Nolan Frame and Ryan Landels were recruited by the Bryn Athyn College Lions near Philadelphia to score big goals in field lacrosse.
The Vernon Junior Tiger grads filled the net this season in the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC), earning First Team all-conference honours.
The NEAC made the announcement Thursday in Gansevoort, N.Y., naming 40 players to first, second and third teams by position, as selected by the conference coaches.
Frame was named First Team all-conference at attack for finishing the season with 44 goals, which led the NEAC. He was third in the conference with 56 points, adding 12 assists to offensive dominance. He picked up 21 ground balls and caused six turnovers.
Frame played with a heavy heart since his father, Tom, died suddenly Feb. 24 at age 58.
“The Bryn Athyn Lions are my family, and I love every person on that team,” said Frame. “Two weeks before the season started I was called and told about my dad unexpectedly passing away. I was devastated because I just lost my hero and the person who got me to fall in love with lacrosse. I didn’t know what to do, and that’s when my team picked me up and helped me through it.
“I am forever grateful for my teammates as well as my coaches: Tucker Durkin, Johnny Mouradian, Reece Ayers, and Whit Bruemmer. I dedicated this season to my dad and everything I did this year was for him.”
The Lions went 9-4 and became the first Bryn field lacrosse team to make the playoffs.
“We had a fairly successful year and the team grew a lot as the season progressed,” said Landels. “Already looking forward to see what the team is capable of next year.”
Landels will work as a wildfire fighter out of Hinton, Alta. this summer.
“Looking forward to getting back to help with what has already turned into a terrible fire season,” he said.
Nick Fetko and Robert Moran of the Lions were selected to the third all-star team.
Said head coach Durkin: “It’s never easy to end a season when you don’t win your last game. With that being said, as a coach, I am proud of how our guys competed, dealt with adversity, and found a way to constantly get better every single day.”
Frame was named First Team all-conference at attack for finishing the season with 44 goals, which led the NEAC. He was third in the conference with 56 points, adding 12 assists to offensive dominance. He picked up 21 ground balls and caused six turnovers.
Landels was also named to First Team all-conference at the midfield position. He completed the season fourth in goals in the conference with 36 and 20 assists for 56 points. He also tied for third in the conference in overall points. He picked up 24 ground balls and caused 11 turnovers.