After four straight victories, the Scouts were not able to keep up with the state’s perennial powerhouse, the New Trier Trevians, last night. The defending IHSLA champions were too much to handle for a Scouts defense that had been solid thus far in the season.

After the first quarter of play, the Scouts found themselves down 3-2, hoping to gain momentum. Unfortunately, things did not get better for the Scouts in the second quarter, as they trailed 8-3 at the half. Out of the break, New Trier maintained their comfortable lead and went on to win by a score of 9-6.

Once again, the Scouts were led by their captain Jack Mislinski, who netted two goals in the defeat. Mead Payne, Luke Milliman, George Schoettle, and Connor Armstrong each contributed a goal each, while Owen Clarke helped out with the Scouts’ lone assist.

Coming off the loss, the Scouts will have just one day to prepare for their next game. They travel to Carmel on Saturday for a 1 p.m. contest with the Corsairs. Carmel is coming into the game with a 3-4 record, after losing 14-5 to St. Viator earlier in the week. Last year, the Scouts pummeled Carmel 11-2, and they will be eager to do the same this year, especially after last night’s loss.

LAKE FOREST, Ill.– On a brisk Tuesday night, the Lake Forest boys lacrosse team flat out manhandled the visiting Libertyville Wildcats. The Scouts (4-1) are now in mid-season form after overcoming an early season loss. Heading into one of their most important games of the season later this week, the Scouts are playing well at the perfect time.

The Scouts offense has been electric lately, led by seniors Jack Mislinski and Mead Payne. Jack Mislinski had four goals, George Schoettle netted three, while Luke Milliman, Jack Vanhyfte, Mead Payne, and freshman Connor Armstrong all scored once. Bobby Winebrenner and Mead Payne each tallied two assists, supporting the Scouts to a 12-5 victory.

The Scouts next game is Thursday night, as they travel to New Trier to take on the Trevians. The Trevians, who are 8-1 on the season are coming off a loss to St. Xavier (OH). These two teams are likely to clash in this year’s playoffs, as the Scouts look to pull off an upset on the 2017 IHSLA State Champions.

On Saturday, Lake Forest hosted Olentangy Liberty High School at West Campus. Although two games were scheduled for the weekend, the teams were only able to play one, as Sunday’s game was cancelled due to poor weather.

Olentangy Liberty, an Ohio school coming into the game ranked seventh in the Midwest, was stunned by Lake Forest. A double overtime goal scored by Mead Payne led the Scouts to victory in thrilling fashion. With Saturday’s overtime win, the Scouts now have two overtime victories thus far. Lake Forest goalie Alex Thoms impressed the crowd as he kept the scoring threats at bay against a tough offensive team. Chris Cavalaris and Danny Moorhead made this task a bit easier as they played strong defense and snagged multiple ground balls.

While they would have liked to play a second game, the Scouts were certainly pleased with the strong showing against one of the area’s better teams. With the momentum from the weekend, Lake Forest will look to extend their winning streak Tuesday night against Libertyville.

On a brisk Wednesday night, the Scouts hosted the Stevenson Patriots in their home opener at West Campus. After a hard-fought game, the Scouts earned a thrilling 9-8 overtime victory, propelling them to 2-1, 1-1 on the season.

The Scouts were led on offense by senior captain Jack Mislinski, who scored four goals including the game winner. Junior George Schoettle had three goals, while Bobby Winebrenner and Connor Armstrong added one each. On defense, senior Adam Johnson had a strong showing, not allowing the Patriots to score in overtime. Chris Cavalaris, a defensive midfielder, was able to snag five ground balls, allowing the team extra offensive opportunities.

Coach Thiegart’s squad has a couple days off before heading into Saturday’s game with Olentangy Liberty, an Ohio team that is part of the new Midwest Lacrosse Conference.  

