CO: That playoff run was very special mostly because we had home-field advantage for both games. We came in the top seed that year and we were firing on all cylinders on both sides of the ball. We steamrolled Dominican but there was a universal feeling after that game that the job wasn’t finished. Before then some of us had been to 2 CACC championships and lost both in very close games. We were not going to be satisfied unless we won the championship. Going into the championship game, Wilmington came out pretty strong and we ended the 1st quarter down 5-4, it was the wake-up call we needed and we capitalized and started to pull away quickly. I first realized we were going to win in the start of the 4th quarter as we watched Wilmington come back onto the field looking very tired and I looked around at our team and we were just dialed in and the sideline was going absolutely nuts. Once we got handed the trophy the first thing we did was run it over to the alumni which I thought was a very special moment because they were in our shoes once and wanted that trophy too.  

BR: The playoff run went quite well. In the conference championship in 2021, I knew we were going to win after I fed Jack Clyne for a goal to make it 8-4. Then, shortly after my fellow co-captain Carson Rees fed defenseman Dominick Razo for his first goal ever as a freshman. Once I saw 9-4 on the scoreboard, I was really confident we were going to win the game. Lastly, winning at home made it very special. To see how successful the program is now compared to when I arrived on campus is amazing. As seniors, we always said we wanted to leave Chestnut Hill College better than when we found it and I believe we did that. Also, it was great to celebrate with our parents after the game. Parents help in so many ways so I was appreciative that they were able to see us accomplish a conference championship.

BD: This playoff run was complete domination. Our team was firing on all cylinders, and we knew from the first whistle in the semi-final game that the championship trophy was ours. Winning at home in front of our alumni was awesome. For them to be a part of our first championship win was an incredible experience that made that first championship that much sweeter. We owe all our success to our alumni because, without them, our program would not be what it is today. 

Q: After winning the first title, what was it like heading into the 2022 season? Did the goal/expectation change and did you feel any added pressure to defend your title?

CO: We did have a lot of pressure, whether anyone wants to admit it or not and we were not looking too hot at the beginning. This year was very different as we had lost several key players and needed to replace their contributions. It took some time and we took some tough-to-swallow losses against Frostburg, Roberts Wesleyan, and Wilmington losing each game by one goal. It was definitely a roller coaster of a season, with the expectation to be great and not being able to finish in close games, It took a lot of leaders' meetings and captains' meetings for us to realize that we weren’t going to be perfect we just had to make it work. The biggest thing we emphasized was persistence; keep showing up, keep working hard and keep doing the little things and things will start to go our way.

BR: Entering the 2022 season as defending conference champions made the season more challenging honestly. There were a lot of challenges and low points to the 2022 season that you can't even pinpoint where the lowest point was. We had three one-goal losses and three losses to top-fifteen ranked teams. This season was completely different from previous seasons mainly because of the guys that happened to graduate. We lost contributors at the face-off, on defense, and especially on offense. and it was hard filling in the holes they left us. 

BD: It's never easy entering the next season as defending champions. Knowing we had that target on our back and eyes constantly on us was an adjustment. We were constantly reminding the team that no one owed us anything and that it was time to work as hard as ever to bring that trophy back to Philadelphia. It was time to put our heads down, work hard, and remain humble. Along the way, the team won some big games but also lost to a couple of teams that we knew we were better than. No matter what the situation was, team morale was always high. The guys were always in great spirits ready to take on the next battle. Whereas our record wasn’t as strong as the previous years, our team knew we were special and that we had something to prove.

Q: Talk about the playoff run in 2022. Was there a moment where you knew you guys were going to win? Was the experience any different the second time around?

CD: Early in the season, we were starting to get frustrated but something changed after the Wilmington game. We played probably one of the best games we had played all season. We were moving the ball, scoring goals, and doing decent enough at defense. Even though we lost, it showed us that even though we had a rough season until that point that we can still hang with great teams. I think that is when I realized that we really have a shot at winning another championship. When we headed into the playoffs, we knew what we were capable of accomplishing. But the road wasn't easy. We ended up in an absolute dogfight with GCU, a team we had just beaten a week before by 10 goals. We needed to pull ourselves together to come back and win. It was a huge weight lifted off of some of our guy’s shoulders because this was the first time we had ever beaten GCU in the playoffs. Then came the Wilmington game, which might have been the coolest game I’ve ever been a part of. It was a serious fight from start to finish and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. There was not one second where I was absolutely sure of the outcome of the game. We were losing at the half but it felt like we had all the momentum, There was not a single guy on our team that even thought for a second that we were out of the fight. We went into the 4th quarter tied at 10 and I really don’t think I had ever been more nervous in a game in my life. Knowing it was the fourth quarter and no matter what the outcome was it would be my last game, I, as well as the rest of the seniors, was ready to leave it all on the field. But when the final buzzer went off I didn’t even have time to be sad thinking about my last game because the feeling in the air was electric. I know it was only a conference championship but after winning last season and coming into this game as underdogs, it felt so awesome. Easily one of the best days of my life. 

