2008 Woodie Awards
Tompkins gets his chance
Eric Detweiler
Issue date: 5/7/08 Section: Sports
Scott Tompkins has spent his junior season with the Terrapin men's lacrosse team overshadowed by an all-freshman starting attack, but he does not seem to mind.
"It's definitely made me a lot better of a player, because I see how hard they play and how much they care, and it helps me out a lot," Tompkins said. "Sometimes, I feel like they're the veterans, and I'm the underclassman."
But with freshman attackman Travis Reed hampered by several nagging injuries last week, Tompkins was called on to make his first career start at attack in Saturday's game against Yale.
And Tompkins made the most of his opportunity.
Just more than two minutes into the game, Tompkins took a pass from freshman attackman Grant Catalino and scored the Terps' first goal of the game, starting an impressive offensive performance by the Terps that resulted in a 16-10 win.
Tompkins had some unlucky timing in joining the Terp attack. He had to fight for backup time behind attackmen like Joe Walters, Xander Ritz, Michael Phipps and Max Ritz early in his career, and this season he transitioned into a reserve role behind the talented freshman group.
But his teammates know what kind of player he can be.
"It's a perfect example of why you work hard," senior midfielder Drew Evans said. "When we needed somebody to step up, he did."
Freshman Brett Weiss and senior Max Ritz got starts at attack in the two games Reed missed due to suspension earlier this season. But coach Dave Cottle said Tompkins has been underutilized this season and was happy to give him a chance.
"He's kept practicing," Cottle said. "He's kept working hard in practice, and he's kept doing a good job in practice."
Tompkins found out Friday he would make the start after practicing with the first-team attack unit for most of the week, which Tompkins said was a thrill in itself.
"It was definitely cool," Tompkins said. "It's a lot faster pace playing with the first offense than it is with the scout team and everything. It's just something to get used to, but it was a lot of fun."
"It's definitely made me a lot better of a player, because I see how hard they play and how much they care, and it helps me out a lot," Tompkins said. "Sometimes, I feel like they're the veterans, and I'm the underclassman."
But with freshman attackman Travis Reed hampered by several nagging injuries last week, Tompkins was called on to make his first career start at attack in Saturday's game against Yale.
And Tompkins made the most of his opportunity.
Just more than two minutes into the game, Tompkins took a pass from freshman attackman Grant Catalino and scored the Terps' first goal of the game, starting an impressive offensive performance by the Terps that resulted in a 16-10 win.
Tompkins had some unlucky timing in joining the Terp attack. He had to fight for backup time behind attackmen like Joe Walters, Xander Ritz, Michael Phipps and Max Ritz early in his career, and this season he transitioned into a reserve role behind the talented freshman group.
But his teammates know what kind of player he can be.
"It's a perfect example of why you work hard," senior midfielder Drew Evans said. "When we needed somebody to step up, he did."
Freshman Brett Weiss and senior Max Ritz got starts at attack in the two games Reed missed due to suspension earlier this season. But coach Dave Cottle said Tompkins has been underutilized this season and was happy to give him a chance.
"He's kept practicing," Cottle said. "He's kept working hard in practice, and he's kept doing a good job in practice."
Tompkins found out Friday he would make the start after practicing with the first-team attack unit for most of the week, which Tompkins said was a thrill in itself.
"It was definitely cool," Tompkins said. "It's a lot faster pace playing with the first offense than it is with the scout team and everything. It's just something to get used to, but it was a lot of fun."
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