(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski) caption: CLOSE SHAVE: Princeton Day School boys’ lacrosse star Aaron Shavel fights around a foe in a game earlier this spring. Senior attacker and tri-captain Shavel has provided scoring production and leadership as the Panthers have gone 9-5 so far this spring. PDS hosts Pennington on May 13.

Sparked by Shavel’s Toughness on Attack, PDS Boys’ Lacrosse Enjoying Solid Season

Bill Alden

His left knee and his right thigh were wrapped in ice but Aaron Shavel was smiling.

The PDS boys’ lacrosse senior attacker and tri-captain was feeling no pain after scoring three goals last Thursday to help the Panthers post a 13-6 win over Delaware Valley.

The win was particularly sweet since it came one day after a disappointing 12-5 loss to Prep B rival Rutgers Prep.

“Yesterday was a tough one; we got in a slump after a great five-game winning streak,” said Shavel, who has shown his toughness this spring by shrugging off some nagging leg injuries.

“It was nice to come back off of that and we got back on our feet. We had a nice showing today; we were really able to implement all the stuff we wanted today and that’s nice.”

Shavel has been showing the right stuff this spring, diversifying his offensive game to implement some feeding to go along with his deadly shooting.

“I have a great supporting cast; Tyler [Olsson] and Garret [Jensen] have been finishing well,” said Shavel.

“There is also a lot of support from our middies with Louis [Blackburn] and Cody [Triolo]. You have to keep them honest and put a few in the net. When they are looking at you, then you pass it around.”

In addition to becoming a more versatile offensive force, Shavel has honed his leadership skills.

“Especially after a game like yesterday, we try to get back where we were with that five-game winning streak and keeping the mindset,” said Shavel, who is headed to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where he will play for the men’s lax team.

“It hasn’t been hard because this is a truly great team. I said in the beginning of the season that this is the most united PDS lacrosse team I have seen and I have been here since kindergarten.”

PDS head coach Rob Tuckman likes what he has seen from Shavel as a player and a leader.

“Aaron is the foundation of our offense, not just from a scoring standpoint but from leadership as well,” asserted Tuckman.

“When you are carrying a program like that, you get the best players on you and they have definitely beaten him up a little bit. He’s an athlete. This is great preparation for him as he heads off to RPI.”

The PDS attack collectively has shown some good athleticism as other players have stepped up to share the scoring load with Shavel.

“We are getting great stuff out of kids who weren’t there in the beginning of the season,” said Tuckman, whose team was right there in losing 6-5 to Notre Dame last Saturday in the Mercer County Tournament quarterfinals before falling 16 -6 to Rutgers Prep last Monday in the Prep B semis. “Garret Jensen is playing really well and Tyler Olsson is finishing for us. That’s big.”

The Panthers, now 9-5, have been getting some good stuff at the other end of the field as well.

“It comes down to defense,” said Tuckman, whose corps of defensemen features seniors Dan Reynolds and Will Kearney together with junior Zack Higgins.

“Peter Blackburn looks sharp in goal. Today, he did what he needed to do and he got us where we needed to be.”

As the spring has unfolded, PDS has gotten a better grip on what it needs to do to produce some big wins.

“Our kids have learned to win and that’s big,” said Tuckman, noting that his squad won opening round games in the MCT and Prep B tourney. “Whether it was pulling out the Voorhees game or holding on to our lead against Blair or beating Hun. We have some great wins for our program.”

In Shavel’s view, the lacrosse program has made great strides this spring. “I think PDS sports has had a fantastic year, it started with soccer in the fall,” said Shavel.

“Hockey had a great season and basketball had a good run. It is a contagious feeling that is going through the school. Our team has the right attitude and our coaching staff has done a fantastic job. I think all of the seniors have fed off of that. The team is buying into it and that’s what you need.”

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