High School Lacrosse
REGULAR SEASON
MARCH 27, 2007
Notes: Manual joins the sport's varsity crowd
By NATHAN CHAMBERS
BeyondTheDerby.com
The team that won the last three Kentucky Lacrosse Association Division 1 girls’ championships no longer exists, and the sport is all the better for it.
That probably is a little odd to read or hear. But, at least technically, it’s true.
The three-time defending champion Red Dawgs, a club team from Manual High School, officially are now the Manual Crimsons. Boys' and girls' lacrosse have become sanctioned varsity sports at the school, which is one of a very select few to have taken that step thus far.
"Having one of the largest public schools in the state recognize the sport of lacrosse is huge," said St. Xavier coach and local Stickhead Lacrosse and Sports co-owner Scott Howe. "It is also a welcomed recognition for the all the girls and boys who continue to flock to the fastest growing sport in the country. The move by Manual legitimizes the hard work of these student athletes who are proudly representing their school in this physically demanding sport."
Manual's first-year athletic director, David Zuberer, finalized the process that predecessor Larry Wooldridge started, making sure the boys' and girls' programs met the typical varsity requirements.
"It probably will be in a majority of the schools, at least in Louisville, within the next five years," Zuberer said. "Our coaches have a lot of headaches right now that other school's coaches don't have. But when the rest of the schools get on board, we'll be five years ahead of them."
In terms of competition, the girls' team is ahead of them now. Coaches Steve and Lisa Auden already had built the Red Dawgs into the state's dominant power in the team's five years.
“We are delighted to be part of the Manual family,” Steve Auden said. “I hope we can make the school proud with another outstanding year.”
Neither the boys’ nor girls’ teams had a true home field until this season. Both have begun playing home games at historic Manual Stadium.
“We finally get to play on our own field and play under these lights,” Manual’s Josh Salzman said after the Crimsons beat Ballard in their first-ever game at the stadium last Wednesday.
The boys’ team also has a new head coach, Patrick Buckridge.
Top scorers
Here is a look at the KLA’s highest-scoring players through the first three weeks of the regular season, based on information that is available at kylax.org and team Web sites and that has been submitted to BeyondTheDerby.com.
Trinity’s Sean Medley and Collegiate's Michael Imburgia lead the boys in points. Medley has eight goals and six assists in four games, and he has recorded at least four points in each of Trinity’s last three games.
Imburgia has 11 goals and three assists, numbers he has accumulated in just two games. He exploded for seven goals in a 16-8 win over Sayre last Wednesday and scored four goals, including three straight in the fourth quarter, in a 6-5 come-from-behind win over Tates Creek on Sunday.
One of Medley’s teammates, Phil Brehl, is the top goal scorer with 12. He has scored four goals twice this season.
St. Xavier’s Travis Marcum has eight goals and three assists.
Among the girls, Kentucky Country Day’s Michelle Worthington has the most points with four goals and nine assists.
Abby Papenfuss and Kelda Beachy, teammates from Male’s Ladydawgs, each have scored 11 goals. Both scored six in an 18-1 win over Lexington last Thursday.
Nina Walfoort contributed to this story.
(Editor’s note: Coaches and authorized team representatives are strongly encouraged to submit scores, stats, news items and story ideas to Nathan Chambers. Contact him at nchambers@beyondthederby.com.)