By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 6/10/08
Malvern Prep’s Matt Mackrides scored two goals as the U.S. Under-19 men’s lacrosse team got off to a good start in its exhibition season Sunday by defeating a Long Island All-Star team, 11-9, at Cold Spring Harbor High School in New York.
Mackrides, who helped the Friars reach the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association finals and is headed to Penn State, is one of four Philadelphia players on the Under-19 team. Others include Johns Hopkins freshman midfielder Matt Dolente (Malvern Prep), Ohio State sophomore midfielder James Green (Central Bucks East) and Villanova freshman defender John Lade.
The Long Island all-stars were led by two Penn freshmen, Corey Winkoff (three goals) and Al Kohart (two goals).
The U.S. team continues its exhibition schedule Saturday night against the New Jersey All-Stars at Bridgewater-Raritan (N.J.) High School. Local lacrosse fans will get a first-hand look at the Under-19 team when it plays the Philadelphia Lacrosse Association (PLA) sponsored All-Star team June 21 at 4:30 p.m. at the United Sports Training Center in Downingtown.
Much of the proceeds from that game go to pay for expenses for the Under-19 team, according to Bob Aitken, president of the PLA. The PLA team will be coached by Malvern Prep mentor John McEvoy and will feature college freshmen and some 2008 grads as well as some who had tryouts for the Under-19 team.
The U.S. Under-19 team will represent the United States in the 2008 International Lacrosse Federation (ILF) Under-19 World Championships this July in Coquitlam, British Columbia.
In each exhibition, the U.S. will play against area or regional all-star teams selected by the U.S. Lacrosse chapter host. The U.S. has won the last five ILF titles and has an unblemished record of 29-0 in international play.
The U.S. team is coached by Chuck Apel, the head coach at Bridgewater (N.J.) High School. One of the four assistants is John Nostrant, head coach at The Haverford School.
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