NORTHBROOK, Ill.–Last night, the boys lacrosse team started their season on a hot note. The Scouts defeated the Glenbrook North Spartans convincingly, by a score of 11-7. Led by a strong senior class, the Scouts signaled what they could be capable of in their season opener in Northbrook that was rescheduled to Thrusday night after the midweek cold front.

After the game concluded, junior midfielder Bobby Winebrenner shared his thoughts on the first game of the year. “We took an early lead, but after many costly penalties the game remained close. Although we had the lead all game, it was closer than it should’ve been. The Spartans played a zone defense and that made it tough for our offense to score at times. Overall, for our first showing, we are pretty happy.”

On the offensive side, the Scouts were led by senior captain Jack Mislinski, who netted four goals, and senior Mead Payne, who added three goals for the Scouts as well. Freshman Connor Armstrong silenced the critics as he managed to score twice in his varsity debut.

Meanwhile, on the defensive side junior Tommy Henry and senior Adam Johnson had strong showings, as they dealt with man down defense for most of the game. The Scouts are now off for an extended period of time during spring break. Their next game will be an April 9th matchup against Grayslake North.

Tomorrow, the Lake Forest boys varsity lacrosse team travels to Glenbrook North High School to take on the Spartans. Lake Forest is coming off of an impressive 2017 season in which they finished third in state after falling to rival Loyola Academy in the state semifinal. Lake Forest, led by captains Jack Mislinski, Adam Johnson, Chris Cavalaris, Jack VanHyfte, and junior George Schoettle, is looking to make a deep run this spring with 15 returning players and seven returning starters.

The Scouts are looking forward to an exciting 2018 season with many high-caliber match-ups on the schedule. Tonight, in their first road game of the season, the Scouts will look to come out on a hot note without any rust. With many players being multiple sport athletes, the Scouts are looking to start off in mid-season form to contend for an IHSA State Championship.

Glenbrook North, coached by Justin Georgacakis, is entering their second game of the 2018 season after finishing 2017 with a losing record of 7-13. Last season, the Spartans postseason run ended when they fell to Lake Forest in the second round of the playoffs.

Tomorrow’s season opener will be played at Glenbrook North High School, starting at 5 p.m.

Former Lake Forest standout and all-time leading scorer Conor Walters is nine games into his junior season for the Leopards of Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania.

Though the Leopards are struggling as of late, with a record of (2-7) overall, (1-4) in conference play, Walters is leading the team in scoring with 29 points in just nine games. His 13 assists and 16 goals on just 60 shots lead the Leopards, and he has started all 9 games.

Many foresaw this kind of individual start for Walters this season, as he had two or more goals five separate times last season and played in all 14 games with 11 starts and led the team in overall scoring.

The Lake Forest Scouts boys lacrosse team is coming off a state semifinal loss to Loyola Academy a year, cutting their season one game short of the state final. From that team, however, the Scouts lose 13 seniors, including Jack Adams, Davis Khalili, and Cole Johnston from a year ago, but return 21 players from their (15-5) squad.

The captains for this year’s team are seniors Jack Mislinski, Adam Johnson, Jack VanHyfte, Chris Cavalaris, and junior George Schoettle. Their team is led by attackmen Jack Mislinski, the varsity quarterback from this year’s Scouts football team. He finished last year with 84 points, which is an accumulation of goals and assists combined. Another headlining member of the starting attack line returns, 6’7” senior Mead Payne, who finished second in points last year with 56. Finishing up the attack group will most likely be sophomore Nathaniel Field, who returns after being the lone freshman on the team last year.

The midfield group is the deepest part of this year’s squad, with six returning players from last year’s state semifinalist group. These include faceoff specialist, George Schoettle, Luke Milliman, Jack VanHyfte, Owen Clarke, Bobby Winebrenner, Matthew Barigazzi, and Chris Cavalaris, who recently made the switch from attack to help suit the team’s lineup. The defense brings back two returning starters in Adam Johnson and Tommy Henry, both of whom were valuable a year ago. The goalie competition, as it stands now, is between Alex Thoms and John Walsh. Watch out for freshman attackman Connor Armstrong who looks to make an impact in his first year with the Scouts.

