In just his first year as a head coach, Mike Bender achieved a lot of success and continued the winning ways of the Parkland High School boys lacrosse program. The Trojans were nearly flawless during the 2019 season, finishing 20-1 overall and an unbeaten 13-0 in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, winning the league title and finishing runners-up in the District 11 Class 3A tournament.

But even this year, Bender and his staff have a lot of work on their hands. Parkland graduated a large class of 15 seniors from last year’s team, including three of which that are playing Division I lacrosse and were All-EPC members, and the EPC MVP in James Cipolla.

“It was great having that senior group leading us and helping me as a first-year head coach last year,” said Bender. “I didn’t really have to say much on the field because that group was so talented and experienced and knew how to win. They will be missed.”

Heading into the 2020 campaign, the Trojans are two-time EPC champions and have won two of the last three district titles. So the winning culture is in place, and a new crop of players hope to help continue it.

A couple of returning varsity members from last season’s squad that Bender will rely on include Joe Dorenzo, Zach Poremba and Max Kistler. Some younger, less experienced players in Brett Cipolla, Matt Albertson and Cole Helmer join the team as newcomers to varsity but will be needed to quickly make an impact as Parkland lost starters from most positions on the field, including starting goalie, where James McLaughlin held post for the last three seasons.

“I think that this group is talented and hardworking,” Bender said. “What you want in a team. But we are definitely young and need some experience with all of the guys we lost last year. I think with it being the second year in my system, the guys are getting more and more comfortable with what I’m looking for every day.”

Even with still a young coach and now a younger roster, the goals and expectations are still the same.

“We still want to win championships because we know that we can,” said Bender. “We need to continue to get better every day at practice and work hard.”

With the Coronavirus causing cancellations of early games, the scheduled opening game for Parkland is March 26 at Nazareth High School.