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| Maryland's Frank Urso (left) taking a shot against Hopkins during a regular season game at Byrd Stadium in the 1970s |
I saw my first live national championship game about 1978. Clay
Johnson from my hometown played for Maryland and he was my hero. As a freshmen
Clay had been talented enough to run second midfield for the Terps as they
faced off against their across the beltway rival Johns Hopkins. Both
teams were loaded with All Americans. Among them, Mark Greenberg on defense, Jeff Cook
on attack, Dave Huntley at midfield; Dave played with day glow green Brine
head, traditional pocket, and wooden shaft. I want a stick like that and later
played with one. Marilyn had Barry
Mitchell on midfield, and many others that I just don’t remember. The game was
played at Byrd Stadium in College Park, Maryland. It was filled to capacity. I remember walking into the stadium and making
my way to my seats in the midst of an electric atmosphere. I had recently started playing the game in
eighth grade and watching a home town boy like Clay compete at that level made
an indelible mark on my consciousness. I
think it was then that I decided that I wanted to be a Division I lacrosse
player, as though that was a career; it sounds funny to me in retrospect. What championship lacrosse game sticks out the
most in your mind and why?