Boys lacrosse will officially become an IHSA-sanctioned sport in 2018, which will undoubtedly add a wrinkle to the depth of teams involved in the IHSA State Tournament come May. The Scouts are coached by Mark Thiergart, who is in his fourth season as the Scouts head coach. According to three-year varsity player Chris Cavalaris, this year’s team, “has a lot of returning talent and is looking to make a deep run in the state playoffs. We hope to bring home the school’s first IHSA State trophy.”

Top home games:

4/14 vs. Saint Xavier (OH) & 4/15 vs Olentangy Liberty (OH)

Both of these teams are travelling to West Campus from Ohio to face off against the Scouts. Both teams possess great talent and are widely heralded in the Ohio lacrosse scene as they have won numerous state championships.

4/19 vs. New Trier

The defending state champs are coming into West Campus to take on this veteran Scouts group. Come watch to see two of the favorites for this year’s crown compete in regular season action.

5/1 vs Saint Viator

Come out to see a rivalry matchup between the Lions and the Scouts, two teams who were featured in two highly competitive games last year. The Lions took home the regular season win by three, while the Scouts won the road playoff game by one.

The Lake Forest Scouts needed every one of junior Jack Mislinski’s four goals to seal the victory over Glenbrook North on Thursday night at West Campus. After securing a 3-1 lead after one quarter, the Scouts continued to mount the attack on their rivals from Northbrook, securing an 8-7 lead heading into the final frame of the game. After the game was tied at 8 in the fourth, however, Jack Mislinski’s fourth goal of the contest gave the Scouts the lead for good with four minutes to play.

Junior Mead Payne rounded out the scoring effort for the Scouts, cementing the game’s final score at 10-8 with 3 minutes left to play in the contest. Davis Khalili was excellent in between the pipes from the Scouts, as they now move into the 3rd round of the IHSLA state playoffs. Lake Forest, who had their first two match-ups of the state playoffs on their home turf at West Campus, will now travel in round 3.

The Lake Forest Varsity Boys Lacrosse team defeated Waubonsie Valley last night 16-6 in the first round of the IHSLA playoffs hosted by West Campus. The Scouts now move onto the second round of the IHSLA State Tournament where they will host the 12th seeded Glenbrook North Spartans.

Chris Cavalaris, Mead Payne, Jack Mislinski, Luke Curran, Nate Field, and Jack Van Hyfte all contributed to the scoring efforts in the Scouts’ 16-6 victory over Waubonsie Valley. The Scouts are now (12-4, 3-0) on the season and are ranked #7 in the state of Illinois by Maxpreps.com.

Under the shadows of the Chicago skyline on Chicago’s South Side, the Lake Forest High School Varsity Boys Lacrosse team rebounded from a tough week successfully. Facing off against St. Ignatius College Prep, a formidable opponent, the Scouts were able to edge the host Wolfpack by a score of 8-7.

Leading the way for the Scouts was Jack Mislinski, who contributed three goals in the winning effort for the Scouts. George Schoettle added two goals while Mead Payne, Kyle Wang, and Chris Cavalaris each chipped in one to round out the Scouts’ scoring.

The Scouts return to action today as they host NSC foe Warren at West Campus. From there, the Scouts only have two remaining games, a home match against Kettle Moraine (WI) and a trip to Glenbrook South, before the ISHA State Playoffs begin.

On Thursday night, the Scouts were attempting to extend their winning streak to two after defeating Mundelein on Senior Night on Wednesday. This week was a busy week for the Lake Forest Varsity boys lacrosse team–who lost St. Viator on Tuesday and defeated Mundelein on Wednesday–but they still looked forward to their marquee match-up of the week, the Grayslake North Knights.

The Knights, whose top player, Syracuse commit Dami Oladunmoye, came into West Campus boasting the #3 ranking in the state of Illinois. Still, the Scouts struck first in the first quarter with a Jack Mislinski goal. From there, the Scouts were plagued by poor transition defense and a lethal Grayslake North attack which led to a 10-4 loss on the Scouts’ home turf.

