National Senior Showcase: Homegrown Talent
Army-bound Mike Anderson looks forward to seeing how Chicago stacks up
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Lyons Township came up short in the IHSLA state semifinal after Mike Anderson
pulled a hamstring 12 seconds into the game. Anderson returns to the
field Saturday for the West all-stars in the US Lacrosse National
Senior Showcase before heading to West Point to play Division I
lacrosse.
(Photo: Bryan Cruwys)
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June 20, 2008
The fifth-annual US Lacrosse National Senior Showcase,
an all-star exhibition featuring 96 of the top high school boys'
lacrosse seniors in the country and sponsored by Warrior, is Saturday
at Benedictine University in Chicago.
Click here for a PDF of the all-star rosters representing the North, South, East and West regions, or here for an event schedule.
by J. Jude Hazard, Special to Lacrosse Magazine Online
Mike Anderson has one last chance to bask in the cheers from
friends and family on the lacrosse fields of Illinois as a high
schooler before embarking on more than a decade of service to his
country.
Anderson, 18, and a graduating senior from nearby Lyons
Township High School in Western Springs, Ill., will play as a
midfielder for the West team this weekend at Benedictine University in
Chicago at the US Lacrosse National Senior Showcase.
In July, Anderson will head to the U.S. Military Academy at
West Point, where he'll play lacrosse for Division I Army. After
college, he is obligated to five years of active duty military service
and three years reserve service.
"There's so many opportunities after the service and
everything that opens up because I went to West Point," he said. "I
think it's a great opportunity."
Anderson helped the Lions to an undefeated season and a berth
in the Illinois High School Lacrosse Association (IHSLA) state
semifinals May 28. After winning the opening faceoff, he drove down the
field, twisted his body and scored the opening goal within 12 seconds.
During the play, however, he pulled a hamstring and would sit
the rest of the game, helpless as his No. 1-seeded teammates lost to
No. 4-seeded Loyola, 7-3.
"It was pretty bad," he said. "I think we should have had that game in the bag."
Lyons Township coach Eric Nuss said that losing Anderson was a devastating blow to the team.
"The fact that we lost Mike in a game where they also had a
very good faceoff player we were going up against made it a twofold
loss," he said.
Anderson won 71 percent of his faceoffs in 2008, notching 38 goals and 20 assists in 22 games.
Although he said he might be slightly slowed by the hamstring
injury this weekend, Anderson said it will be great to see the best
high school talent from around the country come play 20 minutes away
from his hometown.
"I'm kind of interested to see how everyone from the East and
the North and the South teams do against the West," he said. "I'm also
looking to see the other players from the West and how they compare to
the East players, and if it's really that big of a difference."
Anderson wants improve his quickness and off-hand shot between now and the start of his freshman season at Army.
His father, Steve, called himself "Mike's biggest fan," and
said he is 100 percent in favor of Mike's decision to attend West Point
beginning next month.
"We are a family that puts a lot of our faith in God, and we
believe that God has a plan for Michael," Steve Anderson said. "I am
nervous, but I'm proud as well."
Steve Anderson said Nuss first approached the family about
Army being interested in Mike coming to play lacrosse there. Eight of
the 96 players participating in the NSS are bound for military
academies or prep schools.
"I'm happy for him. I'm a little nervous," Nuss said. "I have
a couple friends that went to the Air Force Academy and really got a
lot out of it."
Nuss said that Saturday will probably be the last time he gets
to see Anderson play live, because the high school and college
schedules run parallel. He said Anderson is the best player he's
coached in his seven-year career.
"He's got a tremendous work ethic. He is one of the most
explosive athletes I've ever coached," Nuss said. "He's got a
tremendous heart and desire to win."
Anderson will have to work on relying less on his physical
skills and strength as he makes the transition to the Division I level
at Army, according to Nuss.
The academy pays for all students' expenses, so Mike technically did not get an athletic scholarship.
"It's one of the toughest colleges to get into, maybe in the
world. So many people apply there," Steve Anderson said. "Lacrosse
definitely put his foot in the door."
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