Sophomore Tommy Lombardi was ecstatic when he found out he made the varsity lacrosse team. Little did he know he would be getting the opportunity to start in their first game as a team, he will be one of the first players on the field, along with the other best players. Being only a sophomore, excitement and nervousness rushed into his emotions.

Their first game was on Mar. 3, where they took on Cathedral Catholic High School. Cathedral was highly favored to win, as they have a record of skilled players and very successful seasons. Lombardi was not phased, even though they were the underdogs.

“I know most people expected us to lose this game, but I had full confidence in our team putting up a fight and potentially beating this very good Cathedral team,” Lombardi said.

Other players have been taking notice to Lombardi’s talent and backed him up as he got ready for his first start. Davis Hancock, a junior on the team, has liked what he has seen out of Lombardi so far.

“Lombardi has really been impressing us players and coaches, and I was confident in Tommy showcasing his skills on the field on game-day,” Hancock said.

Lombardi knew he would be facing defenders up to two years older than him, as most teams start their seniors or juniors who have more experience and knowledge of the game. His main priority was to not worry about the opponents, but instead focus on himself and what he can offer to the team. This mindset led to Carlsbad’s win over Cathedral.

“I’ve been playing since a very young age, so I was not worried about being significantly younger than most everyone on the field,” Lombardi said. “I feel like my skill set is up there with everyone else’s.”