Lacrosse tournament set at Stambaugh

Wooster's John Madden hopes the event increases area interest in the sport.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- John Madden has visions of Youngstown-area high schools forming lacrosse programs.
Saturday, he will unveil the sport at Stambaugh Stadium.
With the help of the U.S. Lacrosse Foundation, Madden, the founder and coach of the Wooster High program, is running a three-team tournament that he hopes will help the sport grow into the Mahoning Valley.
Wooster begins 2001 regular-season play with games against Medina at 11 a.m. and North Allegheny at 3 p.m. Medina and North Allegheny square off in the 1 p.m game. Admission is free.
"Last year, there was an inquiry made by Warren Harding and a person who sits on the board for U.S. Lacrosse," said Madden, when asked why the tournament is being held at Stambaugh Stadium.
"I work up in that area, and I'm very familiar with how great the athletics are," he said. "I'm surprised lacrosse isn't in that area because of how strong the athletic programs are and the good-sized schools."
A native of Maplewood, N.J., Madden worked with Rick Bevly, the events coordinator at Youngstown State, to bring the tournament to Stambaugh Stadium.
"That's the intent of it -- to get recognition for lacrosse in this area," Bevly said.
"I'm curious about what the turnout is going to be," he said. "This is a first-time event and we don't have a barometer to gauge it on."
Madden, who also is a friend of former Youngstown State assistant football coach Bob Tucker, is paying for most of the $2,500 stadium rental fee with his own finances. That's the same fee area high schools pay for their football teams to play at the stadium, Bevly said.
"The Youngstown-Warren area and the Mahoning and Trumbull counties are a perfect central location for people to come and play," said Madden, an All-American at Ashland University who became coach there for two years.
Wooster High's program started at the club level in 1990. Because the Ohio High School Athletic Association hasn't yet sanctioned the sport, the Generals are in their sixth year playing under the Ohio High School Lacrosse Association.
The association has 55 boys programs and close to 70 girls programs in four divisions, said Madden, who also helped form the Massillon Jackson and Medina programs.
"It's on fire," Madden said of the sport's growth. "It's such a great complement to both football and soccer for a spring sport."
Madden describes lacrosse as a combination between basketball and hockey, played on fields sized at 55 yards by 110 yards.
The game, full of contact, is fast-paced, with the ball being moved through the air with sticks accompanied by nets on the ends.
"It's not uncommon for shots on goal to get up to 90 mph," Madden said.
Each team has 10 players on the field -- a goalie, three defensemen, three mid-fielders and three attack-men.
Four players, including the goalie, must remain in the defensive half of the field, while three players must remain in the offensive half. Three mid-fielders are free to roam the entire field.
Lacrosse in Youngstown isn't totally foreign. Youngstown State has a club team that plays at Stambaugh Stadium.