Severna Park High Grad Part of National Lax Power

As a middle school student, Jeff McGuire got a chance to watch the men's lacrosse team at Salisbury University play in the Final Four in the Division III playoffs in Baltimore. "This is a really cool team," McGuire told himself.

After a standout career at Severna Park High School, McGuire visited Division I Mount St. Mary's and had the chance to walk-on at Towson University, another Division I program. But the resident of Millersville decided to attend Salisbury, which annually has one of the top programs at the Division III level. "He sold me," McGuire said of Salisbury head coach Jim Berkman and his recruiting pitch.

While he may not be playing at the top college level, McGuire and his teammates enter each season with a lofty goal: a national title. "That is what we are going after every year," said McGuire. "That is our focus. It doesn't matter who we are playing."

Salisbury has won eight national titles under head coach Berkman, who entered this season with a record of 358-36 in 22 years at the school. The Sea Gulls almost made it nine titles last year but fell in the title game at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. "I am a big Ravens fans. That was truly an experience I will never forget, even though we lost," McGuire said. "Hopefully we will get to go back this year."

Salisbury, ranked No. 2 in the nation as of March 29, won its first nine games this season by an overall score of 127-38 and McGuire saw action as a reserve in every contest. He had four goals and three assists on just 11 shots in games through March 29. Last year he played in 17 games and had seven goals and one assist. As a freshman he played in seven games and did not score.

McGuire began playing club lacrosse in Severna Park in second grade, soon after his family moved to Severna Park from Glen Burnie. He played lacrosse at Severna Park High and also did three years of soccer and one season of football. One of his former club teammates with Severna Park lacrosse is Evan Hockel (Archbishop Spalding), who is also a junior on the team at Salisbury.

McGuire is majoring in elementary education with a minor in geography. Does he find it hard to balance athletics and academics, even at the Division III level? "It is not a hard balance. I sometimes wonder what I would do with my free time if I was not playing," he said.

One of his brothers, Matt, played club lacrosse at Towson University while another brother, Scott, played soccer at Salisbury. His father, Mark, played football and baseball in high school at Brooklyn Park.

Salisbury is slated to play on television three times this season and McGuire said said he got calls and texts from friends after Salisbury played on television earlier this season. His uncle, Mike McGuire, lives in New Mexico and loves to follow Jeff on television; he also came to Baltimore for the Final Four last season.

McGuire had an assist on Saturday to give Salisbury a 3-2 lead in the first half and his team went on to beat rival St. Mary's 12-4 in a game at Salisbury. The Sea Gulls improved to 11-0 overall this season.

Among McGuire's teammates at Severna Park High now at the college level include Pat Morrison (Maryland), Andrew Gvozden (Hofstra) and Mason Mundell of Limestone (SC), the No. 1-ranked team at the Division II level in the nation as of March 29. Other Severna Park High grads with Limestone include Randy Waugh and Tommy Bryant. Dan Burns, another Severna Park High grad, is also with the Terps.

For the past few summers McGuire has taught the game to young players through a club program in Severna Park. This coming summer he would love to tell the young players what it was like to play for a national champion.