Mitchell Patton: Dominating Defender
Audrey Braun '19
Mitchell Patton ’16, current captain of Boys Varsity Lacrosse, has been playing lacrosse at Hopkins since his freshman year.
According to Head Coach Sandy MacMullen, Patton’s commitment sets him apart: “He has an aura of commitment to the task and a willingness to work hard, leading others to follow him. He is never satisfied with his own personal play.” Patton said, “I’ve learned how much you can really get better at something if you put in more effort than what’s expected. Playing lacrosse out of season helped a lot. Basically, if you dedicate yourself to it you can excel.”
This attitude and focus has impacted the whole team. Matt Stevenson ’19 said, “Mitch is a great role model for all the JV and Varsity players. He’s well liked and respected by all. His leadership holds the team together.” Sam Walker ’18 said, “He’s a fair and responsible captain, and he looks out for everybody.” Jake Moscarelli ’17 said, “Mitchell had big shoes to fill, but he’s gone above and beyond as captain and as a leader on the field.”
Patton has had many memorable moments on the field. “Freshman year, I threw a kayak check that was awesome. I’m still proud of that one.” He also is proud of last year’s King final in which Hop had a “lockdown defense that felt great to be a part of.” His outstanding playing last season earned him a FAA (Fairchester Athletic Association) honorable mention and a WNESSLA (Western New England Secondary School Lacrosse Association) honorable mention.
Patton has also enjoyed the camaraderie on the team. He said that after the King final, “They got my height mixed up with Walker (Schneider ’15) and said that I was shorter than him. I’m still a little salty about that to be honest.” He also said, “I love the scrimmage we have every year between JV and Varsity. The game is full-field on the turf with music blasting and it’s really fun.”
Patton will be playing lacrosse next year for Wesleyan University.
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