BR: We beat Georgian Court University in a shootout 17-15 game. We actually trailed at halftime by one goal so it was a very up-and-down game. The conference championship game versus Wilmington was similar to the semi-final game versus Georgian Court University because we trailed Wilmington early in the game as well. In fact, in both games, we went down 4-7. I believe it was our tough battles earlier on in the season that prepared us for this playoff run. As a team down the stretch, we all just cared so much for each other, and not one individual was going to let someone else down on the team. Everyone sacrificed their time in terms of preparing for each game and knowing their role for the team that specific week. Overall, it is unbelievable to think about the struggles and the team we were back in January of 2022. The team that finished as champions is a team of individuals that didn't stop working in order for that to happen. 

BD: The playoff run in 2022 was nothing like the previous years. There wasn’t any moment we knew we were going to win; all we knew is that we needed to play our best lacrosse possible to hoist that trophy. The semifinal against GCU was a battle. Only beating them by two goals in a back-and-forth game, we came out of that already knowing we were going to face the #16th team in the country in less than 48 hours. Wilmington U was red hot, coming off huge regular season wins and dominating their semi-conference game so we knew it was going to be a game unlike any we’ve ever played. That championship game against Wilmington was the toughest lacrosse game I’ve ever been a part of. Back and forth all game, the score was 10-10 heading into the 4th. We continued to keep our foot on the pedal and pulled off a great underdog story to beat one of the top teams in the country. The regular season OT loss to them provided any humbling that needed to be done right before playoffs. Whereas losing is never a fun experience, I believe that the loss to Wilmington in the regular season helped us find the fire and grit to finish strong and show not only our conference, but all of division two what Chestnut Hill College lacrosse was about. During the championship, to be able to witness and be a part of such high-level lacrosse and overall phenomenal team camaraderie was an honor. Every single player played their hearts out on that field and when that final buzzer sounded it was an unbelievable feeling. That Chestnut Hill College men’s lacrosse team left it all out there on that field and that’s all you can ask for as a captain and a teammate.

Q: Describe the feeling of winning back-to-back championships and what it means to have achieved such success alongside your Griffin brothers?

CO: Winning two titles in a row was so awesome, there are not really words to explain it. The craziest thing I think is that it felt like two completely different teams won. In 2021, the main starters were all seniors or 5th years with some guys rotating in at different spots. The 2022 team was a bunch of the younger guys filling the shoes of the guys that had left and some even returned to the team from Canada after having to miss the 2021 season. Being a captain during the whole thing to me just made me feel like I really left an impact on the guys. It's very cool when guys, you see as family, look up to you and look to you for guidance. Billy and Ben (the other captains) were captains before I was, so I looked to them when I was figuring out how to lead myself. Billy is very charismatic and does a great job handling tough situations while Ben led with his work ethic and his drive to be great and wanting that for the rest of the team. I think the biggest part of our success was our culture, it really felt like a family. You have guys that are going through their own struggles outside of lacrosse and we just had each others' backs through everything on and off the field, it was something I loved being a part of. I think when you have a team like that, a team that went through some pretty hard losses and still was there for each other, that team is really hard to beat. 

BR: It feels really good to win two titles in a row. Being a three-time captain was an honor. I just wanted to be a respected leader and I wanted the guys to trust me with any on or off-the-field issues they might be having. In terms of relationships with the guys on the team that is a massive aspect of why Chestnut Hill College Men's Lacrosse is so successful. Everyone on the team gets to know each other and everyone buys into the selfless aspect we have as a pillar of our program. 

BD: Winning two titles in a row was indescribable. The day of the second championship will forever be embedded in my mind as an emotional roller coaster. The pre-game nerves were at an all-time high and just knowing that it was my last game with my brothers made it that much more impactful. On the other hand, I knew we were ready. Hours of film, scout preparation, and practice led us to this victory. Every single person on that team bought in that day and the result of that game displayed that. Being a captain during this success was an experience I can’t thank this organization enough for. Watching my teammates come together and play the best lacrosse we’ve played all year was the best experience a leader can ask for. Watching this team evolve throughout the year and finish strong was special. The relationships built between this squad were most definitely the reason for our success. We were an inseparable brotherhood that was there for each other through all the highs and the lows. I can’t thank my teammates enough for making my experience at Chestnut Hill College nothing short of spectacular.