“We’re moving forward and looking to regroup against Evanston,” mentioned junior short stick midfielder Jack Van Hyfte. “They’re not going to have any sympathy for us. We need to bring our best to every game.” The Scouts now fall to the 5th spot in the state of Illinois lacrosse rankings with a record of (8-4). Evanston, the 23rd ranked team in the state, carries a record of (5-6) into Saturday’s game.

Jack Mislinski had 3 goals and Luke Milliman had 1 in the loss.

The Varsity Boys Lacrosse team (7-3) faced off against a talented St. Viator Lions team at Forest View Stadium in Arlington Heights Tuesday night.

In the first quarter, the Scouts were paced by goals from Jack Mislinski and Cole Johnston and were ultimately tied with the Lions after the first frame. The Scouts received a 2nd quarter goal from Luke Milliman, but still trailed the home team 4-3 after the first half of play. After a scoreless 3rd quarter from the Scouts, St. Viator capitalized on inopportune penalties and turnovers from Lake Forest to catapult themselves to a 6-3 lead that they would never relinquish. The Scouts, who failed to control the pace of the game due to a lack of offensive possession in the second half, eventually fell 8-5 despite a goal in the last frame by junior Chris Cavalaris.

The Scouts return to action today at West Campus when they square off against Mundelein in a 6:15 start. Today will also be Senior Night for Lake Forest, so come out and celebrate this year’s senior class.

The Boys Varsity Lacrosse team (7-2), who is off to a fantastic start and ranked #4 in the state, travels to Arlington Heights on Tuesday night to take on perennial East Suburban Catholic power #10 St. Viator (7-2) in a match-up of two highly-touted teams.

The Scouts, who are led in scoring by junior attackman Jack Mislinski, have only lost two games, one each to New Trier and Loyola, the two top teams in the state of Illinois. St. Viator  has lost to Grayslake North and Glenbrook North, two formidable opponents in their own right.

Adam Johnson, Tommy Henry, and John Higgins make up the Scouts’ defensive front that protects goalie Davis Khalili, who will have to be good for the Scouts to come out victorious on Tuesday night. “We’re approaching it as just another game on our schedule,” said 6’7″ attackman Mead Payne, who is among the Scouts leaders in scoring. “We have four tough games this week and we are looking at it one game at a time.”

The Scouts return to action at West Campus on Wednesday when they face off against Mundelein and again on Thursday when they play #3 Grayslake North.

The Lake Forest Scouts took down the Lake Zurich Bears last night in their third conference game of the year. The Scouts prevailed in the game after initially being down 2-0 to a subpar Lake Zurich team.

Cole Johnston, the senior captain for the Scouts, scored two goals in the 10-5 win. Up and coming star Jack Mislinski had 1 goal and two assists in the contest. The Scouts are riding a four game win streak right now after their loss to New Trier earlier in the month.

Davis Khalili has really stepped up his game during the win streak and will have to continue his great effort if the Scouts want to continue their success well into May.  They look to continue their hot streak as they take on non-conference neighbor Deerfield High School this Friday on the Varsity Field at West Campus. Come cheer on the Scouts at 5:00 as they try and extend their win total to seven games tomorrow. 

The Lake Forest Scouts Varsity girls lacrosse team had a tough stretch of games this past week playing Fenwick and their arch rival, the Stevenson Patriots. The Scouts, however, took on powerhouse Montini on March 23rd before spring break and proved that they can contend for a title this year.

The Scouts played Montini in nearly winter conditions and it almost kept them from playing the game. As the Scouts traveled on a long journey to Montini Catholic in horrible conditions, they gave a great effort against the Broncos despite all circumstances. The Scouts and the Broncos went back and forth in what was a 1 goal game midway through the second half. Then, the Broncos went on an offensive surge taking a 4 goal lead on four consecutive scores, but the game changed rapidly when the Scouts scored two goals in the final 2 minutes.

