Norfolk Academy is eager for another chance at title

Norfolk Academy's Connor Marr was in goal last May when a shot darted inches past his right side, giving St. Anne's-Belfield an 8-7 overtime victory in the state championship game.

The loss was the Bulldogs' third consecutive defeat in the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division I boys lacrosse state final.

"It was the worst experience of my life," Marr said last week.

Schuyler Beecroft played for all three state finalists. H e wasn't sure he would get another chance at a title.

Norfolk Academy was losing more than a dozen seniors, including three all-state selections.

"I wasn't expecting this season to go so well, to be honest," Beecroft said.

But the Bulldogs are back. Thanks in large part to Marr, Beecroft and two other senior standouts - Burke Best and Kurt Stahl - Norfolk Academy (15-4) is ranked second in the state by laxpower.com among Division I private schools and is the top seed in this week's Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools tournament.

The Bulldogs, who have a first-round bye, play the Norfolk Collegiate-Bishop Sullivan winner at 4:30 p.m. in Wednesday's conference semifinals.

"I don't think folks around the state thought we'd be in the position we are," Bulldogs coach Tom Duquette said.

Beecroft scored 52 goals and led the TCIS in scoring with 86 points during the regular season. Marr has helped the Bulldogs hold nine opponents to five or fewer goals.

And the leadership of Stahl and Burke has helped bring along a young team. Since starting 4-3, Norfolk Academy has won 11 of 12.

"In a way, this team works together more," Best said. "We don't have the superstars so we have to play as a team to win."

The players point to a team-wide selflessness for their success. When speaking of accomplishments, they mention assists as often as goals.

Beecroft credits other midfielders - Carter Moore has been dominant on face-offs and Andy Via is also among the conference's top scorers - for helping him rack up points.

"I thought I'd be more of a between-the-lines guy," Beecroft said. "But since the middies have stepped up it's allowed me to score more."

There will be difficult obstacles on the road to a possible state title. The Bulldogs' lone loss since April 1 was a 12-6 defeat to St. Anne's-Belfield, which is again ranked No. 1 in Division I.

But the Bulldogs insist they've practiced harder since that April 25 loss, and their focus has improved.

"We all learned the level of intensity we need for 48 minutes," Duquette said.

Duquette, who last month notched his 400th career win and was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, has won seven state titles in 28 seasons at Norfolk Academy. He's also guided several teams that fell just short.

So he knows the difference between a championship-caliber team and merely great team.

"You have to be healthy," Duquette said. "You have to have big guys step up at big times. And when all that comes together you get to hold that trophy at the end."

If the Bulldogs do take a title, Marr will be in goal once again.

"It would be great," he said. "I don't have an accomplishment greater than that if that happened."