Reynolds was county’s top lacrosse team in 2011

By Sam Davis
Triad Sports Weekly

            The lacrosse team at R.J. Reynolds High has improved by leaps and bounds under Coach Jim O'Neill, who was named the Forsyth County  Co-Coach of the Year, along with Dom Anile of Conference foe Bishop McGuinness.

            The Demons put together their most successful season in its short existence this season, finishing with a 14-3 record. The Demons also defended their conference championship of a year ago. RJR rolled in their first round playoff game, defeating Morganton Patton by a 19-0 score. However, the Demons suffered a heart-breaking loss to Charlotte Providence that ended their season.

            Reynolds was deadlocked with Providence, 7-7, at the end of regulation play - forcing sudden death overtime. Providence won the tip-off and scored a goal to earn the victory and ended the Demons' season.

            O'Neill said it was a difficult loss, given the circumstances, for his team which was dominated by seniors.

            "You have to play by the rules," he said. "In lacrosse overtime is sudden death - the first team that scores win. If one team gets the tip-off and goes down and scores it's over.

   "Coming into the game we knew that we would be facing a very talented team in Provi-dence High School," O'Neill continued. "The game was as everyone expected it to be. It was tight, physical, and came down to the team that had possession last."

      The Demons have much to be proud of, according to O'Neill.

            "Our goal at the beginning of season was to repeat as conference champion and we were excited about accomplishing that goal," he said. "We had an early exit in last year's playoffs (against Greensboro Grimsley) and we were looking to redeem ourselves this year."

                                                                                                           Sam Haus

 Replacing this year's seniors will be a challenge for O'Neill and the Demons. They had a strong nucleus of seniors.

            "We had a very strong midfield this year," O'Neill said. "We had three players who were recruited to play lacrosse in college. Two will be playing in college (Trent Evans - Guilford, Sam Haus - Jacksonville Univ.) next year."

            The other recruited player is Doug Teasdall. The Demons also had several other outstanding players, including goal keeper Marshall Montgomery, whom O'Neill called the "best goalie in the area" and Andy Teasdall, a returning all-state player who had an excellent season.                           

            Haus might have been the most skilled player on the team and in the county during the 2011season. That helped him emerge as one of state’s top lacrosse players and drew the attention of college recruiters.

            The challenge for Reynolds will be developing its younger players for next season.

We graduate a bunch of seniors," O'Neill said.

            "It will be important for the younger guys to develop over the summer and the fall so that Reynolds can be strong and competitive next year. Our reality is that it will be a rebuilding year next year. But we have a lot of young players coming in that could very well help us develop into a power again."