One of the major upsets of the season in tristate varsity lacrosse was sprung by Seton Hall Prep.
It happened May 25 as the Pirates stunned previously unbeaten Delbarton 10-8 in the New Jersey Non-Public A state semfinals. Delbarton entered the game ranked No. 1 nationally.
“Our coach, Dave Giarusso, told us going into it that we had nothing to lose and to just go for it,” SHP junior defender Steven Sanczyk said.
Going out all is an approach Sanczyk is familiar with.
It’s how he plays the game — both at the high school level, and soon, at the Division I college level.
A strong, physical player, Sanczyk has committed to play at Air Force, as first reported at Twitter.com/joe_lombardi.
Now, here’s a Q&A with Steven on his commitment.
What were the main factors in your decision?
I chose to play lacrosse for the the Air Force Academy because of the coaches and players. The coaches have always been extremely honest about what to expect at AFA. The coaches were loyal and gave me the time I needed to make a decision.
They knew I am extremely close with my family and that was a major factor in my decision. Traveling to Colorado from New Jersey means leaving my three siblings, including my 7-year-old brother. When I visited the AFA, the players immediately made me feel welcome. I have stayed in touch with two of the players from New Jersey. Of course, the opportunities at the Air Force Academy speak for themselves.
What other schools were you considering and what schools did you visit?
The schools I actively spoke with included UPenn, Notre Dame and Rutgers.
What are your strengths as a player and how would you describe your style of play?
A strong, physical defender that could cover both tall and short kids. I am a great communicator off ball so I can tell everyone where to be which allows the defense to play seamlessly together. I feel like I am a threat in transition as well.
What other sports have you played?
Some other sports I had played in the past were basketball and baseball. I lettered in football my sophomore year
But lacrosse is the only sport that has really stuck.
SHP’s season was highlighted by the win over Delbarton in the group semis. What were some of the keys to pulling out that victory?
Beating Delbarton in the state semifinals was a great accomplishment. Our coach, Dave Giarusso, told us going into it that we had nothing to lose and to just go for it. We played loose and when something good happened we kept building on it. We just let their mistakes get to them. We dominated possession time so the clock was in our favor when they started to get into a rhythm.
What travel team did you play on last summer and what showcase events did you participate in?
I played for Tri-State last year. Some of the tournaments we did were Tri-State National, Champ Camp, King of the Hill, and EVO games. I have never done a showcase event.
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Posted In: New Jersey lacrosse, Recruiting Rundown