Although it was a great comeback, the Scouts didn’t have enough left in the tank to get over that hump to beat Montini. On a positive note, the Scouts were able to have an advantage in the draw circle, winning 10 of 18 draw possessions. It was a team effort when it came to scoring as 4 different players tickled the twine against a top 2 goalie in the state. The Scouts had some time off before they traveled to Fenwick High School to take on the Fenwick Friars. On April 8th, the Scouts were ready to go against a very good Fenwick team. Offensively, they were clicking on all cylinders as six players found the back of the net. Of the 14 goals, 10 were assisted which made LFHS Coach Catanzaro very happy.

The Scouts had 12 draw controls by their midfield, which gave them a great boost to score 14 goals. Fenwick, a usual overpowering offensive team was held to only 7 goals because of a very strong defensive effort. The team had 6 interceptions, 20 ground balls, 6 caused turnovers, and the Scouts goalie had 10 saves.

The Scouts came out victorious, but couldn’t celebrate for too long because they had their rival Stevenson on April 13th. The first conference battle for the Scouts couldn’t have gone any better, especially against their arch rival. This matchup was key for Lake Forest because it gave them a measuring stick of where they were early on in the season. Stevenson, the 2016 North Suburban Conference Champions, were taken down by the Scouts 14-4. The Scouts did not let up, continuing with their offensive scheme that proved to be successful so far this season, with seven different players contributing to the 11 assists and 14 goals.

Lake Forest defense’s prevailed against the Patriots on the defensive end also. They had 6 saves, 13 ground balls, 3 caused turnovers, and an interception. One of the key factors to the Scouts’ success was the ability to gain possession off the draw. The Scouts finished the contest with 12 draw controls in the game. Each of the three midfielders contributed on the draw circle adding to the draw count. Finally, with good weather the Scouts will take on Glenbrook South High School today at West Campus at 6:30. 

 

The Lake Forest Scouts Varsity lacrosse team took on New Trier High School last night on chilly April evening in west Lake Forest. In their second home game of the season, the Scouts fell to the Trevians 15-8 in a contest against the defending IHSA State Runner up. Although the score may indicate that the Scouts were blown out, they hung in the game with the highly talented Trevians until the middle of the fourth quarter. Lake Forest now falls to (1-1) at home this year after beating Grayslake Central earlier in the year.

In the first quarter, Jack  Mislinski went on a tear, scoring the first three goals for the Scouts. Mislinski got a lot of attention after his third goal, however, and wasn’t able to score another for the rest of the game. In that same quarter, Luke Milliman scored the fourth goal for the Scouts. Milliman, a junior, plays midfield for the Scouts. New Trier answered Lake Forest with 4 goals of their own, finishing the first quarter 4-4.

In the second quarter, junior Mead Payne posted two goals for the Scouts, which brought them back to a tie game at 6-6. Neither Lake Forest nor New Trier could put the ball in the net before halftime. Seniors Cole Johnston and Jack Adams both played great defense to keep the Trevians scoreless throughout the rest of the half.

In the third quarter, the Trevians came out slow and the Scouts took advantage. Mead Payne scored an early goal in the third to give the Scouts a 1 goallead, which they sustained for most of the third quarter. Then, with about 6:00 left in the contest, the Trevians answered with a goal, tying the game at 7. That lead didn’t linger for long as Cole Johnston came down the field with the ball and slung a shot right past the goalies face for their 8th goal, giving the Scouts the lead again. The fans were obviously excited at that point, but the Trevians then stepped on the gas scoring 5 unanswered goals to end the third quarter with a 12-8 advantage.

Going into the final quarter with a 4 point lead in lacrosse isn’t comfortable in any sense of the word. The Scouts had a chance to come back with good offense, but as the quarter went on it was noticeable that the Scouts were fatigued. They struggled to get any offense going, and gave up 3 uncharacteristic goals in the fourth quarter, resulting in a 15-8 win. 

