Noah Santangelo has stood tall as a superb stopper for the Valley Regional boys’ lacrosse team. Yet one thing he has certainly not swatted away is the opportunity to step up and be a leader for the Warriors while helping grow the retention of players and overall growth of the program.

The senior Valley Regional netminder and captain played baseball up until middle school and then decided upon a change of pace with running via cross country. After discovering the running lane was not for him, he made the choice to pick up a lacrosse stick his freshman year. This spring, he has helped anchor the Warriors defense and has helped lead Valley to a 3-8 record.

“The older guys my freshman year definitely helped egg me on to stay with the sport. They helped keep everyone together and stay motivated,” says Noah. “Reaching out to my coaches and building bonds with them have really helped my career. I also realize as a senior and a captain, I have to be there to set the younger guys up for success.”

Noah was certainly grateful for the captain appointment and has taken it upon himself to act as a lifeblood for the Warriors beyond 2024. He explains it is quite the fulfilling feeling to do just that while expressing himself clearly and concisely on and off the turf.

“Being a captain is great and very important. You have to help keep the sport alive as a senior and make it so the younger guys come back to it,” Noah says. “I knew I had to develop my leadership skills and become more vocal. It is nice knowing what I say will have an effect on others and help them become better lacrosse players.”

Noah certainly has a lot of pressure thrust upon him as the final fort of defense between Valley and the back of its net. Still, Noah counters those feelings and anxieties by reveling in the fact that with just one swipe of a glove or his stick, he can change the completion of both a game and his club.

“It can be tough when you are having to deal with some of the harder teams and staying level headed when you are letting up goals. But with every save, it is such a good feeling knowing I am helping the team. It gives me a sense of ownership. It is crucial to work with the defense out there. Through the years after I started playing goalie during my sophomore year, I realized the true value of the position.”

As a senior steward for a young squad, Noah knows very often as the captain goes, so follows the rest of the team. So no matter the outcome or circumstances in the heat of a battle, he keeps things on an even keel while being cool, calm, and collected.

“As I gained seniority, I saw people look up to you a lot,” says Noah. “With that knowledge, you have to control your emotions. When things are not going great, it is very crucial to hold that level head and keep the team up emotionally rather than pushing them down.”

Noah’s expressiveness and his proficiency have certainly been at the forefront for the Warriors this spring. He adds that while he can be a great facilitator of the ball from the goal, he knows accuracy certainly takes precedence over speed when matriculating the ball up the field.

“I would say I am good at talking and pushing with my communication skills. I also think my stick skills and passing abilities are very good,” Noah says. “On defense, with passing, it is more about accurate passes and steadily working the ball upfield rather than rushing it with speed.”

Valley Head Coach Colby Hawkins has a laundry list of skills Noah has seen marked improvement in throughout the years. More importantly, he stands tall in the face of adversity as a great asset to galvanize a group.

“Noah Santangelo has been a goalie since his sophomore year. Now as a senior captain, he has grown tremendously as a player. Some areas he's improved in have been with his clearing passes, coming out of the cage on clears, making saves with his legs, stepping with his trail leg rather than a split stance, and yelling out to command his defense,” says Hawkins. “He's shown the ability to stay mentally strong through tough game situations and losses and continue to be a leader. We're counting on him to make clutch saves, as we play the second half of our season and hopefully make conference and state playoffs.”

The Warriors stormed out of the gates with some winning momentum to start the season before testing the barometer against some skilled squads. But even through a recent close defeat, Noah notes that Valley certainly showed there are some peaks and triumphs ahead if they keep that same fire, heart, and hustle flowing.

“We started out the year with two big wins, and we felt like we were on a little streak until we faced some challenging teams,” says Noah. “We played a game recently and were down and came back within a goal before we lost. I think in the next few weeks, the game will show we can get points back, we can fight, and we will finish those games with a different outcome.”