Christopher Lawlor

Correspondent

MADISON — There is a reason Clifton lacrosse has stronger roots.

Flashback to 2012, when it was the worst of times. Going 1-14 means the season cratered. In a season when the Mustangs were pounded – save two games, including a 12-3 win over Nutley on the final date – and that slow burn carried over to the 2013 campaign.

Quickly hit the fast-forward to 2013, when the Mustangs rebounded with an impressive 13-5 finish, a berth in the Passaic County tournament final and an appearance in the Group 4 state tournament.

At the core of those teams were players whose skill sets were different, but the common thread that bound those Mustangs was the mutual loyalty.

Looking back when Tom Cotroneo, Mark Surgent, Mike Duesler, Joseph Cupoli, Joe Rapuano and Matt Melnik were all seniors in 2013, they had advanced through the Junior Mustang boys lacrosse program and the caring to leave the program on a high note.

“Those guys were special; they stuck together throughout the junior level and then high school,” said Clifton coach George Cowan.

Funny thing, they all are seniors in college playing locally, save Cupoli and Surgent, who attends Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, New York. Cupoli is a defender at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

Cotroneo plays at Drew, while the others play at nearby Fairleigh Dickson-Florham, which moved to 2-2 after stopping Greensboro (N.C.) College, 14-7, on March 9.

In two appearances, the 6-foot-1,180-pound midfielder has a goal and two assists (3 points) on seven shots and has two ground balls. As a junior, he totaled 36 points on 14 goals and 22 assists.

“Tommy is versatile and really can read the game so well,” Cowan said.

Drew visits Swarthmore (Pa.) on Saturday.

Just down the road from Drew, a trio of Clifton alumni are making a difference for the Devils, who are 4-1 after beating the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, 10-9, last Saturday.

So far, Melnik has one assist and 10 ground balls this season, including a season-high five against the Merchant Marines. Duesler has started two of five games with an assist and two grounders,

“Duesler is a smart player, and one of the best stick handlers we’ve had at Clifton,” Cowan said. “Matt [Melnik] is a scant player who seems to be in the right place at the right time.”

That foursome gets another crack at it again on March 29, when Drew hosts FDU-Florham at 7 o’clock in a huge rivalry game.

Another Clifton alumni reunion takes place on April 9 when King’s visit FDU in Madison.

Meanwhile, in the Capital District, Surgent, a middie, is also a Liberty League All-Academic honoree, played 10 games last season, scoring four goals on 12 shots with six ground balls. The business and management major played 14 career games with six goals on 20 shots entering this spring.

RPI does venture into New Jersey this spring at Montclair State on March 22 for a 6 p.m. first face-off.