Area lacrosse standouts named All-Americans
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By Robert Daski
Published: July 4, 2008
The Forest Park midfield was wrong.
Jones, Forest Park attack Tyler McCullough, Osbourn attack Kiel Cooke and Osbourn Park attack Nick Reed are on the 2008 U.S. Lacrosse High School All-American team. U.S. Lacrosse is the governing body for men’s and women’s lacrosse.
“It’s a pretty big deal,” Jones said. “I didn’t know I was up for it. It’s really exciting.”
Reed is just as thrilled.
“I thought it was great,” he said. “I’d always dreamed of being an All-American.”
Potomac senior Tyler Leitch was selected to be a U.S. Lacrosse Academic All-American. Steve Claiborne, who recently resigned as Woodbridge lacrosse coach, was named to the Men of the Year team.
Jones, McCullough, Cooke and Reed were nominated for their honor by their high school coaches. Northwest Region coaches vote on nominations after they are submitted.
All four were the only players on the squad from the Northwest Region.
Jones and McCullough led Forest Park to a 15-3 season, and a berth in the Northwest Region title game. Forest Park also played in a state quarterfinal, but fell 14-2 to Western Albemarle.
A 41-point year, which included 34 goals and seven assists, was enough for Jones to be named Cardinal District Player of the Year and first team All-Northwest Region.
McCullough totaled 70 points (33 goals, 37 assists), was named first team All-Cardinal District and first team All-Northwest Region.
“We both deserve it,” Jones said. “We both were a huge part to the success of the team. Because we were leading so well, it helped the rest of the team follow us.”
Reed finished the year with 53 goals. He was named first team All-Cedar Run District and first team all-region. Reed, Kyle Fox and Ryan McDonald formed an attack trio, which combined to score 141 goals through the Yellow Jackets’ first 17 games.
Their play helped Osbourn Park go 13-5, win the district tournament and play in the regional tournament where it lost 11-5 to Albemarle in a quarterfinal.
“It really wasn’t just me,” said Reed, when asked how big an asset he felt he was to Osbourn Park’s offense. “It was Kyle and Ryan McDonald working off each other.”
Cooke was an all-around player for Osbourn, scoring 53 goals and recording 38 assists and 62 ground balls.
Cooke, a first team All-Cedar Run player for the third straight year, leaves Osbourn as the school’s all-time goals and assists leader.
“I’m extremely excited,” Cooke said. “Just being a senior and graduated and finding out I got All-American, it’s the perfect ending to my high school career.”
Their prep careers finished, the players shift their focus to playing in college. Jones is heading to Christopher Newport and McCullough will play for the U.S. Air Force Academy. Cooke is off to Virginia Wesleyan and Reed will attempt to play club lacrosse at Virginia Tech.
They begin their college careers in high spirits.
Being named an All-American “definitely helps boost my confidence,” Cooke said.
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