After three straight losing seasons in boys’ lacrosse, Allentown High School is ready for a breakout campaign.
The Redbirds have a roster filled with upperclassmen, scoring talent and collegiate commits.
And they are thriving so far this spring, starting 3-1 with a 37-23 scoring differential.
Allentown played its best lacrosse on March 29 at home against Haddon Township High School, winning 14-3. Eight Redbirds players got on the score sheet and nine picked up a ground ball.
“We’re expecting to have a very competitive season,” coach Carl Schubauer said. “A better season than we had last year.”
“Hopefully we can go pretty far in the Mercer County Tournament,” Schubauer added.
The coach has at least one great reason to be confident: his offense. Behind seniors Jared Jordan, Peter Pinto and Clayton Moench, Allentown is scoring almost 10 goals per game.
Jordan, a Dickinson College commit, and Pinto, who will play at Mercer County Community College next year, have both scored 10 goals in just four games. Moench, a Florida Southern College recruit, leads the Redbirds in assists with eight and is second on the team in goals with five.
But those guys are not even Allentown’s only offensive contributors.
Liam DeLorenzo has five assists and three goals. Carson Capone has three goals and two assists.
Mike Marucci and Charles Bassi have developed into strong face off specialists. Hunter Loock is also a possession creator, with 12 ground ball pick ups.
It’s a well-rounded offensive unit.
“It’s not just one person,” Schubauer said. “There are a lot of guys that you’ve got to keep track of.”
“But we’re strong on both sides as well,” the coach added.
He’s right. Allentown has allowed six goals or less in three of four games. Even in its loss, Allentown only allowed single digit goals, falling 8-5 on the road to Robbinsville High School on April 1.
Goaltender Rajiv Mehta has made 48 saves in four contests, or 12 per game. Long stick midfielder Nick Campbell anchors a strong defensive unit in front of Mehta.
“I love playing with these guys and I think we can go far,” Campbell said. “We’re going to get possession and stop teams from scoring.”
Allentown is not just in a position to go far in the county tournament this spring. It is also in a position to advance deep in the NJSIAA South Jersey, Group 2 sectional tournament. At 3-1, the Redbirds have one of the best records in the section so far, out of 22 teams.
Only Absegami High School, Lacey Township High School and Somerville High School have better marks. But the Redbirds are not even thinking about the state sectional tournament yet.
Schubauer did not mention it during an April 3 practice, when discussing expectations for the season. Campbell did though, if only a little.
“We need some work but it will come with getting together in practice,” Campbell said. “We want to be a team to reckon with, at the top of the county and on the state level.”
