Mustangs look to build on spring success by starting early

The Mason boys soccer, girls lacrosse, and boys lacrosse teams have already started preseason practice for the 2016 spring season. Each of the three teams had a winning season in the spring season of 2015, which led the coaches and student athletes to begin preparing for the season earlier, hoping to hit the ground running when games begin in the spring.

Girls Lacrosse

Bridge_PreseasonSports_Sports(1) — Girls lacrosse team comes together in a final team chant before playing. The team went all the way to the Virginia State semifinals last year, and lost a heartbreaker to Western Albemarle High School. (Photo Courtesy of Amy Roche)

Of the spring teams getting a jump on the season, girls lacrosse started the earliest, with preseason practices in September.

“We start pre-season so early to work on our stick skills, conditioning, speed, and agility. In past years, we have struggled in these areas,” said Head Varsity Coach Courtney Gibbons.

“[We have struggled] especially with our stick skills, so this provides the opportunity for the girls to work on them year round,” said Gibbons.

After exiting last season with a 16-4 winning record, Gibbons plans on improving all over the field in offense, defense, draws, transition, and “becoming faster stronger, and more mentally tough in the big games,” said Gibbons.

Boys lacrosse

Bridge_PreseasonSports_Sports (2) — The boy’s lacrosse team play against Brentsville in the previous season. The team is looking to jump start their training for the spring by beginning preseason earlier. “Throwing and catching can get really rust… so getting their sticks in their hands at least once or twice a week helps,” said Coach William Stewart. (Photo courtesy of Lifetouch Photography)

Boys lacrosse started their preseason on October 6, with early practices every Tuesday and Thursday until the start of November. The Mustangs had a record of 7-6 in 2015.

“Last year we had our first winning season in a few years and we’re returning a lot of our players and hope to make some progress in our divisional opponents and also some games outside our division or conference,” said Assistant varsity Coach William Stewart.

Boys soccer

Bridge_PreseasonSports_Sports (3) — Senior Grant Goodwin carries the ball in the Conference Semi- Final against Clarke County High School last season. The team is looking towards winning their fourth consecutive state championship this coming spring 2016. (Photo Courtesy of Carol Sly)

The Mason boys soccer team has preseason practice in October and November, taking a break in December, and begins preseason again throughout January.

“It would be naive to think we are going to outperform last year’s team,” said Varsity Head Coach, Frank Spinello.“We had the most dominant season in Virginia high school history.”

The team scored the most goals, allowed the least amount of goals, had the biggest goal differential, and had the most wins in VHSL history.

“[If we win the 2016 state championship] we will be the first boy’s team in VHSL history to win four straight state championships and to maintain a national ranking throughout the season,” said Spinello.

The three sports teams look to head into the 2016 season with their bodies in shape and their minds set on winning.

The Lasso

The Lasso

Mustangs look to build on spring success by starting early