Three years ago there was no varsity lacrosse team at Vance Charter. Their first season consisted of only four games and their second season was only eight games, but this year the Knights won the conference championship. It’s also been a bit of a family affair for the school. The lacrosse team is coached by Dennis Sandlin, his son, Dan Sandlin, is an assistant coach, and sophomore Gavyn Sandlin is one of the team’s leaders. “It’s nice to have it all in the family,” Dan Sandlin said on Thursday’s SportsTalk on WIZS at 12:30 p.m.
Team leaders Gavyn Sandlin and Ryan Parker have both scored over 100 points this season with Sandlin being number one in the entire state and Parker tied for second. “They wouldn’t be where they are if it weren’t for the rest of the team,” Dan Sandlin said. He credits much of the Knights’ success to players committing to off season leagues during the summer and winter months. The commitment has paid off this season and Dan Sandlin thinks the team in now peaking at the right time as they start the state playoffs on Tuesday.
Wednesday night the Knights finished off the regular season with non-conference opponent Seaforth High School, and the Knights won 16-11 and finished the regular season with a 13-6 record. According to Dan Sandlin, the victory was the team’s most complete game.
One of the keys to why the Knights have been so successful is the mindset the team has. “We are all in all the time,” Dan Sandlin says and that has caught on with the rest of the team. “I couldn’t be happier with where we are,” Sandlin added.
While things are moving in the right direction for the Knights, Sandlin would love to see growth for lacrosse in the area. It’s an expensive sport and coaches are hard to find but he still would like to see the growth come to more rural areas.
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