Photos on front by Mary C.H. Johnson (Schoeffel and Long) and Jim Copony (Pfeifer)
They starred on fields across the region, now they’ll take to lacrosse’s biggest stage.
Saturday afternoon kicks off lacrosse’s annual showcase weekend with the NCAA Division I semifinals starting at 4 p.m., and four Central Virginia players will be a part of the action. Virginia’s Howie Long and Will Bolton will join Duke’s Steve Schoeffel and Notre Dame’s Max Pfeifer in the sport’s final four, with Pfeifer’s Fighting Irish squad taking on Cornell at 4 p.m. while UVa and Duke lock horns at 6:30 p.m.
Schoeffel led Covenant to three straight state lacrosse titles during his prep career and was also an all-state selection in football as a standout running back. The Eagles went 62-13 in his four years, and he picked up All-American honors as a senior. Schoeffel is part of the last group of players who were granted a fifth year of eligibility by the NCAA after Duke’s 2006 season was cut short by false rape allegations against several of his teammates.
He is the most seasoned of the group of local products in the mix, having earned ACC All-tournament honors as a junior and scoring more than 20 goals as a sophomore. As a part of the Blue Devils’ first midfield line this season, Schoeffel is a critical piece of the puzzle for Duke. He has to play well and keep defenses from collapsing on Duke’s incredible attack unit that includes Tewaarton Trophy nominee Ned Crotty. The Eagles’ most accomplished lacrosse alum has scored 17 goals this year, good for fourth on the team. He’s also in a pretty good groove going into the final four, having knocked in two goals and registered an assist in Duke’s quarterfinal victory against North Carolina.
Pfeifer was an All-Central Virginia attackman who was also the regional and district player of the year as both a junior and senior. He set the school record with 185 goals and 141 assists as a Warrior while playing with his older brother, Ted, who plays at Stevens Tech in New Jersey.
Pfeifer had an immediate impact at Notre Dame, and was the lone freshman to letter for the Fighting Irish last season. As a sophomore, he’s transitioned into the midfield, where he’s started 15 games, scoring 10 goals and dishing out eight assists. He’s been a part of a resurgent Notre Dame squad that squeaked into the tournament and then leaned on a pair of strong defensive efforts against Princeton and Maryland where the two powers combined for just 10 goals against the Irish.
Pfeifer scored early against the Terrapins, helping fuel a 4-1 first quarter lead for Notre Dame that turned into a 7-5 victory.
The Irish are hunting for their first ever trip to the title game against Cornell, a squad Notre Dame has never beaten.
For the Cavaliers, Long, an All-American defender at St. Anne’s-Belfield, and Will Bolton, a former Monticello goalie, may not see a ton of time, but with good reason. Long is just a freshman playing behind an incredible defensive unit that includes All-American Ken Clausen. Long has played in four games this year, most recently against Mount St. Mary’s in the first round of the NCAA tournament. He’s snagged a pair of ground balls in those limited minutes.
Bolton plays behind another star, Virginia keeper Adam Ghitelman, and he just walked on for the Cavaliers this season. Bolton has been in during three different games, coming up with three saves.
