Barkowski gives Metacton the X-factor as the postseason approaches – thereporteronline

The senior midfielder of the Metacton Lacrosse team is tense, competitive and, most of all, tough. All of this, as well as a quick response to the coverage, makes Barkowski one of the most effective vocalists in the Pioneer Athletics Conference and in District 1 as a whole. A shoulder injury has hampered the senior both in the wrestling season and sometimes this spring, but he is finally starting to feel like he’s back in shape.

The timing may not be the best for the Warriors, as they will need their man at X at best for the PAC playoffs and beyond.

“In your head you should always tell yourself that you are better than this guy, no matter who he was, and try to defeat him as much as possible,” – said Barkowski. “I’m struggling, so it’s like wrestling in a game. It’s a mental test every time you go out there. ”

Metacton missed Saturday’s final of the regular season with a score of 11-5 away to Kenneth, but the silver was the performance of Barkowski and his backup – Levi’s younger brother – in the throw-in. There is no doubt about Brady Barkowski’s toughness, not that the senior played a season with a torn lip that would require surgery in June and cost him his senior postseason in the fight this winter.

Sophomore Levi has brilliantly filled the gap until his older brother was gone, and can enchant Brody during the games, gaining valuable experience before taking on the role for the next two seasons.

The Barkowski duo combined victory in 15 of 21 plows on Saturday, and Warriors coach Matt Saxon set up a fairly fair system to decide which of the brothers will come out on top. While their non-lacrosse athlete is largely prone to wrestling, it’s more of a basketball approach to the driveway to the draw.

Either way, Methacton wins because they both win very well in face-to-face meetings.

“Owning a lacrosse is key, it’s a jogging game, but if you have someone who can turn it into a store, take it, that’s the main thing,” Saxon said. “We depend heavily on him in this mentality, almost recommended by basketball. We even have it as a competition aside, Brody starts to take first, and when he drops out, Levi gets a chance to do it, take it.

“It gives Brody a chance to relax a bit, but also maintains a competitive advantage that they both really enjoy.”

Brady Borkowski began wrestling at about age four, and a couple of years later picked up a stick for lacrosse. By the time he was in sixth grade, the role of specialist had become his place, and he began to train hard to master it.

Given the alternatives, it was probably the right step in a sports career.

“I played table and hated it,” Barkowski said with a smile. “I needed something more to communicate, more action.

“They put me out there to go get the swords, I really didn’t know what I was doing, but I started picking it up, got better, and then got more serious.”

Barkowski and his senior classmates helped the Warriors achieve unprecedented success. After losing the second season in the spring of 2020, they returned and helped the program not only qualify for the county for the first time, they earned a home game in the first round and won it before losing to the mighty Conestag in the second round.

This spring, for the first time since 2019, the PAC playoffs returned, and Metacton earned himself a place in Tuesday’s upcoming semifinal against Spring Ford, which ranks first. Metacton is everything, but not a block for the counties and, most likely, another home playoff game, but now all that the “Warriors” are focused on is the PAC championship.

For Barkowski, his goal is to make the game of the final four on Tuesday a kind of ransom.

“I am delighted with the environment, and I hope that our team will bring a lot of energy and confidence,” said Barkowski. “We have to get out hot, in the last game I didn’t have a very good time against them, so it’s up to me to get out hot. I need my whole team behind me, every guy on our team needs to be ready. ”

Naturally, a significant shoulder problem affected Barkowski’s effectiveness. Saxon noted that his senior specialist is unable to use all his strength, but he can resist this due to his exceptional reaction and quick break from the whistle of the official who starts the duel.

Whether it’s matching sticks to X, or a split second in a wrestling match, usually the guy who can make that move faster has the upper hand, and Barkowski honed that peculiar sixth sense to win the fight for the ball and get possession of his team.

“He has a really good expectation,” Saxon said. “With the labrum problem he is a little weaker from the draw, so getting the ball to our wings was a bit of a problem, but his reaction time is one of the best in the PAC, so he will still be an important factor for us.”

Saxon described Barkowski as a man with a “murderer mentality”, but also a man who constantly expects more from himself.

“Our goal throughout the year was to win the PAC championship, so now all our attention,” – said Barkowski. “We tried to keep it one game at a time, and now it’s even more important.”