Entering this, his sophomore year, Brain Crockett knew he’d be counted on to alleviate defensive attention off of Mike Powell, the Syracuse men’s lacrosse team’s all-everything attackman. He was moved from midfield to attack, where his dodging skill would make him the perfect complement to Powell.

But with Powell missing from SU’s lineup Saturday – he attended his sister Gretchen’s wedding – Crockett proved he’s capable of playing the starring role himself.

In a solid offensive showing by Syracuse, Crockett shined brightest Saturday against Navy in the Carrier Dome. In SU’s first spring scrimmage, which went five periods, SU downed Navy, 12-8, though the score was reset after each stanza, before 2,628. The fifth period was played mostly by back-ups and freshmen, and SU won it, 2-0.

Crockett, a preseason All-America candidate, scored three goals and assisted on another while running Syracuse’s offense from behind the cage. Though Navy neutralized SU’s patented fast break attack, Crockett was the key cog that kept SU’s offensive machine rolling, taking Powell’s spot on attack.

‘He was our quarterback today,’ SU head coach John Desko said. ‘It was a great experience for him. He did a good job. He was a little bit impatient at times, but that’s just a result of Brian really wanting to make something happen when he gets on the field.’

Last season, Crockett started 11 games, scored 20 goals and assisted on 10. Those numbers could skyrocket this year with Crockett moving to attack, which he played in high school, replacing Liam Banks and Michael Springer along with Brian Nee. Banks and Springer, who led SU in goals last spring with 36, were more stand-still shooters than Crockett, who rushes the net with abandon.

‘He’s a natural attack,’ SU captain midfielder Sean Lindsay said. ‘We wanted him to play where his strength was.’

The lack of a dodger allowed teams to invent defenses that focused on Powell, who at one point became so frustrated he suggested a rule be created that prevented teams from playing the defenses they did.

Crockett’s a player who could change that.

‘He’s a great dodger,’ Nee said, ‘so they can’t really just focus on Mike.’

‘By moving to attack, I can take a little pressure off him from behind the cage,’ Crockett said. ‘The position came pretty easy to me. It’s kind of my natural position.’

On Saturday, Crockett gave a glimpse of why.

Crockett’s finest play came on his first assist. From behind Navy’s cage, he shook a defender with an array of quick spins that would’ve made an acrobat dizzy. Then, drifting to his left, he tossed a pass across his body to the front of the crease to Zack Wallace, who stuffed the ball into the net.

Crockett scored his first goal with 1:24 left in the second period on a feed from Nee. His second goal came in the slot and was delivered by a nifty pass from Steve Vallone. Crockett finished off the hat trick with a man-up goal early in the fourth period.

‘It’s a whole different feel in attack this year,’ Crockett said. ‘We’ve got a lot of power in attack this year. We all can dodge, we all can move pretty well. We’re going to make it hard for the defense to cover us on and off the ball.’

SU’s revamped defense, for the most part, made Crockett’s play stand up. Led by Herkimer transfer Scott Ditzell and freshman Steve Panarelli, SU’s defense shut down every Midshipman except Ian Dingman, a Carthage native who notched six goals.

Still, the main attraction was Crockett and the rest of SU’s new attack. It’s a force that will become that much stronger when Powell’s name is up on the marquee, too.

‘We know what Mike’s going to do, but it gave those guys a lot more time,’ Desko said. ‘The whole day was a good experience for us.’

Published on February 15, 2004 at 12:00 pm