By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 9/14/10
Brothers Connor and Warner Bailey, junior defensemen at The Haverford School, each have committed to play Division I lacrosse at Georgetown University.
Connor was a starter last year for the Fords, who finished 20-4 and claimed a share of the Inter-Ac League title while earning a national ranking in the top 10 in several publications.
Warner, a year older, spent last year at Salisbury School (CT), where he started for a team that won the Western New England crown and went 13-1, while finishing one spot (No. 7) behind Haverford School in the Under Armour/Inside Lacrosse Power Rankings.
Both play club lacrosse for Mesa Fresh 2012 and the Duke’s Lacrosse Club and competed in the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association Showcase in June.
Warner Bailey attended Haverford School his entire life until deciding to repeat his sophomore year to focus on his academics. He plans to enter the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown.
“We weren’t necessarily going to decide on college based on each other,” Warner said. “I went down to Georgetown and fell in love with it, the coaches and the campus.
“The McDonough Business School is ranked in the top 20 and that interested me. It’s a great bunch of guys and a perfect fit for me academically and athletically.”
“I get to play the spot I love in college at such a great school with my brother. It’s something I never thought was possible.”
Connor also plans to study at the McDonough School of Business.
“We had a great time down there,” he said. “Getting to play with my brother is definitely a plus. It’s a great campus; everything is within walking distance. It’s just a beautiful campus and they just redid the School of Business.”
Warner said he planned to stay at Salisbury and, in fact, loved his year there. But he wanted to play with his brother and be a member of a team that probably will be considered one of the top teams in the country next spring.
“I was able to get focused on school,” he said. “I also learned a lot of lacrosse from Salisbury coach Bobby Wynne. He was a good mentor to me.
“I was pretty set on staying. I liked it up there, but it was kind of hard to resist coming back to play with my brother in high school and play with all my friends in the senior class.”
Besides Wynne, Warner wished to thank Haverford School coaches John Nostrant (head coach), Mark Petrone, Dave Metzbower, Paul O’Grady and Travis Loving, as well as the coaches at Mesa Fresh and the Duke’s, and his parents.
“My parents are real excited; my sister goes to George Washington, so we’re all together in the city,” he said. “I just feel that I play better alongside my brother.”
Connor, who also wishes to thanks the Haverford School, Mesa Fresh and Duke’s coaches as well as his parents, admits the Fords will enter 2011 with the highest of expectations. Eleven seniors have committed to Division I colleges and the junior class is also loaded.
“Absolutely, I think we have the talent to beat most teams,” said Connor Bailey. “But we can’t look past anyone like last year.”
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