Like many teams in the state, the Ponies (6-1, 5-0) are full of multi-sport athletes who pick up their lacrosse sticks exclusively in the spring. Flock estimates fewer than five of his players are part of an offseason lacrosse program.

Aidan Anderson, who scored a game-high three goals in the Ponies’ victory Wednesday, including the game-winner in the fourth quarter, plays hockey in the winter and jumped into the spring practices with some admitted rust.

Coming off a one-loss season in 2019, the Ponies headed into 2020 with high expectations for a talented returning team. But with that graduating class having missed their chance, Anderson and his teammates hope they can rekindle the optimism this spring.

“After them not having a season, we felt like we had to come out here and owe it to them,” he said.

Flock was hired to be the team’s coach prior to the 2020 season that never happened. He sees an opportunity to finish the second half of the regular season on a high note if this year’s team can clean up some early season mistakes.

“It’s clear in our game we are sloppy passing and catching, and stuff like that,” Flock said. “If we start cleaning some of that up we can surprise some people, but right now we’re not putting that together.”

On the other side of the field Wednesday was a Cretin-Derham Hall (4-2, 3-2) program that is in a similar boat, as far as fielding many multi-sport athletes.

But Raiders coach Matt Hourigan said it has been an exciting opportunity to take athletes from other sports and help them learn lacrosse.

One area of play the Raiders have been able to stand out in this spring is with their defense. The Raiders have not allowed opponents to score more than seven in any game this spring, and sophomore goalie Eddie Kielkopf, who had eight saves Wednesday, has a goals-against average of less than four after six games.

Hourigan gives a lot of credit to his “tremendous” sophomore goaltender, but he also recognizes the effort from the team’s defensive players.

“We have a young defense, but they are smart, they are tenacious, and they are all over the ball,” Hourigan said. “And we saw that tonight. On the rides, on the clears, they are everywhere.”