By Brandy L. Simms

Sentinel Sports

ROCKVILLE - These are good times for the Wootton boys lacrosse program.

As the popular sports cliché states, "Defense wins championships."

"Defense all year has been real strong," Wootton senior attackman Harry Shay said last Saturday after scoring a hat trick in the Patriots 12-1 victory over visiting Springbrook, "and that's what we're trying to do."

In addition to Shay, the Patriots got multiple goals from two other players. Wootton senior Jordan Montesano and sophomore Jeff Zifrony each scored two goals in the contest. Springbrook sophomore Joe Galeano scored the Blue Devils (6-8) only goal.

The win marked Wootton's 14th consecutive victory after opening the regular season with a 10-9 loss to private school powerhouse Good Counsel. The Patriots also played and beat Langley from Northern Virginia, 5-4.

"[Those are] two very good teams," said Wootton Head Coach Colin Thomson. "To start the season that way and then go right into our division games where we played five games in nine games that's huge. That set the tone for the whole season, really."

During the 2008 campaign, the Patriots have not given up more than eight goals in any victory and have been winning games by an average of nearly ten goals. The Wootton coach has been impressed with the performance of junior goalie Yanni Rindler.

"He's been having a great season," said Thomson.

Wootton became trailblazers last season by becoming the first team from Montgomery County - boys or girls - to earn a berth in a state title game. However, the Patriots fell short in their quest for a state championship as they lost to Severna Park by nearly ten goals, 15-6. This year, the team believes they can take it a step further.

"People were saying how great it was just for us to get there," said Shay, "but we don't believe that. We believe we can win, not just get there."

Photo by Bill Wyckoff