YORK, PA – The 2022 York College men's lacrosse team enters the new campaign with high expectations for another outstanding season.
The 2021 edition of the team had to battle a new set of conference foes and also against COVID-19. The Spartans did that in spectacular fashion as they went 16-2, won the Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth league in historic fashion and advanced to the NCAA Division III National Quarterfinals for the third straight year and fourth time overall.
Head coach Brandon Childs returns a wealth of talent to the Spartan squad including seven of the school record nine 2021 USILA All-Americans. The Spartans return 165 of a possible 198 starts from the 2021 campaign.
But Coach Childs is quick to remind that anything that happened in 2021 doesn't always apply to this year.
"Every year is different and this team is independent of last year," says Childs. "We had a really successful season but that doesn't get us anything this year. These guys are locked in on making this year the best it can be. That's what we can control and what we are focused on."
The returning Spartan All-Americans are sprinkled all over the field starting with reigning USILA William C. Stiles Memorial Outstanding Defenseman Ryan Kennedy. Midfielder Dylan Wolf is York's other returning first-team All-American. Senior goalie Jack Michael resumes his spot in net as a second-team All-American while returning third-team members are attack Will Harnick, midfielder Eric Ranck, defender Ethan Greene, and short stick defensive midfielder Noah Bruno.
"It's great to have these All-Americans back on the field, however, we need to make sure we are strong all throughout our lineup and our team," says Childs. "We were awesome last year at dealing with all the adversity that surrounded everything that happened both on and off the field. I am hopeful those lessons will serve us well as we head into 2022."
 
SPARTAN MEN'S LACROSSE FAST FACTS
Head Coach: Brandon Childs (11^th Season at York / 14^th Season Overall)
Overall Record / Record at York: 169-62 / 141-43
Returning Starters: 9
Returning All-MAC Players: 8 (Dylan Wolf, Ethan Greene, Ryan Kennedy, Noah Bruno, Vinny Facciponti, Jack Michael, Will Harnick, Eric Ranck)
2022 Men's Lacrosse Schedule
2022 Men's Lacrosse Roster
 
Positional Preview for the Spartans:
 
GOAL
Senior Jack Michael returns for his fourth year as a starter for the Green and White. Michael started all 18 games for the Spartans in 2021 and registered a 6.47 goals against average and a 58.9% save percentage. He ranks second in career wins (39), third in save percentage (56.0%), third in goals against average (7.22), fourth in saves per game (7.87) and fourth in total saves (362) in his 46 career games.
Michael will be backed up by Ian Callinan and Jack Keller. Callinan made 11 appearances last year with a 5.12 goals against average and a 61.8% save percentage. Keller played in nine games with a 7.12 goals against average and a 67.6% save percentage.
 
CLOSE DEFENSE
The close defense unit is one of the most experienced units on the field headlined by the MAC Defensive Player of the Year Ryan Kennedy. Kennedy will be joined by Mason Smith, Brent Blackmon, and Hunter Imbriale.
It's a group that set a school record for goals against average (6.33) and caused turnovers (237). It also set a MAC Commonwealth record by shutting out Stevenson in the conference championship tilt. It was not only the first shutout in conference championship history but it's also the first time in the history of Stevenson's program that the Mustangs failed to find the back of the net in a game.
The Spartans finished fifth in Division III in scoring average as they held 14 of their 18 opponents to single digits in scoring.
 
LSM
The Spartans two lead long stick midfielders will be seniors Ethan Greene and Matty Mancuso. Greene moves to the midfield after being a part of the close defense in 2021. Greene will be responsible to taking the mantle from the graduated Tyler Nation, the USILA Long Pole Midfielder of the Year.
Greene tied Kennedy for the team lead in caused turnovers last year as they both recorded 39 takeaways. Greene also tallied six points on four goals and two assists last spring while he also scooped up 37 ground balls. Mancuso finished last year with 38 ground balls and 10 caused turnovers in 17 games off the bench for York.
 
FACEOFF
Junior Vinny Facciponti had a banner sophomore year as he won 65.5% of his face offs for the Spartans. Facciponti led the team with 138 ground balls while he also notched 11 points on seven goals and four assists. He tied a school record on May 5 when he won 20 face offs in the MAC Commonwealth Tournament game against Eastern. His career 65.6% winning percentage ranks him first in school history in the category. His 244 career face off wins in two years ranks him seventh in face off wins.
Freshman Hugo Spencer will also see some attempts at the X during the season.
 
SHORT STICK DEFENSIVE MIDFIELD
Grad student Noah Bruno headlines another strong group for the Spartans. Bruno is joined by junior Zach Mentzer and freshmen Jackson Shields and Hayden Sock to form a strong contingent in the defensive midfield.
Bruno notched 44 ground balls and 14 caused turnovers in 18 games last year. He also had five points on four goals and an assist. Bruno also took 19 face offs last year, winning 13 for a 68.4% winning percentage.
Mentzer was strong coming off the bench last year as he playing in all 18 games with 15 ground balls and 13 caused turnovers.
 
MIDFIELD
When talking about experience there isn't a Spartan unit on the field with more experience than the midfield. Graduate students Gunnar Reynolds and Dylan Wolf head line a group that features a combined 395 points in 311 games played. Reynolds and Wolf are joined by Eric Ranck, Jacob Wilhelm, Ames Clark, Eben Ordakowski, and Jarrod Marenger.
Reynolds was limited last year as he recovered from off-season surgery but he is back for his final year in the Green and White. Reynolds has 51 career goals and 66 points in 69 career games for York. Wolf joined the 100-career point club last spring as he had 54 points on 36 goals and 18 assists. Ranck had a fantastic junior year as he notched 40 points on 20 goals and 20 assists.
Wilhelm started 18 games last year as he recorded 35 points on 16 goals and 19 assists. Clark provided scoring punch off the bench as he had 24 points on ten goals and 14 assists. Ordakowski was limited to just three games due to injury last year but is back and primed to contribute to the midfield. Marenger was solid as a Spartan reserve last year as he had 17 points on 11 goals and six assists.
 
ATTACK
The Spartan attack will be paced by junior Will Harnick as he returns as York's most experienced attacker. Harnick had a great sophomore year as he notched 51 points on 40 goals and 11 assists in 16 contests. He put 68% of his shots on target and scooped up 20 ground balls for the Spartans.
Harnick will be joined on the attack by freshman Ben Mayer, and sophomores Ethan Fought and Michael Russo. Mayer comes to the Spartan program from Calvery Christian Academy in Florida and was a USILA High School All-American as a senior. Fought notched nine points in ten games off the bench as a freshman.
Russo had a strong freshman campaign as he had 36 points on nine goals and 27 assists in 15 games for the Green and White.
 
The Schedule
After having a limited schedule in 2021, the Spartans are back to their traditional meat-grinder slate. York faces six ranked teams including the top two teams in the preseason rankings, #1 RIT and #2 Salisbury.
York also faces off against #7 Cabrini, #8 Franklin and Marshall, #13 Stevenson, and #17 Gettysburg.
The Spartans kick off the campaign on Saturday, February 19 as they host Washington and Lee at Kinsley Field. The Green and White plays their opening four games at home including the match up with RIT and Salisbury on back-to-back Saturdays.