The 2017 Jesuit Dallas lacrosse season begins on Friday, Feb. 10, when the Blue and Gold return to the site of the 2016 Texas High School Lacrosse League (THSLL) Division I State Championship to take on the Allen Eagles. The Rangers return a slew of talent from last season's state title team, aiming to further cement Jesuit's place among the best lacrosse programs in Texas.
 
Last year, Jesuit went 17-2, defeating Highland Park, 9-4 in the 2016 THSLL Division I State Championship game to earn the first state crown in program history. The Rangers ended the season on a six-game winning streak, which included victories over Episcopal School of Dallas in the regular season (Apr. 22) and the state semifinal (May 14).
 
"I have told the team we have to prepare as well if not better than we did last year from week to week," commented Jesuit Dallas head coach Chris Surran. "We also have to play with great passion and execution from game to game. It is extremely important that we respect each of the opponents on our schedule."
 
Jesuit returns 18 members of last season's varsity squad, including the top two scorers and a goalkeeper that earned THSLL Tournament Most Valuable Player plaudits. Senior Daniel Burnum and junior David Sprock provided a major spark to the Jesuit offense in 2016, combining for nearly 200 points and 60 goals. Sprock led the team with 30 goals and 15 assists, totaling 45 points while Burnum was not far behind with 29 tallies and 15 helpers, finishing a single point shy of Sprock.
 
"They (Sprock and Burnum) are athletic and skilled players who have very high situational IQs," added Surran. "They also are very comfortable in our system."
 
Burnum, who signed with Sewanee: University of the South in the fall, leads a Jesuit attack unit which also features Navy verbal commit Grayson Hassell, who finished third on the team in scoring with 18 goals. Senior Trey Wiederecht enters 2017 after an injury-shortened junior campaign that still produced nine goals and two assists, and will be joined by sophomore Peter Buell and freshman Tommy Hovivian, who look to make a sizable contribution during their first seasons on varsity.
 
Sprock, who has verbally committed to the University of Virginia, will anchor the midfield, which features a deep roster of returning talent. Rollins College commit Reece Ellison will partake his senior season after appearing in 17 games last year, scoring six goals and finishing third on the team with 61 ground balls. Fellow third year Jack Tabor returns after scooping up 60 ground balls in 2016, along with sophomore Jacob Jackson, who scored eight goals, adding six assists. Michael Kelley returns for his senior season after appearing in 10 games last year, and senior Teddy Hovivian will serve as the Rangers' face-off specialist.
 
Defensively, the Rangers lose current Michigan Wolverine John Michael Priddy '16, a three-time All-American who was a force throughout his time in a Jesuit uniform. Hoping to fill the void will be senior Dixon Smith, a Jacksonville University commit who secured 34 ground balls last year. Senior Grant Davis, junior Aidan Johnston and fellow third year Greyson Mokarow, who is verbally committed to Denver, will add depth to a defense which only yielded 4.53 goals per game to opponents last season.
 
"The defense is a work in progress and is inexperienced," added Surran. "Smith will be a critical player for us this year on that end as will Johnston and Marshall Rodegast. Those three players have the most playing experience, and we will rely on them to be leaders of the defense end."
 
Between the pipes, senior Luke Millican returns after picking up 17 wins in the cage last year. Recording 130 saves and finishing the year with a 4.38 goals against average, the University of North Carolina commit earned THSLL Tournament Most Valuable Player plaudits, making 14 saves in the THSLL title game after 12 additional stops in the semifinal. Senior Stephen Price, who is headed to the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) after graduation, fellow fourth year Michael Huber and sophomore William Moran will add depth to the goalkeeper contingent.
 
Friday's season-opener against Allen will be the first test for the Rangers, who will play four of their first six games on the road. However, Jesuit's home bouts against The Woodlands (Feb. 18) and Plano West (Feb. 23) will provide fans a chance to see the squad during the early portion of the season.
 
Starting on Feb. 25, the Rangers will battle through a gauntlet of immense competition, starting with a road trip to Austin which will see Jesuit take on Westlake and Lake Travis. After a clash with Flower Mound on Mar. 9, the Rangers will welcome Brophy (Arizona) to Postell Stadium on Mar. 17, followed by perennial national lacrosse powerhouse Gonzaga the following day.
 
"I always try and play the best Texas teams, and I like to play as many great out of town teams as possible in hope that it helps the kids improved and be prepared for the end of the season."
 
After the battle with Gonzaga, Jesuit will enter the home stretch of the season with contests against Keller (Mar. 23), Southlake Carroll (Mar. 29) and Coppell (Apr. 7). A non-Texas matchup against Bellevue on Apr. 8 sets the stage for a rampant close to the season, which features a road game against St. Mark's (Apr. 13), a huge home contest against rival Highland Park (Apr. 21) and a regular season-closing clash against ESD. The THSLL playoffs will begin on May 6, culminating with the 2017 THSLL Championships, scheduled for May 13 and 14 in Houston, Texas.
 
"We have to stay healthy and our inexperienced players need to become comfortable in game situations," concluded Surran. "We obviously also need to match last year's level of execution. The players will also have to be mentally tough because they have a target on their back after last year so they will need to be prepared every game."