There may not be a hotter team in the state than the Gators men’s lacrosse team right now. The Gators have won six straight games, dating back to their overtime thriller against crosstown rival Apex.
Gators’ head coach Kyle Sopko highlighted the role of getting key players, like senior Jacob Fedich, back from injury has played in their recent wins.
“I think the big thing is we’re healthy,” said Sopko. “At the beginning of the year, we were dealing with some injuries, so just having the opportunity to play together has been a big piece of it.”
Sopko also emphasized how important momentum is, and the Gators sticking with their mentality to “get better everyday” has been a big factor across the season.
During their ongoing win streak, the Gators have also knocked off the previously number one team in the state, Lake Norman. In another set of their intense rivalry with the Wildcats, a rivalry that decided the state champion back in the 2024 season, the Gators prevailed to a 9 to 6 victory.
“I just hope it’s a confidence boost of like, hey, we could run and play with anyone,” Sopko said.
It seems that the Gators are playing their best at the right time, with playoffs just a few weeks away on the schedule. The Gators have seven regular season games, including tonight’s game against Hough.
Hough is currently ranked the number one team in 8A, and a matchup with the Gators that could be a preview of a later-round playoff game. For the guys on the team, the Gators are excited and ready to matchup with the top-ranked Huskies.
“Were in a good spot right now, and I’m really excited to see matchups like Friday night, against Hough,” said Sopko. “These games are going to be about are you a contender or a pretender, but this is a game that we want to win, and it is also prepping us for playoffs, and hopefully it will exploit some weaknesses that we can work on to get better.”
As for other tests left on the Gators schedule, they will play both conference rivals Apex Friendship and Apex again, and they will also meet another top team in the state, Ardrey Kell, in a weekend matchup on April 25th.
Because tonight’s game against Hough is a battle of two top teams in the state, make sure to show up and support your men’s lacrosse team. The first seventy-five students to get in will get a free slice of pizza. Let’s stay hot against Hough, Gators!
