By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/9/11
Practice does not begin for nearly a month for most scholastic lacrosse teams, but already one top-rated squad has been bit by the injury bug.
Conestoga, which last year won its first Pennsylvania state boys’ championship, suffered a blow Monday when its starting goalie, John Lopes, suffered a broken wrist during a Central League basketball game vs. Strath Haven.
Lopes is expected to be out 7 to 8 weeks and may miss the first few games of the season for the Pioneers, who went 24-2 and won the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association title last year.
Conestoga coach Brian Samson is optimistic that Lopes, who has committed to Penn, should recover in time to play most of the season. When the season begins, he said the starting goalie position will be up for grabs between senior Andrew Anido, junior Brody Shea and sophomore Robbie Zonino.
Last year Lopes was the backup the past two seasons for Zonino’s brother, Peter Zonino, who was an All-Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association pick in 2010.
“John is in good spirits,” said Samson. “Obviously he is bumming since he played behind Peter all those years. But he’ll be back.”
Conestoga, expected to be ranked high the national polls, opens its season on March 26 at home against Catholic League power St. Joseph’s Prep and then plays on March 29 against Baltimore heavyweight Boys’ Latin at Franklin & Marshall College (5:30 p.m.).
Conestoga then opens its Central League slate at Penncrest on March 31.
