Starting the season with a rough loss in a scrimmage to Freeport 8-2, the question arises: are the Cats prepared? The boy’s lacrosse season is underway and the Greater Latrobe varsity boys lacrosse team has a new head coach for the 2025 season. The senior group is excited and depending on this season. It’s the seniors last season, they have to make it count. With a record of 9-6 and a conference record of 6-5 in the 2024 season, the seniors as well as the team, are hungry for wins.
The team has had practices from 6:30-8:30, Monday through Friday, to condition in preparation for the fast upcoming season. Basketball players couldn’t attend due to basketball practices for states and the postseason, same with hockey as players took to the ice for the Penguins Cup playoffs, which can play a key component in being prepared or unprepared. The Cat’s first scrimmage on March 8, against the Freeport Yellowjackets, ended with a loss 8-2. The team has been missing almost half of its players as basketball and hockey both had playoff appearances.
Recently hired head coach Joe Eckenrode has several years of athletic experience. “I played club [lacrosse] at the University of Toledo. I did my freshman year there and then I transferred to Coastal Carolina and ended up running track and field down there.” Eckenrode was the head coach of the Indiana Area High School boys lacrosse team for four years before coming to Latrobe. With years of experience, the new head coach knows what he’s doing, he also understands the players and their want to win. “Take things one game at a time, find some key wins, get in the playoffs, and get a playoff win. Wins.” With coaching a new team, there are many goals to achieve throughout this season. “The plans for the program are to rebuild the youth program, establish and develop the high school one, and then interconnect those two programs,” Eckenrode said.
Greater Latrobe Senior Brock Pflugh enters his third year playing lacrosse as a defenseman and LSM (long stick midfielder). Pflugh, the starting goaltender on the hockey team,
has seen much animosity between the Cats and their rivals. “We need to beat Hempfield this year,” said Pflugh. Latrobe defeated the Hempfield Spartans twice last lacrosse season. Once at Spartan Stadium, and again at Rossi Field on senior night. Pflugh expects a lot from his team, “I want to make the playoffs again and I want us to be a defensively sound team.” Even with changes this season, Pflugh has high hopes for this year’s team as everyone is hungry for wins. “I think we’re going to be a pretty good team. I think there will be a little bit of a learning curve with the
new coach, but by mid-season, we should be in playoff form again.” Even though the team’s chemistry is already strong, it can always be improved. With that, someone has to get the team to go out and have fun as a family. “I’m going to try and get some of the boys to go to Applebee’s on Friday nights after practice. I’m trying to be a locker room guy,” said Pflugh. Keeping up with other sports, with wins, the team will celebrate and when they do they go big. “Usually after big wins we go into the locker room and have some dance parties,” said Pflugh.
Senior Kaleb Trice decided to play lacrosse during the final year of his high school career. “I wanted to play lacrosse because hockey season is ending and it’s giving me something to do, a way to stay in shape, and a lot of my buddies are playing so I figured it’d be fun,” said Trice. During the Cats’ scrimmage with Freeport and Trice’s first game action in the sport, head coach Eckenrode told him, “you’re killing it out there.” With the year coming to an end, the majority of the seniors have already committed to colleges for their other sports or careers, including Trice, who is off to Saint Vincent College to study nursing. Many players on the hockey team also play lacrosse. With Trice’s addition to the team, it also strengthens the team’s connection more. With another new coach, the chemistry with the team keeps them in good shape for the upcoming season.
Being a senior on both the basketball team and lacrosse team, struggles come for captain Kyle McNeil. Basketball practices still being held prevent McNeil from participating in lacrosse practices. With the quick switch from basketball to lacrosse, the team’s main goal may be questioned. “Our main goal this year is definitely to extend the season. I don’t know how far, but just as far as we can go. I just want to be able to play lacrosse as long as possible.” For many players, lacrosse is a sport they either do to stay in shape, or for the sport. Many play because hockey season is about over, same with basketball. For every year of these senior’s lacrosse season, they have had a new coach, it begins to seem concerning for how the team stays balanced and focused. “Coach Joe knows what he’s doing, so I think these practices will help us get better for our games,” said McNeil.
Adam Pellis also is excited to play Latrobe’s arch-rival. “You know we’re looking forward to playing Hempfield again. We beat them last year, so I’m hoping to kee
p the streak going.” The excitement is there with the 7-3 playoff win over Hempfield in hockey. The players are hungry to keep winning over one of the school’s biggest sports rivalries. Most of the seniors are not planning on going to college for lacrosse, so the season’s intentions are unclear. “We’re looking forward to making the playoffs and hopefully winning a couple of playoff games.”
Defensive coach Marcus Croley has a good feeling about this season. “[It’s important] to continue to establish a positive and growth mindset team culture, build on progress from previous years, always be hungry, and be upstanding members of the community,” Said Pellis. With such a good set of seniors, and other players, the need to connect both the youth and high school teams is high. Connecting players before the season starts can help to prepare the team.
“A big long-term goal, I know Coach [Joe] mentioned it, is connecting the high school program and the youth program so that the community can have a consistent and productive program for those that are passionate about the game of lacrosse to start young and grow through middle and high school.”
Offensive coach Mark McNeil has one goal to start the season: “The first goal for us is, you know, making the playoffs. That’s goal number one,” said coach McNeil. With so many players hungry for wins, even new players, the seniors, and coaches want this season to be a long one, and making the playoffs will fulfill that goal. “If you create excitement, more people want to go out and it starts to catch on,” said coach McNeil.
