National High School Lacrosse Notebook: Florida Player Walks Again and New Leaders

This week’s national notebook profiles a Florida player who doctors thought was paralyzed, a pair of Georgia players who reached milestones, a Florida player tying one of the state’s best and a look at some familiar names on the USA Today Preseason All-America team.

Walking Again

The Florida Sun Sentinel has an uplifting story on Chase Lalonde from Westminster Academy (Fla.) recovering from a spinal cord injury that doctors originally thought would leave him paralyzed. 

Lalonde was playing for Westminster Academy in a March 2 game in Immokalee, near Florida’s west coast. About five minutes into the game, he was hit and fell to the ground. His coach rushed over when he was unable to get back up and heard Lalonde’s terrifying words: “Coach, I can’t move.”

New Pope Leader

Matt Oswald set program records for Pope (Ga.) with 254 career points and 117 career assists. Oswald broke Sam Metzinger’s record of 234 points, which was set in 2018. The assist record was 112 and was set by Eric Morris in 2008. 

Inching Closer

Garrett Meuninck from Starr's Mill (Ga.).

Garrett Meuninck from Starr’s Mill (Ga.) went 21-for-21 against Trinity Christian (Ga.) to surpass 600 career faceoff wins. The junior now has 617 career wins, which is just 28 away from the current best-known leader in wins, Nick Jones from Greater Atlanta Christian (Ga.).

Tying Florida's No. 1

Tanner Pohl of The First Academy (Fla.) tied for the lead for most points in a game and took over second place for the most assists in a game with a 17-point, 11-assist game against Dalton (N.Y.) on March 28. 

Pohl tied Syracuse freshman Mikey Berkman (West Orange) for the most assists in a game in Florida history with his performance. Pohl helped his team to a 15-5 victory and assisted teammate David Prinsell score nine goals in the victory.

Pohl’s assist total is a season-high, besting his previous high of six, which he did twice this year. His career high prior to this was seven, which he did twice before. On the year, the senior has 33 assists. 

USA Today

USA Today released its 2019 ALL-USA Preseason High School Boys Lacrosse Team members and there are some familiar names on the list There are three players: Eric Malever (Woodward Academy), Gavin Tygh (Penn Charter) and Graham Bundy (MICDS) who are included on LaxRecords 2019 Player of the Year Watch List.