Dorszewski delivers in net for Palatine

Palatine lacrosse goaltender Danny Dorszewski is in the relatively rare position of having his college destination squared away as a junior.

Dorszewski is headed to Long Island, N.Y., and Hofstra after high school, to play for one of the nation's historic lacrosse programs.

That decision came up fast, but sometimes, that's how life is. Dorszewski, a member of Team Illinois lacrosse, got a text from a Hofstra assistant coach in late October inquiring about his interest going to school there and playing for the Pride and coach Seth Tierney, who coincidentally is also a Team USA assistant coach.

That lit the fuse, so to speak, with Dorszewski making a visit to the school in mid-November while on a travel tournament on Long Island for Team Illinois. He was offered a scholarship, and verbally committed, on the same day, Nov. 18.

"Hofstra was a high-priority school for me," Dorszewski said. "I really liked their stadium and they are Division 1, and have a lot of good things going for them."

But he got plenty of support. His dad, Wes, was crucial, as was Palatine coach Chris Gantz, who asked perhaps the most important question.

"They had a great tour of campus and Danny called me afterward, and I asked him, When you're done with college, is that a diploma you're going to be happy with hanging on the wall?" Gantz said. "That's my No. 1 thing."

It was. And that's the culmination of a long road for a player who assumes arguably the toughest position on the field, considering shots are coming at him at a good 80 miles per hour in some cases.

So what's it like to play goalie, considering he's wearing a chest protector, gloves, helmet and throat guard, but not much else in the way of protection.

"There is a lot of pressure," Dorszewski said. "In a big game with really good shooters, you have to stay composed and stand tall. You can't let the pressure get inside your head. Do the basic things that make you a great goalie."

He got involved in lacrosse as a fourth grader. He was playing feeder program football and some of his football friends encouraged him to try the sport. He embraced it and eventually, he gravitated toward the goalie position. Fast-forward to his freshman year behind netminder Rand Paddack, who now plies his trade for Bryant University in Rhode Island, and something special was brewing.

"When Danny was a freshman, Rand was a senior, and what we found is he was taken under Rand's wing," Gantz said. "We knew he was good. He took over last year and he dominated. His save percentage was just exceptional."

Added Dorszewski of Paddack, "I kind of knew Rand before high school. Freshman year, he saw a little potential in me and so we worked together and sometimes in training, he would shoot on me."

He is also quick with advice for young goaltenders that aspire to be him someday.

"One thing I suggest is work outside of practice," he said. "Don't rely on team practices to get better. Make the best version of yourself. Play as much as you can, get as much repetition as you can."

Boys lacrosse at a glance

FAMILIAR NAMESKey returnees: Mikey Edell, defenseman, sr., Wheaton Academy; Aiden Weisenborn, attackman, sr., Wheaton Academy; Trevor Torres, defender, sr., Neuqua Valley; Liam Gramza, attackman, sr., Neuqua Valley; Danny Dorszewski, goalie, jr., Palatine; Andrew Philbin, defenseman, sr., Palatine; Caleb Lee, attackman, sr., Stevenson; Jack Myers, defenseman, sr., Stevenson; Lance McCann, attackman, sr., York; Tommy Kowalski, midfielder, sr., York; Drew Deney, attackman, sr., Warren; Bobby Devenport, goalie, sr., Warren; Ryan Jensen, defenseman, sr., Hampshire; Campbell Smith, attackman, jr., Hampshire; A.J. Baumley, midfielder, sr., Huntley; Connor Ardell, attackman, sr., Huntley; Nick Holland, long-stick midfielder, sr., Naperville North; Jack Houck, midfielder, jr., Naperville North; Ryan Thompson, faceoff, sr., St. Charles North; Jack Raine, attackman/midfielder, sr., St. Charles North; Cole Hansen, defenseman, sr., St. Charles East; Blake Skifstad, faceoff, soph., St. Charles East; Kyle Clouse, goalie, sr., Lake Zurich; Andrew Beaudoin, attackman, sr., Lake Zurich; Joey Busch, defenseman, sr., Benet; Nathan Olson, defenseman, sr., Benet; Erik Lorenzo, attackman, sr., Benet; Alex Wegrzyn, midfielder, sr., South Elgin; Michael Hudik, midfielder, sr., South Elgin; Leo Izuierdo, midfielder, senior, St. Viator; Cade Faulkner, attackman, sr., St. Viator; Tommy Webster, midfielder, sr. Hinsdale Central; Dean Assicurato, faceoff/midfielder, sr., Hinsdale Central.

GET TO KNOW THEMTop newcomers: Zeke Merchant, attackman, soph., Wheaton Academy; Breck Peacock, midfielder, sr., Wheaton Academy; Jonathan Ostendorf, attackman, soph., Neuqua Valley; Ben Stefanski, midfielder, fr., Neuqua Valley; Cameron Crew, attackman, soph., Stevenson; Ryan Loch, faceoff/midfielder, sr., Stevenson; Jack Kevin, goalie, jr., York; Nathan Schlief, defenseman, jr., York; Noah Walowski, defenseman, jr., Warren; Chad Steffans, attackman, soph., Warren; Chase Lorbiecki, midfielder, jr., Hampshire; Henry Tworek, goalie, soph., Hampshire; Alan Saban, goalie, sr., St. Charles North; Mason Kissner, goalie, soph., St. Charles East; Chase Isaacson, attackman, fr., St. Charles East; Max Maj, attackman, soph., Lake Zurich; Coplan Oettinger, midfielder, soph., Lake Zurich; Zach Gorman, goalie, fr., Benet; Grant Rudolph, attackman, fr., Benet; Patrick Carr, midfielder, fr., Benet; Louie Simpson, goalie, soph., South Elgin; Kaden Lemvig, long-stick midfielder, fr., South Elgin; Jack Hartman, goalie, soph., St. Viator; Emerson McGrath, midfielder, soph., St. Viator; Bart Bouchelion, defenseman, soph., Hinsdale Central; Noah McCurry, defenseman, soph., Hinsdale Central.