St. Andrew’s (Fla.) coach Tony Seaman issued a challenge, not just on behalf of his squad, but for all of the teams in Florida. His challenge was directed at the lacrosse hotbeds of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
“This area is growing, and there are some good teams playing and a lot of really good coaches that are down here now,” Seaman said. “We welcome anyone to come down. Come to South Florida. We would love to have them. We can play with a lot of people.”
While Florida teams have become accustomed over the years to welcoming out-of-state competition on spring break trips, it’s been three years since many teams in the region have faced interstate competition. The COVID-19 pandemic put an abrupt end to the 2020 season, and teams like St. Andrew’s relied on in-state competition in 2021.
With the pandemic easing, the Scots are able to welcome the challenge of facing interstate competition again. Their 2022 schedule features Maryland power Boys’ Latin and defending Texas champion Dallas Jesuit.
Going against the likes of Boys’ Latin gives a squad like St. Andrew’s a good measuring stick for the upcoming season. While St. Andrew’s regularly had Boys’ Latin on its schedule before the pandemic, Seaman feels like he finally has a squad that can go toe-to-toe with one of the top East Coast teams.
“We can compete against them,” Seaman said.
The Scots got off to an early start against interstate competition, having already defeated Palo Verde, a program that frequently wins state championships in Nevada.
The Scots head into 2022 ranked No. 1 in the South Region after completing a 16-0 season that culminated in a state championship. While St. Andrew’s lost key players such as Will Adams and Anthony Borodiak to graduation, the squad returns much of its core from a year ago, including a number of Division I prospects.
And they are led by Seaman, a legendary coach who steered the program to its first-ever state title.
While it might sound cliche, Seaman agrees that his club has a target on its back. He expects that he’ll get an opposing team’s best performance every time.
“I think they look forward to it,” Seaman said.