Hands clapped and voices rose, but eyes stayed dry.

Adrenaline flowed through Liam Banks’ veins Saturday, when he stepped onto the Carrier Dome field for the first time in almost two years, but no emotions bubbled to the surface.

The crowd — mostly lulled to sleep during SU’s ho-hum 11-10 loss to Princeton — saluted Banks with an obligatory Welcome Back ovation, and for a fleeting moment, a handful of spectators chanted “Let’s go Liam!” Then it passed, and Banks became just another backup attacker on a loaded Syracuse men’s lacrosse team.

Perhaps that’s the surest sign Banks has come full circle.

‘I’ve been waiting for almost two years now,’ Banks said. ‘I was just happy that people were excited to have me back.’

How could they not be? After all, Banks’ ‘waiting’ wasn’t like waiting for a bus. More like being hit by one.

The death of his girlfriend March 14, 2001, blindsided him into a personal hell. Then, during the preseason, just before Banks would have returned triumphantly for the regular-season opener Feb. 22 against Army, a right shoulder injury postponed the party.

Saturday, Banks’ return finally happened. But the much-anticipated moment fell short of party status. With 11:09 remaining in the second quarter, Banks walked onto the field. About a third of the crowd stood and applauded. It lasted less than a minute.

Banks had returned. And then he became another Orangeman.

Strolling toward the parking lot after the game, Banks glad-handed with a few fans and anonymously breezed past others. He looked comfortable, perhaps because he knew this would be the last time his return would trump his play.

As he stood on the field, Banks never thought about all he’d endured. Not on the sideline, either. Or even before the game.

‘I was just concentrating on how to beat Princeton,’ he said.

Appropriately so. A wave to the crowd or a tear trickling down his cheek would have prolonged Banks’ comeback journey. His plight would have again become bigger than his play.

So Banks never gestured to the crowd. He remained nondescript throughout, in fact, playing sparingly. His lone scoring opportunity came in the fourth quarter, when he streaked, wide open, toward the net. But a pass from midfielder Jarett Park went awry, keeping Banks’ name off the score sheet.

That may happen again this season. SU head coach John Desko has plenty of capable attackers. Sometimes, Banks may be relegated to backup duty.

‘It’s tough,’ Desko said. ‘The guys who are out there are playing pretty well.’

Banks would be the first to acknowledge that. He always talks up his teammates, deflecting attention from himself. He quashed any potential controversy when some speculated he might take the spot of starter Brian Nee. Banks practically campaigned for Nee to keep his job.

‘These guys have been playing together for the whole year. They’ve been doing a great job,’ Banks said. ‘I just wish we could’ve got a win today.”

Banks also declined to voice his desire for more playing time. Anything to keep his name out of the headlines. Anything to be just another Orangeman.

‘Whatever’s best for the team,’ Banks said. ‘I just want to win another national championship.’

Then, maybe, he can throw a party.

Pete Iorizzo is the sports editor at The Daily Orange, where his columns appear regularly. E-mail him at pniorizz@syr.edu.

Published on March 23, 2003 at 12:00 pm