year's team.
You has committed to Stevens Tech of New Jersey, which has made the NCAA Division III tournament each of the past two years.

08 May - George Mason
Best stickwork of the season contributes to a season-high goal tally. Three games in three days will determine our position for the playoffs. Sports Combine

19 May - Centreville
TJ advances to the District semifinals with a strong performance against Centreville, 15-3. The win also guarantees TJ's place in the Regional playoffs. Sports Combine

20 May - Westfield
The Bulldogs pulled away in the 4th quarter behind strong goaltending and unsettled offensive opportunities, 6-12. TJ waits to see who their regional opponent will be from the National District. Sports Combine

Jefferson's Max Whitaker shoots at Edison goalie Mike Robinson. Whitaker scored 3 goals in 3rd quarter to lead Jefferson to a 15-7 win. Preston Keres For The Washington Post

27 May - Jefferson Advances to Semis
By Colin Fitzgibbons
Special to The Washington Post
Wednesday, May 28, 2003; Page D09
Jefferson junior Max Whitaker spoiled Edison goaltender Mike Robinson's best Tillman Johnson impersonation in the third quarter of the Virginia AAA Northern Region boys' lacrosse quarterfinals last night in Alexandria.
Robinson made 11 saves in the first half and held the Colonials to five goals, looking much like the University of Virginia's all-American goalie, who was named most valuable player of the NCAA championship game on Monday.
But Whitaker scored three goals in the third quarter, sparking Jefferson to a 15-7 victory.
Jefferson (10-4) will advance to face reigning state champion Robinson on Thursday.
Edison ends its season with a 7-6 record.
"We were taking some bad shots and letting [Robinson] take control of the game," Whitaker said. "In the beginning we were pretty nervous, but in the second half we got more confidence and got our heads into the game."
Whitaker was one of four Colonials who netted hat tricks; sophomore midfielder David Browning, junior midfielder Derek Self and senior midfielder Johnny Wood also scored three goals apiece.
Senior midfielder Eric You had six assists, tying the school's single-game assist record and breaking Nate Whitaker's -- Max's older brother -- record for assists in a season with 29.
Despite the second-half surge and broken records, You was not impressed with the Colonials' performance.
"If we play like we played today, we're going to lose badly," You said. "But I think it will be a good game."