Hurwitz, Aquilino & Piotrowicz Sign Letters of Intent

 Stories courtesy of www.PhillyLacrosse.com

Madison Hurwitz

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/25/09
 
Council Rock South senior attacker Madison Hurwitz has signed a letter of intent to play next year at Bucknell University.
 
Hurwitz, the Player of the Year in the Suburban One Continental Conference last season, loved the combination of academics and lacrosse at the Lewisburg campus.
 
“Bucknell has always been my first choice,” said Hurwitz, who scored 117 goals last year and has more than 200 in her career. “The academics are very important to me. Clearly, I am not going to play lacrosse for the rest of my life.
 
“Bucknell is beautiful; Lewisburg reminds me of Virginia. It has big flat land, and you can rid eyour bike or walk; you can do your thing. And it’s close to home. They also play a lot of games close to here so my parents, my No. 1 fans, can come to my games.”
 
Hurwitz, whose mother is a teacher, said she plans to major in psychology and perhaps go into child psychology or education.
 
Hurwitz recalled last year as a magical season for the Golden Hawks, who went 17-4 and won their first Continental Conference crown by going 11-1 in the league.
 
“It was awesome,” she said. “Our coach (Kara DiMarco) cares so much about us; she was just as excited as we were when we won. It was great to be a part of it. We really worked well together. I know I couldn’t have done as well as I did without my teammates.”
 
Hurwitz also will play a key role this year if the Hawks are to contend in the new-look National Conference of the Suburban One League. The favorite going into conference play will be defending co-champion Abington.
 
“I have a great feeling about our team unity,” said Hurwitz, a co-captain. “I’d like to win the league again, but it’s a different league and it will be tougher than last year.”
 
Megan Piotrowicz
By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/21/09
 Plymouth Whitemarsh senior attacker Megan Piotrowicz has signed a letter of intent to play at James Madison University.
 
Piotrowicz, who scored 60 goals last year and earned first-team All-Suburban One American Conference honors, liked JMU’s nursing program and academic support system.
 
“I have wanted to go into nursing since sixth or seventh grade and they have a really strong nursing program,” said Piotrowicz, an Academic All-American choice last year. “I have a couple friends that go there and they love it.
 
“I also like the level of play; it’s a good fit for me. And I like their whole academic process with athletics. They keep up on the academics and the coaching staff is great.”
 
Piotrowicz said the view in Harrisonburg, Va. is idyllic. “It’s lined with mountains.” she said.
 
Piotrowicz, who has lettered every season in field hockey and basketball as well as lacrosse, has enjoyed playing different sports.
 
“I love playing three sports,” she said. “I think that’s helped me with my leadership.”
 
Piotrowicz believes her role as a leader may increase for this year’s youthful PW team.
 
“We’re real young this year, there are a lot of freshmen coming in,” she said. “We’re not going to be all amazing, but we’ll get our wins.
 
“I will try to keep things positive. That’s rally important and that’s what I needed when I was a freshman. If I can bring that, I’ll be doing my job.”
 
Alisha Aquilino
By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/4/09
  
Abington senior goalie Alisha Aquilino has signed a letter of intent to play at St. Joseph’s University.
 
Aquilino, a first-team All-American and All-Phillylacrosse.com pick last year, said she fell for the City Line program and campus from the start.
 
“I fell in love with the lacrosse program, they were all so cool and the coach was perfect for me,” she said of Hawks mentor Denise Roessler. “The campus is beautiful and really peaceful.”
 
Aquilino led the Ghosts to a share of the Suburban One National Conference crown with North Penn last year. She posted 120 saves and helped Abington reach the District 1 Class AAA quarterfinals.
 
She said she wanted to stay close to home so her family could see her play. Two of her biggest supports are her father, Chris Aquilino, the head coach for Archbishop Wood’s girls’ team, and her older brother, Ursinus senior goalie Tony Aquilino.
 
“I love the fact it’s close to home,” said Alisha, who plans to focus on marketing. “My parents can come whenever they want to. Being too far away would probably stress me out.
 
“I know I definitely will have to fight for a position, but that’s something I’m willing to do. I want to make a difference on that team.”
 
Aquilino said she knows she can count on her brother and father for advice when she needs it.
 
“They help me a lot,” she said. “Whenever something is going on with me, I can always run to my dad or brother.
 
“If they are watching me, they can tell me what I am doing wrong. They are always right, they read me so well. My brother and dad taught me everything.”
 
Aquilino, in fact, said she speaks with her brother after almost ever game.
 
“We normally talk after every game,” she said. “He’ll ask me how it was, and I will explain something, and he’ll say to keep me eye more on the ball and do less talking. He’s got me under control.
 
“Goaltending is all mental,” she added. “If I keep that (part) right, and focus on the physical game, I think I’ll be good.”
 
Aquilino is looking forward to a successful high school season. Abington lost several key seniors from the 2008 team, but returns a slew of veterans.
 
“We should have some underclassmen really stepping up offensively, and we have a huge senior class,” she said. “I think we’ll be just fine. We’ll pick up where we left off.”
 
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