Decatur Boys Win Season Tune-up Over Sabres

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s deep, talented boys’ varsity lacrosse team tuned up for its Bayside Conference opener this week with an 8-4 win over private school Saints Peter and Paul in Easton on Monday afternoon.

The Seahawks were solid all over the field against the Sabres on Monday. Shane Moore led the offense with three goals and an assist, while Jake Lathroum added a goal and an assist. Jackson Mumford and Steve Alther each scored two goals. Will Hastings recorded seven saves in the net and Dryden Brous grabbed 11 of 16 face-offs.

The game was essentially a tune-up for the highly anticipated Bayside Conference opener against old nemesis Kent Island. The Seahawks faced the Buccaneers at home on Thursday in a game played too late to be included in this edition. Kent Island remains the stumbling block for the outstanding Seahawk program and has Decatur’s number in big games in recent years.

Last year, Kent Island beat Decatur, 19-6, in the regular season meeting, but Decatur rallied to capture the Bayside South championship. The Seahawks again faced Kent Island in the Bayside Conference championship and fell 15-2. As luck would have it, the Seahawks earned to number-two seed in the state 3A-South sectional, but lurking on the other side of the bracket was top-seeded Kent Island again. In the 3A-South sectional final, the Buccaneers beat the Seahawks again, 16-3.

Going into the season, the Seahawks are deep and talented all over the field and appear to be poised to get to the next level. The attack will be led by veterans Moore, Lathroum and Corey Gwinn. Decatur is also deep at the midfield position with Matt LeCompte, Evan Heim, Mumford and Alther. Anchoring the defense will be Connor May and Craig Snyder, along with R.J. Hayman, Dalton Warren and Brous. Hastings returns at the starter in the net. After the Kent Island game yesterday, the Seahawks will face Easton at home and North Caroline on the road in their next two.