 |  |
Sousa remembers injured teammate
KEENE, N.H., 5/11/10 – Cam Sousa said, “It was no big deal.”
But it was. As his Keene State men’s lacrosse team got set to take its celebratory picture after capturing the Little East Championship on Saturday, Sousa, a junior attack from Hollis, N.H., bolted up from the turf and raced to the Owls’ bench.
Quickly retrieving the no. 31 jersey that neatly hung on the cold metal bench, he made his way back to the field to join his joyous teammates, who were basking in the warm glow of a hard-fought victory. As proud parents with cameras and cell phones documented the moment, players hugged and lifted their hands in triumph. Crouched at the corner of the throng, Sousa raised his hands and proudly waved the no. 31 jersey that belonged to injured goalie Alec Corliss.
“Alec worked hard all season, and he deserved to be here one way or another,” said Sousa about his teammate and roommate. “I just felt it was something that needed to be done.”
“I’m not surprised at all,” said KSC Coach Mark Theriault about Sousa’s gesture. “Cam is a real thoughtful kid.”
By all accounts, Sousa and his Owl teammates might not be celebrating their LEC championship if it wasn’t for Corliss. The junior goalie from Waltham, Mass., had kept the Warriors from Eastern Conn. at bay while Keene State built an early lead. Many of his 10 saves were game-changers, point-blank stops from in front of the cage that were ticketed for the back of the net.
In a game where reaction is met with counter reaction, Corliss was winning the battle.
“I played with Alec the past two years, and I’ve never seen him play as well as he did in that first half,” said Kyle Barnett, an all-LEC defender and team captain. “He was sporadic throughout the year, but he definitely rose to the occasion.”
With the Owls nursing a slim 10–8 lead early in the third quarter, the unthinkable happened. Attempting to make a save at the side of the crease, Corliss collided with a Warrior attacker, which sent him backwards into the net.
The loud vociferous crowd was suddenly silent. Collisions are nothing new in men’s lacrosse. The speed and skill, coupled with the play-making and passion, has made the sport a fan favorite. Hard checks, body contact, and blazing sticks uncorking bullets at bare-legged goalies lacking sufficient under-armor add to the flavor of the game.
Feeling a little groggy at times and sporting a shinier are badges of courage. Players regularly lift themselves off the turf, and after taking a moment to catch their bearings, resume the battle.
But Corliss didn’t move. Barnett, who had played in a summer league with Corliss, sensed something was wrong and quickly motioned to the sidelines for the athletic training staff to come out. Minutes passed as the trainers attempted to comfort Corliss and assess the situation.
The severity of the injury became apparent when Corliss’ parents made their way down from the stands and onto the field.
Some players crowded around the net while others tossed the ball around among themselves to keep their minds occupied. Theriault motioned to his back-up keeper, freshman Jason Lesser, to get ready. Set to make his tournament debut in a game that would determine Keene State’s NCAA fate, Lesser had other things on his mind. “I wasn’t worried at all about going in,” he said. “My teammate was down, and all you’re thinking about is if he’s going to be all right.”
The silence of the early evening was interrupted by a siren that grew louder as the ambulance made its way into the Complex. After conferring with the KSC athletic training staff, the EMTs made their way over to a motionless Corliss.
Gradually lifted on a gurney, Corliss was wheeled across the field to the awaiting ambulance. Acknowledging the applause that filtered down from the stands, Corliss gestured to the crowd, both friend and foe, who were anxious to know his status.
Corliss had made his last save that night. Now it was time for his teammates to save the victory. “That was a motivating factor for the boys,” said Theriault. “They met the challenge. After Alec left in the ambulance, I was going to call them together. But they didn’t need me. I just let them do it by themselves. The emotion and heart was there, and we just rolled from there.”
Looking for their first conference crown in three years, the Owls spent the remainder of the game flying in and out of danger. Despite losing several face-offs, the KSC defense, led by Barnett and hard-hitter Easton Kezer, chased the Warrior attackers up and down the field, dislodging the ball from their sticks and allowing the Owls to go on the offensive and secure the 14–10 win and NCAA berth.
Speaking at practice two days later, Sousa once again played down his gesture of good will to his teammate. “I didn’t think about it. I just did it,” he said.
But it wasn’t the first time Sousa had acknowledged a fallen teammate. As a sophomore at Hollis-Brookline (N.H.) High School, Sousa had lost a teammate, Nick Jennings, who died in an automobile accident. As a tribute, his helmet has the initials “NJ” stenciled on the side.
Corliss, who suffered a fractured and dislocated ankle in the collision, was released from the hospital on Monday. Souza is hoping that he is well enough to attend the Owls NCAA first-round game against Castleton State tomorrow afternoon.
A modest Sousa might never tell Corliss about his special tribute. But it’s a good bet that Corliss will see the photo taken after the game on Saturday. And in this case, a picture is worth a thousand words.
