395 Starz continue to win

FALLBROOK – The 395 Starz middle school lacrosse team is 4-0 after a solid 9-4 victory over reigning Starz Cup Champions QC Starz on July 10, and an 11-3 victory over the SB Rattlers on July 17.

395 Starz is playing its inaugural season in the Starz Cup, a league that features teams from all over San Diego, and has outscored their first four opponents by 35 points, allowing only 10 goals defensively.

Head coach, and 395 Starz program director, Paul Morgan credited assistant coach G.M. Ciallella, a goalie and All-American collegiate lacrosse player for Concordia University, for his team’s outstanding goal tending this season.

“Goalie coaches are few and far between; having competed against G.M. as a player, it’s easy to see his passion for the game,” Morgan said. “We are lucky to have him on staff this summer.”

In the week leading up to the game with QC Starz, the reigning middle school league champions, Morgan stressed that all players make mistakes and “what separates the good from great players is what they do after the mistake.”

“In lacrosse, you can miss a ball but what’s great opposed to other sports is that you keep playing which gives you an opportunity to make up for it,” Morgan said.

The team viewed the match with QC Starz as an opportunity to “make a statement.” QC Starz is an established program and has been a part of the Starz Cup since 2005. The roster is loaded with future Poway, Westview, and Rancho Bernardo lacrosse players.

“To win convincingly was a testament to the boys and of the hard work they have put in this summer,” Morgan said.

395 Starz middle school team led 7-1 at halftime with an aggressive defense led by Nathan Stutzman and midfielder Isaac Mattecheck. In the second half, QC rallied and brought the game to a 8-4 score in favor of 395. Chris Painter sealed the victory with a late goal in the fourth to end the game in 395’s favor, 9-4.

The following week in their game against the EC Rebels, 395 Starz saw a very balanced attack and great ball movement that helped contribute to an 11-3 victory. The team was led by Painter with four goals, one as an offensive midfielder, and three as a long-stick midfielder.

The team also had a major contribution from its youngest player, Gianni Orlando, who had his first ever hat-trick with three goals. Gianni is also a standout running-back for Fallbrook’s Jr. Pee Wee Football team where he amassed 1,600 yards rushing and 23 touchdowns last season.

“He has progressed so much from his first season with our youth team this past spring. He had all of the physical tools to be a dynamic player; he just needed a little refining. It has been amazing watching him become more confident on the field,” Morgan said of Gianni.

Morgan, who played lacrosse and football for Fallbrook High, said he hopes that more Pop Warner football players will come out to play lacrosse.

“Lacrosse is an amazing way to cross-train for football. The endurance and increase in stamina that players get from lacrosse is second to none because in lacrosse you are constantly moving. Conditioning, development of hand-eye coordination and other athletic movements greatly aid football players who choose to play lacrosse,” Morgan said.