DSHS Lacrosse opens the season

Dripping Springs High School Lacrosse opens their regular season this week with a couple of home games against Round Rock High School and against TMI Episcopal.

The lacrosse team is coming off back to back seasons with playoff wins for the first time in school history. The program, led by Coach Bill Cafferata in his 10th season at DSHS, returns 11 seniors and six juniors from the 2022 team that went 8-11, including a playoff win against Kingwood High School.

Cafferata said he expects a successful year, building off of last season’s success. All-District senior Aiden Kane (a Manhattan College commit) returns at attack, following his record setting season of 58 goals. Returning junior Kyle Parker and newcomer sophomore Brady Taylor will look to backfill the offense lost by a productive group of graduating seniors. Graduates Jack Tanner (Concordia University Irvine), Ryan Williamson (Eastern University), Brett Williamson (Eastern University) and Brendan Linan (Palm Beach Atlantic University) combined for 101 goals in the 2022 campaign.

At faceoff, the Tigers return all-district senior Owen Rhodes (a Mercer University commit) and junior Lucas Willingham, who took the majority of the faceoffs in 2022. Seniors Walker Wright, Greyson Jones, Connor Krystof and Kooper Brown will anchor the midfield line, along with returning juniors Owen Davis and Noah Chomout.

On the defensive end, Cafferata has a strong defensive front with seniors Jonah Friedman, Ethan Smith and Stephen Roberts, along with junior Nate Tyo. In the cage, Senior Kaiden Grupp returns and will share time with newcomer freshman John Ault.

DSHS Lacrosse competes in the Class A Central District of the Texas High School Lacrosse League. District opponents include Westlake, Lake Travis, Austin and Vandegrift High Schools. Outside of the district, the Tigers will travel to Dallas in late February for games against Highland Park and Frisco High Schools. Later this season, the Tigers will also travel to Houston to match up with Cypress Woods and The Woodlands High Schools.

DSHS will face-off against Round Rock on Wednesday, Feb. 8 at the Dripping Springs High School track stadium at 8:15 p.m. to open the season. Junior varsity competes at 6 p.m. Admission is free.

DSHS will play TMI Episcopal on Friday, Feb. 10.