Through the first weeks of practice, Warriors head coach Adam Extrand is pleased with how well his returners have looked.
“It’s almost like they did not have a year off,” the third-year coach said. “Which is exciting. We got a good core of kids that are returning.
“Most of them were devastated last year and they are just super excited. I can’t wait to get the first couple of games under our belt so they can taste lacrosse again. They’ve been missing it.”
Two move-ins highlight the Warriors roster this year along with the returners. Sam Madison moved to Brainerd from Syracuse, New York, and is a senior captain for the Warriors. Beau Odash is another senior who moved in from Mound.
“Both those guys are very skilled,” Extrand said of Odash and Madison. “Sam may be our best player. I think that’s going to help us a lot.”
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Cade Villwock is another senior captain for Brainerd. The Warriors named four captains along with Villwock and Madison.
“He’s around the game a lot,” Extrand said of Villwock. “All our seniors are really going to help us a lot.”
Steven Pribula and Maguire Fabian are two other senior captains that make up Brainerd’s core.
Brainerd’s varsity roster features 14 juniors.
“Jacob Holm will be an offensive guy and I think he’ll be very effective playing with those guys who moved in,” Extrand said. “Cole Mackcow, Ethan DeRosier and Camden Langerman are three other guys that have really improved.”
Extrand estimates about two-thirds of his squad haven’t played lacrosse before.
“We are going to lean on the guys that have experience,” Extrand said.
Sophomore Tanner Karsnia will be in net for the Warriors. He’s been with the Brainerd program since the eighth grade.
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“This will be his first year as the full-time starting goalie,” Extrand said. “I think Tanner is going to do well. He is a competitor. He’s athletic. I think he is really going to help our team this year. What I’ve seen in practice is he is better than what we are expecting right now. He’s been making great saves and that’s gotten to be the hardest thing to do.”
Fellow sophomore Eli Wiskow will help Karsnia as one of his main defensemen. Along with Wiskow, juniors Zach Horn, Eli Hanson and Langerman all make up the defense in front of Karsnia.
“We are going to rotate some guys in and out,” Extrand said of his defense. “Most of our defenders are younger guys. (Wiskow) played a little defense for us as an eighth grader. We are kind of light there, but we are going to move some guys in and out. (Langerman’s) skill level is always improving and he’s gotten big and strong.”
Brainerd opens its season Saturday, April 17, against Moorhead at home. The Warriors will be without five players due to ACT testing, so it’ll be a good first test of Extrand’s depth.
“That stinks, but they have to take care of that,” he said. “But our JV team is going to have a huge eye-opener for them because most of the teams we play have middle school programs, so they’ve been playing and understand the game.”
Extrand likens lacrosse to a cross between hockey, soccer and basketball.
“Offensively, you can run set plays and move the ball around the perimeter,” he said. “You have guys cutting. You can set picks. So, the catching, the throwing and cradling is really on the players. We show them technique, but it’s just repetition like any other sport. Some of the rules for the game is what the young guys are going to struggle with. We have been watching videos with guys to get a visual of it.”
The Warriors are coming off a 1-10 record in 2019. Extrand thinks his team would’ve been more competitive in the lost 2020 season.
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“This will be the third year having a program not counting last year,” Extrand said. “We had some good seniors coming back last year and obviously they didn’t get a chance to compete. I think we would’ve been better than the year before and I think we might be better right now than we were two years ago. Guys have been working.”
CONRAD ENGSTROM may be reached at 218-855-5861 or conrad.engstrom@brainerddispatch.com. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/the_rad34.
Boys Lacrosse
Head coach: Adam Extrand, third year
2019 record: 1-10
Captains: Cade Villwock, Maguire Fabian, Sam Madison, Steven Pribula
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Assistant coach: Zach Cadwell, Gabe Smith, Kaden Sheflo
Roster
Seniors: Maguire Fabian, Sam Madison, Cade Villwock, Damian Holbrooks, Steven Pribula, Beau Odash
Juniors: Andrew Narlock, Griffin Carlson, Landon Carey, Camden Langerman, Cullen Davis, Aden Extrand, Zach Horn, Eli Hanson, Jacob Holm, Dawson Piepho, Harry Seymour, David Rollins, Cole Mackcow, Ethan DeRosier
Sophomores: Noah Hines, Nico Buffetta, Eli Wiskow, Tanner Karsnia
Schedule
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Saturday, April 17: hosts Moorhead, noon
April 19: hosts St. Cloud, 7 p.m.
April 22: at Rocori, 5 p.m.
April 27: hosts Sartell/Sauk Rapids, 7 p.m.
April 29: at St. Cloud, 7 p.m.
May 3: at Becker, 6 p.m.
May 6: at Chisago Lakes, 6 p.m.
May 10: hosts Rocori, 5:30 p.m.
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May 11: at Grand Rapids, 6:30 p.m.
May 13: at Sartell/Sauk Rapids, 6 p.m.
May 20: hosts Big Lake, 7 p.m.
May 22: hosts Monticello, 4:30 p.m.
June 1: Section 8 Play-in
June 3: Section 8 Quarterfinal
June 7: Section 8 Semifinals
June 9: Section 8 Finals
