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Sports

Solon Boys' Lacrosse Team Handles University School

DiCarro scores four times to lead Comets over Division II state runner-up.

The Solon boys’ lacrosse team had built up some friendly animosity towards University School. Losing each and every time to the same team will do that a young man’s psyche.

Solon has high expectations for this season, but the first steps in realizing its state title dreams came with a deep desire to slay US in its lair.

Brandishing their lacrosse sticks like swords, the Comets cut through the Preppers and downed last year’s Division II state runners-up, 15-8, to open their season on a rousing note Thursday evening.

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Solon senior attacker Matt DiCarro scored four goals and had an assist to lead the Comets (1-0). Junior captain Tres Barksdale had three goals and an assist. Senior goalie Keith LePorte had six saves.

Preppers senior attacker Andrew Preiser had two goals and two assists to lead US (1-1).

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Solon and US first began playing five years ago, and DiCarro witnessed many of their losses to the Preppers, one of the state’s powerhouse teams. US was the two-time defending Division II state champions before succumbing to Dublin Jerome, 14-6, in last year’s state championship game of the Ohio School Lacrosse Association.

Facing US was a perfect way for Solon to glance at where they are at the beginning of the season.

And what a glance it was.

DiCarro is especially happy to be back after missing nine games last year from suffering a dislocated left knee cap against Hudson in mid-season. The senior returned for the final two games and the playoffs.

“It was great because we’ve never beaten them before. When we were in Division II, my freshman year, they beat us in the state semifinals. And we’ve never gotten a chance to beat them. But this year, we felt good about it and we’re glad that we won,” DiCarro said.

Last season, the Comets reached the Division I regional semifinals before losing to Medina. Thursday was a great start towards building on last year’s success, but Solon’s seven-year coach Hans Rydquist doesn’t want the team to get too far ahead of itself.

“It’s still early,” Rydquist said. “It’s hard to judge just based on one game. But beating a team you’ve never beaten before is a good feeling. And the kids are all smiles, so hopefully we can ride that for a little while.”

The most crucial sequence of the game came in the third quarter as Preiser’s unassisted goal drew the Preppers within 6-4 at 11:05. But the Comets exploded for four straight goals, including the final three within a minute and 17 seconds, to force the Preppers into a timeout at 4:23 of the quarter with a 10-4 lead.

On the middle score of the 1:17 sequence, Barksdale picked up the loose ball and streaked through the midfield. He hurled a pass to Sean Smith down the left side. Smith, spotting DiCarro on the opposite side of the field, aired a cross-field pass to him that he promptly slammed into an open net.

Thereafter, the Preppers got within five points twice.

US coach Jack Fisher sees big things in Solon’s future if they stay healthy.

“We knew we were going to get a terrific game from Solon. … They are extraordinarily athletic and they are very well coached. You could see it on the field today.  They move the ball quickly with their feet. They move the ball quickly through the air. And they move it with a purpose. They did exactly what they needed to. They got on a roll,” Fisher said.

Solon will have its home opener against Walsh Jesuit on Saturday at 3 p.m.

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