The Scouts look to bounce back next Monday against Highland Park at West Campus at 6:30 pm. Come out and support the boys lacrosse team as they strive to get back on track and continue their road to a state championship.

This Wednesday, April 12th the Varsity Boys Lacrosse team takes on the New Trier Trevians at West Campus’ Varsity Field at 6:30pm in what is sure to be a tremendous game. New Trier and Lake Forest have quite a friendly rivalry that has developed–both on and off the field in recent years–so this is one game that the Scouts want to make sure they focus on. Annually, this North Shore event draws many spectators. New Trier is a formidable opponent that carries a legacy of winning many State Championships in Boys Lacrosse, which in recent years has been sanctioned as an IHSA sport.

The Scouts look to rebound after a lackluster performance against Loyola Academy this past Saturday where they were beat 13-1. It was a great day for playing outdoor sports, with warmer temperatures reaching nearly 70 degrees and plenty of sunshine, but this excitement of some Spring weather didn’t transfer into the win that the Scouts were looking for.The Scouts knew this would be a tough match-up as the Loyola Ramblers ended their season last year with impressive wins in the playoff bracket en route to the state final.

The Lake Forest Varsity lacrosse players have had a tough early start to their lacrosse season, which has allowed them to build some character and fortitude. They have already played last season’s State Champions, the Loyola Ramblers, who seemed to be riding on a wave of confidence carried over from last year as they repeatedly charged the Scouts’ net last Saturday.

The Scouts now face the New Trier Trevians, who lost to Loyola in the IHSA State Championship game last June and are ready to avenge a title they have won nine times since 2005. In the playoffs, the Scouts beat Warren Township in opening round play, but eventually lost to Naperville Central 16-12 in a closely fought game. 

The seniors on Lake Forest’s team have much to be proud of, and their continual leadership development will be essential as they face the highly-touted Trevians. With pride on the line, it’s time for the leadership to step forward and demonstrate their lacrosse skills with determination and focus. The Lake Forest Scouts team has many talented players and the seniors have a slew of experience that will make them a worthy opponent.

In order to give themselves a chance, the Scouts will need to create some fast breaks from the wings to charge the crease against this equally experienced opponent. If they can create some explosive runs and fast passes, the Scouts should be able to create some great scoring opportunities. Look for a fast paced game against New Trier which will surely be exciting for all spectators. 

 

It was a sunny afternoon at West Campus, one of those emerging summer days fit for outdoor activity, and Lake Forest was playing in what was to be their final game of the 2016 spring lacrosse season. Wearing number 1 in white was Cole Johnston–the same player who had donned the jersey for the last three seasons–the athlete who had become of Lake Forest’s most prestigious players. Cradling the ball over midfield, Johnston–as he had done countless times before–set up the offense. As the ball was passed around, Johnston decided to attack his defender to try and score a goal, but as he made his move he lost his footing, causing him to take an odd step that tweaked the meniscus of his right knee.

Cole came off the field after the play, confused as to what had happened to him. There was no ambulance, no crutches, barely even an injury timeout before Cole walked off the field under his own power. Although their season was coming to an end, Johnston worried that his summer could be jeopardized by the injury.

Walking into the doctor a week after the injury took place, Cole sat impatiently on the exam table and awaited his MRI results. His mind was racing with endless possibilities of what could be wrong with his knee: an ACL tear, a strain, or a stress fracture could all sideline him for significant time. The first major thing that came to mind, for him, was his ACL, the guillotine of athletics injuries.

While Cole was sitting in desperation and despair, the door flung open. The doctor explained to Cole that his knee had suffered a meniscus injury. This meniscus injury would only keep Cole out for three months, where the doctors would go into his knee, and simply shave away the tissue that had torn off of his knee. It gave Cole confidence that he was going to be able to showcase his skills in the summer to gain a better ranking nationally for his class.

