Portage Northern’s men’s lacrosse team is coming off of a strong 2015 season with a record of 13 wins and 8 losses. The Huskies are looking to build on that in the 2016 campaign, here are some key things to watch for the Huskies this year.

1. New coach J.D. Kalleward:

J.D. takes over a Huskie program that has been on the rise for the last few years but is looking to get over the hump in 2016 and win a conference championship. He has the team very excited and motivated for the 2016 season. “J.D. will really make us work hard together and create even more of a family atmosphere and more of a common bond,” says Lenz Blix(11). Lookout for Kalleward’s 13 years of lacrosse coaching experience to play a huge role in the continued growth and success for the Huskies this season.

2. Senior Leadership

The Huskies return a large group of seniors, many of which have a lot of varsity lacrosse experience. The seniors are ready for the season and looking forward to fitting into their roles as the leaders of the team. “We have a lot of pressure to perform in our last season and leave an impact that will last forever,” says Conor Handlogten(12). These Huskie seniors have a tough road ahead of them but they are ready to face the challenge.

3.  Momentum

Coming off the best season in the history of Portage Northern lacrosse in which they made their way to the regional semi-finals and the first victory over Portage Central in school history in the district championship, the Huskie lax boys are looking to carry that success into this year. “Winning Matt Thrasher, and even more importantly conference, because neither of those have ever been done before.” says Nick Vichinsky(12) about the Huskies goals for the season. Don’t be surprised to see the Huskie Lacrosse Team to start knocking off the firsts in program history in many areas.

4. Young Talent

The Huskies have a strong group of young talent to compliment the senior core. Joey Leone(11), Lenz Blix(11), Quinn Hanley(10), and Reece Brosco(11) all have a significant amount of varsity experience that should spring them into a strong 2016 season. “I enjoy having the older guys as role models and having them there to support me,” says Hanley(10). The underclassmen have the potential to have a strong impact this spring.

5. Goal Scoring

The Huskies lose 3 of their biggest playmakers from a season ago with the departure of Chase Quezada, Mitch Kalleward, and Matty Seiferlein. Replacing the production of those 3 is a must for the Huskies to have another successful year. “I think we are looking to Nick Vichinsky(12) and Nick Sowell(12) to score a lot of our goals this year,” says Peter Mauer(12). Also look for Joey Leone(11) and Lenz Blix(11) to add to the mix. The Huskies will need these 4 guys and possibly a few more to step up this season to help replace some key offensive production.