By Wendi Reardon Price
Clarkston News Sports Writer
The Wolves finished the season in a 26-1 loss to Brother Rice in the MHSAA Division 1 Boys Lacrosse Semifinal 1 at Troy Athens on Wednesday, June 7.
“It was a big stage,” said Clarkston Boys Varsity Lacrosse Head Coach Brian Kaminskas. “I think the nerves got to us. I give them credit – they kept their heads up, they kept fighting, and they kept having fun. And, in a situation like that what more can you ask for from the guys.”
Brother Rice jumped to a 9-0 lead before Clarkston senior Blake Berry scored the Wolves’ lone goal with 1:25 remaining in the first quarter.
The Warriors scored three more goals to close the first quarter leading 12-1.
Kaminskas shared it was a combination of different things which didn’t work for Clarkston.
“At the end of the day, we were having trouble with possessing,” he said. “We struggled with some possessions and they took advantage of it at the end of the day.”
He added finishing the season in the semifinal will help the underclassmen who are returning next season.
“Part of this is playing at that level and not being worried you’re in that game, playing certain teams,” he said. “They have been exposed to it. They’ve seen it. Next time, it will get easier. The time after that will get easier. We keep banging on these doors. We will knock them down. We have to keep getting to these games and playing them and make it routine.”
The Wolves finished the season with an overall 19-3 record as three-time OAA Red champions, back-to-back regional champions and quarterfinal winners. Berry is also a finalist for Warrior Lacrosse Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year and was the online vote winner.
Kaminskas shared the seniors leave a big legacy behind with everything they accomplished.
“They did all this in three years. They have given the other guys – incoming freshmen, returning sophomores and juniors a lot of direction,” he said. “It doesn’t happen by accident. These guys worked hard, put in a lot of time in the off season, played each other and built chemistry. They showed them more or less the road map of how to get there. It’s up to the next group to pick up where they left off and take it to that next level.”

  Boys Lacrosse, MHSAA quarterfinal