Brind'Amour adjusts to life as a leader

ELMA - Phil Brind'Amour has some different surroundings this season with the Iroquois High School boys lacrosse team. But the goals have still kept coming from the senior standout attack man, who has quickly adjusted to life as a leader.

Brind'Amour spent the last two seasons with teammates James Gerard and Randy Gyergek causing havoc for the opposition. Gerard and Gyergek have graduated, leaving Brind'Amour some new linemates.

"I'm just trying to lead," Brind'Amour said. "We've got a young attack; I lost by boys from last year and I'm just trying to get these guys some goals and win some games."

Brind'Amour has been lighting up the nets since bursting onto the scene as a sophomore. He was a first-team Class B all-star along with Gerard and Gyergek. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound senior has adjusted well this season to playing alongside the likes of sophomore Derek Andrews and others.

And he’s not going to use the graduations from last year as an excuse.

"You know, it's always a new start every season," he said. "You just come out do your best and see what you can do."

After a rocky start, the Chiefs have finally started to collect some victories. Playing some top competition, Iroquois started 1-7 but has rebounded in the last few weeks and rolled off four straight victories. In the span, the Chiefs outscored West Seneca West, Sweet Home, North Tonawanda and East Aurora by a 44-26 count.

Brind'Amour has been a huge part of that winning streak, totaling 11 goals and 10 assists in the four-game winning streak. That’s the kind of senior leadership the Chiefs needed – and expected – out of Brind'Amour this season.

"He's my senior attack man working with some sophomores and he just keeps making them better," Iroquois coach Tom Kincella said. "He's a great leader out there."

That winning streak has also helped move the Chiefs up the Class B standings. Now the goal is to move up in the playoff seedings as far as possible.

“Let’s just keep it going now,” Kincella said. “We’re playing well, hopefully it can continue.”

With the ship seemingly on the right course, Iroquois is looking to continue the momentum and be playing its best lacrosse come postseason time. The way the Chiefs have been playing lately, they could be in line to pull some surprises.

"Every game, we want to keep getting it done," Brind'Amour said. "We want to win out if we can."