April 22, 2015

Sparked by Levine’s Finishing Touch, PDS Boys’ Lax Rolls Past Pennington

ATTACKING MENTALITY: Princeton Day School boys’ lacrosse player Joey Levine heads to goal in a game this spring. Last Thursday, junior attacker Levine tallied three goals and an assist to help PDS defeat Pennington 15-2. The Panthers, now 3-4, play at Shipley School (Pa.) on April 23 before hosting Chestnut Hill (Pa.) on April 25.(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

ATTACKING MENTALITY: Princeton Day School boys’ lacrosse player Joey Levine heads to goal in a game this spring. Last Thursday, junior attacker Levine tallied three goals and an assist to help PDS defeat Pennington 15-2. The Panthers, now 3-4, play at Shipley School (Pa.) on April 23 before hosting Chestnut Hill (Pa.) on April 25. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Coming into his junior season with the Princeton Day School boys’ lacrosse team, Joey Levine was looking to be more of a playmaker.

“I worked pretty hard this summer to get my spot behind the net and start dodging so I definitely think that is something that has changed up,” said star attacker Levine.

“Last year I was pretty much inside, we had Chris Azzarello and Jacob Shavel behind so this year I am trying to work with Chris behind and trying to create as much as I am being created for.”

Last Thursday, Levine created a lot of offense for PDS as it cruised to a 15-2 win over Pennington, tallying three goals and an assist.

Coming off a disappointing 11-10 loss at Hopewell Valley two days earlier, Levine and his teammates were primed to get back on the winning track.

“That was a tough one against Hopewell, they are always a very good program,” said Levine.

“We were happy to get back at it with a pretty nice win against Pennington. We got some guys in who usually aren’t in there so getting them the chance to play was good.

In Levine’s view, offensive balance has made PDS tougher to defend this spring.

“This year we have got six or seven guys that are able to create on offense and move the ball,” said Levine “We are always doing things together offensively. One thing we definitely try to work on is to keep the ball moving.”

In reflecting on his four-point outburst against Pennington, Levine maintained that the team’s ball movement made that possible.

“I definitely credit that all to my teammates, they made it happen for me,” said Levine.

“I was able to be at the goal at the right time and have space and put a couple in the back of the net.”

PDS head coach Rich D’Andrea wasn’t surprised to see Levine find the back of the net.

“He is rounding into form, Joey has worked really hard on his feet in the offseason, he has worked to develop his stick,” said D’Andrea. “He is a great low finisher for us. He brings a dynamic dodging game.”

Sophomore midfielder Will Brossman is emerging as a dynamic performer, chipping in three goals and two assists in the win over Pennington.

“Last year he scored three goals in that Rutgers Prep championship game and I think he had ten on the year,” said D’Andrea, referring to PDS’s 10-8 win over Rutgers Prep in the 2014 state Prep B title game.

“He has worked really, really hard and his confidence has grown and grown. The kid can dodge, he can shoot, he finishes inside, he plays defense, and he is great on ground balls.”

D’Andrea has a lot of confidence in the PDS defensive unit. “They have gotten stronger and stronger, we had some injuries at the beginning of the year,” said D’Andrea.

“Christian Vik had a torn labrum, a partial tear, and he is back up to speed now. Amir Melvin has been a total beast. Kevin Towles is running the hole right now and Chris Markey is between the pipes. The defense is looking really, really strong.”

Playing a stronger schedule, by design, is hardening the Panthers for the challenges to come in the postseason.

“We knew this was going to be a season of ups and downs,” said D’Andrea, whose team fell 14-8 to Chatham last Monday to drop to 3-4 and will play at Shipley School (Pa.) on April 23 before hosting Chestnut Hill (Pa.) on April 25.

“Part of the challenge in beefing up the schedule like this is that you add another three, four hard games in the course of a season, not only does it spread you thin, more importantly, it just builds character.”

D’Andrea thinks that his players have built some tight bonds, dealing with the challenges they have faced this season.

“I think that lacrosse is not only a great outlet but a great focal point for these boys,” said D’Andrea.

“They have their eye on the end of the season right now and we are trying to build and prepare and get better for those events. We are trying to build character, see what we do well and we don’t do well.”

Levine, for his part, believes that the Panthers are prepared to do well come tournament time.

“These games are giving us a lot better competition; they are improving us and making us a much better team for the postseason,” said Levine.

“On offense we just have to keep moving as a unit. We need to keep doing that one more pass. Defensively, I think our slide packages are getting a lot better. We have James Fragale, Kevin Towle, Amir Melvin, and Christian Vik, who are four great defenders, and Cody Gibson is coming on.”