Former University of North Carolina football and men’s lacrosse player Mark McNeill has been named the new boys lacrosse coach at The Calverton School.
After spending several years as an assistant coach with the La Plata High School boys lacrosse team where his father, Kris Bayer, was the head coach, Lucas Bayer was slated to begin his rookie campaign at the helm last month.
Among the new coaches in St. Mary’s County is St. Mary’s Ryken head boys lacrosse coach Jon Lombardo, who also serves as the school’s assistant athletic director.
Former University of North Carolina football and men’s lacrosse player Mark McNeill has been named the new boys lacrosse coach at The Calverton School.
Submitted photo
After spending several years as an assistant coach with the La Plata High School boys lacrosse team where his father, Kris Bayer, was the head coach, Lucas Bayer was slated to begin his rookie campaign at the helm last month.
Submitted photo
Among the new coaches in St. Mary’s County is St. Mary’s Ryken head boys lacrosse coach Jon Lombardo, who also serves as the school’s assistant athletic director.
With the current high school spring sports season on hold while schools are closed amid the coronavirus outbreak, a number of first-year head coaches from across the trio of Southern Maryland counties are still looking to make their debuts.
The Calverton School in Huntingtown named Mark McNeill its boys lacrosse coach for the 2020 season, but the Cougars may not have the chance to play for a Maryland Independent Lacrosse League title this spring as schools remain closed due to the pandemic. As of press time, public schools in Maryland are scheduled to reopen on April 27.
McNeill graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Annapolis and later played lacrosse and football at the University of North Carolina before playing lacrosse professionally.
“We are excited and fortunate to have Mark join our athletic community, as he has excelled at every level of academics and athletics,” Calverton School Director of Athletics Jamie McNealey said. “I know our student-athletes will gain the knowledge, commitment and discipline it takes to compete at such a high level. Mark is a great addition and we look forward to seeing his vision on and off the field.”
McNeill played professional lacrosse for the Archers Lacrosse Club of the Premier Lacrosse League after previously playing for the Florida Launch and the Chesapeake Bayhawks in Major League Lacrosse. McNeill has played in nine games for the Archers this season but has yet to record a goal or an assist.
Calverton won its only game thus far on March 12, 16-4 over Jemicy School of Baltimore County before the season was halted. The Cougars have games remaining in the season, which are pending on further developments surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.
After spending several years as an assistant coach with the La Plata High School boys lacrosse team where his father, Kris Bayer, was the head coach, Lucas Bayer was slated to begin his rookie campaign at the helm last month. But the COVID-19 outbreak brought an early end to practices and has since postponed games indefinitely.
“We had one scrimmage against Leonardtown on the Monday of the week they shut everything down,” Bayer said. “It was promising considering that we still had a lot of things we wanted to implement during the season. Since then, I’ve only been able to stay in touch with the kids through emails and remind them to stay in shape and always have a stick in your hand.”
McDonough High School head softball coach Jimmy Guntow was poised to take over the Rams’ program from longtime head coach Julie Snavely, who retired after 17 seasons at the helm.
Guntow, who is also the defensive coordinator or the McDonough football team, had enough players for both a varsity and junior varsity squad this spring.
“It was definitely a rebuilding year,” Guntow said. “We had close to 30 girls come out, so we have enough for varsity and for JV. Most of the girls were new to softball, but we have a senior pitcher, Haley Arnold, and a sophomore shortstop, Madison McClure, who is really good. We had one scrimmage, but it doesn’t look like we’ll have a season.”
Now with the spring season on the verge of being condensed considerably or being nixed altogether, Bayer seemed hard pressed to grasp the ramifications it will have on the seniors, many of whom will not be playing in college.
“In a way it’s almost devastating to the seniors,” Bayer said. “With each passing day, I think a lot of them give up hope that there is going to be a senior. They may not even be allowed back into schools. There is really nothing else that can compare to what they’re going through right now. They’re missing out on a lot of things they cannot get back.”
Lackey High School named Jen Hoiler its new head girls soccer coach for the upcoming 2020 fall season, while DeVontae Williams will be heading into his first season as the La Plata head football coach this fall following several seasons as an assistant with the Warriors.
Among the new coaches in St. Mary’s County is St. Mary’s Ryken head boys lacrosse coach Jon Lombardo, who also serves as the school’s assistant athletic director.
Lombardo and the Knights were 1-1 on the season when play was halted, the win coming in a 7-6 double-overtime win over Park School of Baltimore on March 10.
“My first and main goal in year one with the boys lacrosse program is to establish a culture of ownership. I want my young men to understand they represent two things: most importantly their families and also St. Mary’s Ryken,” Lombardo said in an Aug. 30 story announcing his hiring. “To do something in our program will be to do so with such ownership and pride that you are putting your family name and the name of St. Mary’s Ryken on your actions. How you do something is far more important than what you do.”
Staff writer John Niswander contributed to this report.
