Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 8/22/11
Staff Report
Call them the baddest lacrosse players around.
We don’t mean bad, we mean bad.
These guys are the unknowns, the ones who may not have grabbed all the headlines or have a big rep.
But their skills are epic and their game is tenacious. They are the gritty, roll-your-sleeves-up players that make the sport of lacrosse so much fun to watch.
These unsung heroes, these scrappy, hard-driving dodgers and hard-hitting defenders and fearless goalies have been recognized, at last.
They are members of the Dirty 66!
Chosen after close scrutiny at high school and club competitions, the Dirty 66 is a collection of players across the East Coast and Canada that exemplify the hard-nosed style that marks the game of lacrosse.
For the full list of the Dirty 66, go to http://dirtylax.com.
Below are several Philly members of the Dirty 66. More members will be highlighted in the coming weeks.
There are still several spots of the team that aren’t filled. Are you tough enough to be picked for the Dirty 66?
Remember, You “Can’t Stop Dirty!”
No. 12, Gavin Weaver, Malvern Prep (HEADstrong Green), middie, rising junior,
Dirty 66 bio: This guy Weaver is a wonderful find at Midfield. He is an overall imposing middie with bull like dodging strength and a cannon of a right hand to back it up. On more than one occasion I watched the middie find space, get the ball and dodge down the alley hard to both sides. Well over six feet tall and around 200 pounds this kid runs hard at every ground ball and is not afraid of contact.
Additionally, he is a joy to talk to and is not one to complain openly about bad calls. I watched him get abused by three middies and shoved out of bounds as time expired at half time only to get up and shake it off smiling. This kid loves to play the game.
No. 17, Jim Gormley, Ridley, attackman, rising senior
Dirty 66 bio: When I was watching Ridley’s summer team at the Father’s Day Invitational Gormley instantly stood out. Not only did he settle the ball down and take his time prior to running through set plays but he also recognized the need to go to the goal in unsettled situations.
Gormley has the ability to make good defenders miss and see the field while he is doing it. I enjoyed watching him dodge defensive packages and feed the ball to an open teammate for the sure shot.
No. 19, Eric Fernandez, Pennridge (LB3), attackman, rising junior
Dirty 66 bio: This kid Fernandez is an example of why we play the game. When his team was pitted against the Long Island Express 2013 squad at the NSCLA tournament in a blow out third place game, this dude went hard to the goal each time he touched the ball. It was so impressive that I remarked to his coach that he makes up for his lack of size with pure heart.
When I approached him to praise him for his playing style and effort he was eager to point out some new scraps and scuffs with an oozing pride. Without kids like Fernandez one sided lacrosse games would be more than no fun. I am glad to see that Philadelphia still produces hard nosed lacrosse play
No. 27, Lewis Sears, Pennsbury (LB3), Defenseman, committed to Washington and Lee
Dirty 66 bio: Mr. Sears has all the potential in the world… all this kid needs is a shot to play. At the NSCLA tournament his team was both short handed and outgunned which would result in a lot of defense for his squad. Time and time again Sears stepped up to the plate to defend a dodging player or cover the crease as a second slide. The best part of Sears game is his understanding of the field and his assortment of take away checks. At the finish of his teams last game Sears was still throwing kayak checks against a kid that is committed to Virginia. As and added bonus Sears has quick feet and is down the field or sliding to help almost instantly.
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