By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 8/29/10
Conestoga rising senior goalie John Lopes has made a commitment to play Division I lacrosse at the University of Pennsylvania.
Lopes was a reserve on the 2010 Pioneers team that won the Pennsylvania
Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) championship and also repeated as District 1 champion. Lopes plays for the Mesa Fresh 2011 club team and this summer was a member of the Team Philly Lacrosse, coached by second-year Penn mentor Mike Murphy.
“I think coach Murphy’s philosophy is all about working hard,” said Lopes, an Honor Roll student who plans to major in Economics. “I really like the campus. You have the city right there, but you also have your 8-block campus. It’s a really cool place.”
Lopes is the sixth member of the rising senior class at Conestoga to commit to a Division I college. The others are Brian Dailey (long stick midfielder, Duke), Tanner Scott (midfielder, Duke), Billy Flatley (midfielder, Georgetown), Kevin Rudd (midfielder, bryant), and Ben Karr (Ohio State, defenseman).
Lopes is the third Philly rising senior to commit to Penn and coach Mike Murphy. The others are Haverford School’s Joe McCallion (face-off specialist/midfielder) and Hup Hupfeldt (attackman).
Lopes played mostly behind Hobart College recruit Peter Zonino last year. But even though the Pioneers lose a host of seniors (14 will play college lacrosse) from a 24-2 team that was ranked in the top 10 in every national poll, he is confident the team will again challenge for a state title.
“I learned a lot playing behind Peter,” said Lopes. “Our seniors really led us last year.
“Next year our goal is still the state championship. We might have lost a lot of seniors, but we still have a great class of rising seniors and juniors and sophomores to help out.”
