Boys lacrosse finishes perfect in FVC
HUNTLEY — It’s becoming a good habit at a May boys lacrosse match at Huntley High School.
The varsity team gathers around, near the football goal post, after gaining its seventh Fox Valley Conference win and the league title. For four straight years, the FVC trophy has stayed at HHS. Huntley increased its reign with a 17-7 win over Cary-Grove May 10. The Red Raiders ended FVC play perfect at 9-0, 14-5 overall with a 24-2 victory at Dundee-Crown May 14.
“It’s the team chemistry,” coach Dominic Saccomanno said. “We’ve never allowed 10 goals or scored fewer than 10 goals in conference.”
Leading scorer Bobby Pupich, a junior, set the pace against Cary-Grove. He tallied six goals against C-G. After a 2-2 tie early, Huntley dominated, to the tune of a 15-5 finish.
“They (C-G) came in thinking they were going to upset us or make it a close match, but we were ready and played a tournament-type match,” Saccomanno said.
For a group of 13 seniors, they started the winning ways years ago. They helped as Huntley made it to the super-sectional last year.
“This year we hope to go one step farther,” senior Nico Andrews said.
Andrews is the team’s leading assist maker, with 38 assists and 49 goals for 87 points. He has endured injuries the last two years but recovered from them.
“I started playing lacrosse in third grade and liked the sport because of how fast-pace it is,” Andrews said.
Andrews has had some multi goal matches this season, most recently a four goal effort against Schaumburg. Engmann and Pupich scored three goals each in a 15-3 Red Raiders win.
Pupich finished the FVC season with a four goals, five assists game at D-C to end the regular season with 73 goals, 44 assists for 117 points. Cole Copersmet and Andrews had a hat-trick.
Net minder Colin McDougall has played both defense and goalie for the Red Raiders.
“They had two goalies a couple of years ago, so they switched me to middle defense. I went back to goalie my junior year. It feels great to be part of three of the FVC championships,” McDougall said.
McDougall had a chance to play both goalie and offense against the Chargers and scored three goals.
McDougall said he likes to tap the goal before each match. As for what he’ll miss, it’s the team dinners at Culver’s.
The Red Raiders will host an IHSA Sectional, taking on the Naperville Central-St. Charles North winner at 5 p.m. May 20. The sectional semifinal round is May 23 and the final May 25.
