Message from Assistant Director of Sports Information Trevor Wenners: We will be featuring our outstanding student-athletes with a top-moment series. On every Monday and Wednesday until May 27, we will highlight one standout moment from the 2019-20 season. Every Panther program will be featured once during the series. You can see these stories on our Panthers' athletic website or through our social-media accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
SETTING THE STAGE:
The LaGrange College men's lacrosse team was determined to make a statement in its inaugural, 2020 season, and the Panthers certainly accomplished that feat with a pair of wins at Callaway Stadium.
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First-year head coach Brandon Sewell brought a winning culture and strong credentials from his days as an assistant coach from 2016-18 at Huntingdon. The 2018 Hawks won the USA South Championship and earned a spot in the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament.
Sewell is passionate and intense on the sidelines, holding his players accountable. The driven leader has also shown the ability to build authentic relationships with student-athletes and push them to be the best version of themselves on and off the field.
Sewell was a four-year starter for the Huntingdon men's lacrosse program from 2012-15. The 2012 season was the first year of men's lacrosse at the institution, so the Elkton, Maryland, native is familiar with being a part of a new program. Sewell finished his Hawks' career with 121 goals, 68 assists, 189 points and 499 ground balls, while leading the team in assists and ground balls all four seasons. In his four years, Sewell went 547-for-932 on faceoffs for a .587 winning percentage.
During the 2020 season, the Panthers saw many players make immediate and considerable contributions. From an offensive perspective, LaGrange was led by freshmen Tareyon Delgado (19 goals, 4 assists), Isaac Fuller (14 goals, 9 assists), Robert Hunt (11 goals, 12 assists) and Ben Bryan (9 goals, 9 assists). Delgado's 19 goals were tied for the sixth most in the USA South. Hunt finished in a tie for sixth in the conference in assists, while Fuller and Bryan were tied for 10th in the category.
Freshman goalie Isaac Bohrer was impressive in his rookie campaign, starting all eight games and earning two wins. He led the USA South in saves (111) and recorded double-digit save totals in 6-of-8 games. On two occasions, the Fayetteville, Georgia, native stopped 20 shots.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Sewell has a vision of building the LaGrange men's lacrosse team into an upper-echelon program in the coming years. No matter where the Panthers end up down the road, the date of Feb. 14, 2020, will always occupy a special place in program history.
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For the first time in school history, LaGrange hosted a home, men's lacrosse game at Callaway Stadium under the lights. The Panthers squared off against Centenary (La.) and dictated the pace of the game, winning all four quarters.
LaGrange won the first and fourth quarters, 5-4, respectively, but took complete control in the middle frames, winning the two periods by a combined margin of 8-3. The Panthers fought through adversity, overcoming a 4-2 deficit in the first quarter to secure the program's first-ever victory, 18-11, in front of the home fans.
Bohrer earned the win in the cage, stopping nine shots, while freshman Jacob Jeffords won 28-of-32 faceoffs and recorded a game-high 17 ground balls. LaGrange held a 52-29 advantage in shots and a 49-19 lead in ground balls. The Panthers took care of the ball in transition, going 13-for-14 on clears, while forcing Centenary into eight, failed clears.
On the offensive side of the field, Fuller (4 goals, 3 assists), Hunt (3 goals, 2 assists), Delgado (4 goals, 1 assist) and Bryan (3 goals, 1 assist) led the charge.
HEAD COACH BRANDON SEWELL'S REACTION:
"For many new and young programs, it can take a while to pick up a win. For us to do it in our first-ever home game, under the lights and in front of a tremendous crowd, made it an experience that we will never forget. Each member of our team contributed to our success that night. I was very proud of their hard work, not just in the game but all season."
Archived Top-Moment Stories:
Sydney Dailey of Women's Soccer scores game-winner against Berea
Cross Country breaks 11 personal records at USA South Championship
Women's Indoor Volleyball reels off five-straight wins
Errick Sturm of Men's Soccer becomes program's all-time, goal-scoring leader
Cameron of Men's Basketball earns USA South All-Conference Second Team honors
Women's Basketball earns second-ever win at Maryville with fourth-quarter rally
Trevor Wenners can be reached at twenners@lagrange.edu.
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