Cole walked into the surgery room confident and ready to go. He was put to sleep while the doctors conducted the surgery. As they went about their business, the doctors realized that there was something they might have missed while examining the MRI. Cole didn’t just have to get tissue shaved; he needed to get his meniscus completely repaired. After the surgery, Cole, still drowsy from the painkillers, was told the unfortunate news.

“The doctors told me I would be have to be stabilized by crutches for 2 months, and then another 4 months to do recovery on the knee.”

Cole sat there in awe about what he had just heard. It was hard to comprehend at first, but then, naturally, there was doubt about if he would return from rehabilitation at the same level of play. 

“This sport has put me through so much and has worn down my body. There was much doubt about coming back and competing at the level that I’m used to.”

But there was no doubt, however, that lacrosse has been Cole’s dream since he was young age. He dreamed of playing at the highest level and competing with the best at not only the high school level, but also the collegiate level. Cole received a D1 scholarship for lacrosse his sophomore year to the University of Maryland. The Terrapins are one of the most prestigious universities to play lacrosse at in the country, and are perennial national championship contenders. Like all athletes, Cole has dealt with multiple injuries–from bruised knees, broken fingers, and pulled hamstrings–to this, his most testing setback. . Not only was it his knee giving him trouble, but he had to also deal with a torn labrum at the same time . Cole injured his labrum in a summer game during his freshman year, which caused him to require surgery. His labrum never recovered due to a lack of proper rehab, and he could feel it getting much weaker at the end of his junior year.

“I could definitely feel it. During games it would slip out and cause all sorts of trouble. I stuck it out though because I knew I could get it fixed at the end of the season.”

His labrum surgery was expected to be scheduled in the summer and unfortunately, then his meniscus came into play. Cole was in a sling and on crutches for a good month. Not the ideal way to spend the summer going into your senior year. 

“It was so hard having both of the injuries at the same time. If I didn’t have the support of my family and friends I don’t think I would’ve made it through. The thought of being inactive for 8 months was just so devastating to me.”

Although it was a tough summer, Cole found a way through the support of friends and family keep a positive mindset about his future career in lacrosse.

On June 24th of 2016, Cole crutched into the physical therapy office and prepared to do whatever it took to get himself back in playing shape. As he started doing little by little for his knee, Cole began to feel improvement, but he wasn’t taking any shortcuts. Cole did his exercises twice a day and didn’t cut any corners–every rep, every rotation, every set, Cole took seriously.

He began his shoulder physical therapy on August 20th, so his body wouldn’t wear down. Cole was excited when he walked into PT. During his time at Atheltico in Lake Forest he worked with a personal trainer named Kelly. They stuck together throughout the whole process and she stressed to Cole that if he wanted to be 100% by time the lacrosse season came around in the spring, he had to do things on his own. As the months went on, Cole finally got out of his sling and knee brace. He felt like he was on top of the world. Soon, however, Cole realized that he was nowhere near his full range of motion. Around October of that same year, Cole had enough strength garnered to do a little physical activity. Eventually, around the end of the calendar year, Cole started working out with famous EFT Sports Performance.

“Kelly sort of got me to the point where I could run, jump and laterally move. EFT though, has worked with me on getting my not only my knee and shoulder stronger, but bringing me back to competing at the highest level.”

Cole is very optimistic, but also knows his boundaries very clearly. He doesn’t try to over-do it because he doesn’t want to re-injure himself. I finally asked Cole to explain to me what it feels like being back to full strength. 

“It’s amazing to be back to this point after spending 8 to 9 months of being not 100%. I’ve worked so hard and I’m finally here getting ready. Although I’m not where I used to be right now, I understand not playing a sport for 9 months you can’t just pick it right back up where you left off. I’m just not there right now, but I will be if I keep working.”

Cole looks to carry his team this year to a long playoff run and a solid senior season. Catch Cole Johnston this season at West Campus to see not only a great player, but an outstanding young man who has been through quite the journey to get to where he’s at.