By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 10/20/10
Hatboro-Horsham senior midfielder Joe Palo has committed to play Division III lacrosse at national power Cortland State (N.Y.).
Palo was an Honorable Mention Suburban One Continental Conference pick last year for the Hatters, who shared the league title with Central Bucks East and advanced to the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association tournament.
Palo, who plays club lacrosse for LB3, also competed in the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association Showcase in June. A starter since his sophomore year, he has been chosen to serve as a co-captain for the Hatters in 2011.
Pal plans to major in Physical Education at Cortland, which last year reached the Division III semifinals under coach Steve Beville.
“They have one of the top Physical Education programs,” said Palo. “I like the fact it’s in a small town and that everything is right there. I’m not just a number in a big school.
“And I really like coach Beville.”
Beville will begin his fifth season as head coach in 2011. He led the Red Dragons to the NCAA Division III championship game in each of his first three seasons, including a national title in 2009, and the national semifinals in 2010. He also has been chosen for induction in the Upstate New York Chapter of the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
Palo believes the Hatters – who went 18-6 last year and finished seventh in the District 1 tourney – will again be a force in the league and district under newly-hired coach J.P. Banks.
“I am so excited,” Palo said. “We have all been meeting up on weekends for practice and we’ve been playing in a fall ball league at Upper Dublin. We are geared up.”
