Collinswrappingupstellarcareer

by Paul Moser assistant sports editor

When Cabrini College defeated Allentown on Sunday, April 13, by the score of 25-5, it marked the last home game that senior Joe Collins will play for the men's lacrosse team.

However, Collins, a four-year starter, went out in style by scoring seven goals in the victory.

Collins and the lacrosse team have came a long way since his first year on rhe team.

When Collins came to Cabrini from Monsignor Bonner High School, the lacrosse team was just starting up their program.

They had been a club team the year before Collins arrived at Cabrini, and in his first year they became a NCAA Division III team.

Collins, along with senior captains Dennis Fahner and Kevin Camp went through a lot of adversity during their first couple years at Cabrini.

The team struggled his first two years as they tried to build up their team while playing a very difficult schedule.

Some of the players quit because they did not get along with ex-head coach Randy Mills, who was famous for holding practices at 7:30 in the morning.

Collins admits that "the first two years were shaky but the last two years have been better."

Last year, the Cavs posted their first winning record.

However, in a move that surprised many players, Mills, who recruited Collins to come to Cabrini, left before the season started.

When reflecting on Mills, Collins said "we just weren't clicking with him."

After Mills, who now coaches Neumann College, left, Collins, Fohner, and Camp interviewed coaches along with athletic director John Dzik.

New head coach Pat Scarpello was hired and he has came in this year and turned the team around by leading them to a 9-5 record.

According to Collins, he is having more fun this year than any other year.

Collins feels the Cavs are ready to take that next step in establishing a new program. by putting more winning seasons together and eventually joining a conference.

"With our new coach Pat Scarpello and players coming in , within three to four years we'll be a much better team, all we need is depth," Collins said.

Unfortunately for Collins, he will not be there to rake most of the benefits of all the dirty work that Fohner, Camp and him had to endure to get to where they are now.

Collins has been the premiere player on a growing lacrosse program for the past four seasons.

He holds almost every statistical lacrosse record at Cabrini and is the focal point of the Cav's offense.

Although opposing teams gear their defense towards stopping Collins, he is still the Cavs leading scorer this season.

When asked of his favorite memory as a Cav, Collins responded by naming their victory over Wesley, last year's ECAC tournament winner.

Collins said the team gained extra satisfaction because Wesley beat Cabrini by ten goals last year.

Joe Collins went out as a scorer in his final home game against Allentown.

Along with his seven goals, he also added four assists in the victory.

As Cabrini's lacrosse team grows in the future it will have players like Joe Collins to thank for getting the program to where it is now.