Jovan Miller saw promise in Hakeem Lecky.

Miller planned on taking the young midfielder under his wing. Talk him through some of the struggles a freshman may face playing on a college team, albeit a No. 1-ranked college team. But Miller wasn’t expecting to have to talk him through what Lecky now faces: an injury that will keep the freshman sidelined for most, if not all, of the season.

‘I’ve been talking to him, he’s in positive sprits about it,’ Miller said. ‘He definitely did want to play with our senior class. … It’s disheartening.’

Lecky stood out among Syracuse’s large group of freshmen, impressing his teammates and coaches with his all-around lacrosse abilities. So much so that there was going to be plenty of playing time for Lecky, a chance to play with a senior class motivated for a shot at a third national championship. On Jan. 19, though, Lecky’s playing time ended for the foreseeable future when he suffered an injury to his left wrist that required surgery.

Lecky’s future went from the turf to the sidelines.

Lecky was going to be playing alongside the team’s experienced midfielders. He would’ve gotten the chance to take the field with seniors Josh Amidon, Jeff Gilbert, Jeremy Thompson and Miller. As far as Miller was concerned, Lecky deserved the opportunity, even if Lecky hadn’t seen one minute in a collegiate game.

‘He’s very coachable, but he has raw talent,’ Miller said. ‘He has a lot of things you can’t teach. But he’s very coachable, and he was learning things pretty fast.’

Lecky’s speed and athleticism fit in well with the Orange’s offense. Freshman or not, Lecky’s playing time was solidified. And next season, when those four seniors are gone, Lecky could’ve put his freshman playing time to good use. At midfield, Lecky would have been the experienced one.

SU head coach John Desko said Lecky didn’t have a definitive role, only that he would have been on one of the midfields. Now that he’s out, he will likely be replaced by someone with two or three years of experience. That only shows how much Lecky’s talent impressed Desko in the preseason.

‘We’ve got enough depth at midfield where we didn’t have to rely on a freshman,’ Desko said. ‘He was one guy that had stepped up with his great athletic ability.’

It’s also that athletic ability that made him a nationally ranked high school and prep school player. Lecky was rated the 30th overall prospect by Inside Lacrosse in 2009 and was an Under Armour and U.S. Lacrosse All-American at Duxbury High School in Massachusetts. He attended Avon Old Farms School for one year prior to Syracuse, where he helped lead his team to a 15-3 record.

Lecky’s loss for the season is one Syracuse can make up for. There are plenty of players to help fill the void.

But not having Lecky will still be a loss felt on the field.

‘We could use him on certain sets. He’s very athletic, so he could definitely clear the ball, too,’ SU attack JoJo Marasco said. ‘He’s just another player we could use on the field, so not to have him right now kind of hurts.’

Lecky’s injury will, in all likelihood, keep him out for the entire season. If he returns at all, it will only be for a few games toward the end of the season. Desko said it would be up to Lecky to decide if he wants to use an entire year of eligibility to only play in a couple of games.

Whether he returns this season for a couple of games or at the start of next year, Lecky’s going to be a key part of Syracuse’s midfield. Miller’s going to have to get Lecky through the disappointment of not being ready for this season, but he already seems to know what to say.

‘It’s a big loss for us,’ Miller said. ‘But everything happens for a reason.’

cjiseman@syr.edu

Published on January 31, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Contact Chris: cjiseman@syr.edu | @chris_iseman