Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 12/10/08

Talk about following in your father’s footsteps.

George Castle, seen here playing for Johns Hopkins, is following in his father's footsteps as a Wing

Today the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League (NLL) announced the signing of recent Johns Hopkins graduate George Castle, a Penn Charter graduate and the son of one of the original Wings.

In 1987, the Wings were one of four teams that helped launch the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League – the forerunner the NLL. One of the Wings’ players on that original team was Castle’s father, J.R. Castle, a former Penn Charter great who starred at North Carolina State. J.R. Castle has coached youth and club lacrosse for many years and now is an assistant coach for the Duke’s Lacrosse Club.

Castle was signed along with Matt Casey for the 2009 season.

Castle, a Glenside native who also spent one year prepping at Lawrenceville School (N.J.), was part of the defensive midfield that helped JHU reach the NCAA Finals in 2008. Castle played in all 17 of the Blue Jays games in his senior season, scoring two goals and adding an assist and 12 groundballs.

The highlight of Castle’s collegiate career may have come in the semifinals when he scored a goal to help the Blue Jays shock Duke, 10-9. Castle also was a key for Hopkins when it took its ninth NCAA crown his junior year.

Castle also was selected today in the sixth round (53rd pick) by Washington in the Major League Lacrosse Supplemental Draft,

Casey, who did not play in the NLL last year, was acquired as a free agent. Casey graduated from Ithaca College in 2005, and was named a United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association First Team All-American in his senior year.

It also was announced this week that the Wings have released Ryan Cranston (Henderson) and Sean Turner, and that they will place goalie Mickey Hover on the team’s practice squad. Cranston, a second-team All-American last year for Lynchburg, enjoyed a solid rookie season for the San Francisco Dragons of Major League Lacrosse.

The Wings open their NLL season Saturday, Jan. 3 at the Buffalo Bandits.

Tags: Penn Charter