As the opposing teams’ attackman charges toward the net, with skill and speed, Will Erickson ‘22 sprints down the lacrosse field, and blocks his shot.

   The PHS Boys Lacrosse team has seen great success at the state and national level, and as a key defenseman, Erickson has played a major role in this success. Since the beginning of Erickson’s high school career, there have been moments of difficulty and frustration; however, Erickson’s love for lacrosse never faltered. 

   From the age of five, Erickson could be seen holding his ground in baseball, hockey, and lacrosse. When it came to making a decision between the sports, he prioritized lacrosse, preferring its fast pace and many moving parts. As an NJ All-Star and Blue Star Lacrosse player since sixth grade, Erickson’s lacrosse career quickly took off. Entering PHS, he played multiple varsity lacrosse games in his freshman year and was named varsity starter in his sophomore year.

   “My first impressions were that he had one of the intangibles of being good at athletics. He just really loved being part of a team and wanted his team to succeed. He was always trying to find a way to make his team better,” said Assistant Lacrosse Coach Peter Stanton. 

   As the co-captain of the team this year, Erickson is critical to the team’s success. Although he’s grown into an extremely vocal leader and a strong source of motivation for his teammates, it was the lacrosse environment that allowed him to cultivate his leadership skills and resiliency.  

   “As he’s matured through the program, he’s been molded into a very vocal and exemplary leader. He’s a great leader and player and needless to say, he’s a lock down defenseman on the field,” said teammate Will Doran ‘22.

   Throughout his years on the team, Erickson has had countless role models that have impacted both his mentality and play. Two in particular are Carson Giles ‘19, the PHS Captain when he was a freshman, and Chris Fake, a Yale University defenseman and one of his club coaches. 

   “I look up to the incredible example that Carson set for leadership and how he made the most of his time on the lacrosse field,” said Erickson. “I look up to Fake’s incredible work ethic both on the lacrosse field and in the weightroom, and how he attacks every matchup with confidence even when going up against the best attackmen in the country.”

   Although Erickon’s schedule is packed with balancing two sports and schoolwork, time management has never been a real challenge for him. 

   “Most practices are at convenient times and leave ample time for family, friends, or school afterwards. The main thing that can be hard to fit in is workouts, but waking up before school and getting them in makes it a lot simpler,” Erickson said.

   Throughout his high school career, Erickson has become a role model for many younger players on the team. For Patrick Kenah ‘24, Erickson’s positive attitude has helped foster the growth of his own strengths.

   “Will is a very likable guy. He listens to what you have to say and [is] a mentor and someone to look up to. This is one of the main reasons why people instill trust in him,” Kenah said.

   In addition to his own hard work, having some of his best friends on the field has kept him motivated throughout his career. Heading to Williams College as a Division I athlete commit, Erickson will be joining his best friends and teammates, Will Doran and Alex Park, as they take their academic and lacrosse careers to the next level. 

   “The fact that he’s going to get an opportunity to really have a well balanced and well integrated academic experience. The thing about Will is that he’s a kid that earns everything he gets and he’s going to get a chance to really earn it and prove his value to a team. I think that's all you could ask for,” said Stanton.