University of Massachusets Athletics
Jake Deane: Front Yard To Philly
May 25, 2006 | Men's Lacrosse
May 25, 2006
What began as a dream taking imaginary face-offs in the front yard as an eight-year-old, dodging past invisible Syracuse defenders to score the game-winning goal in the "NCAA Championship," was just over eight minutes from dying last weekend at Stony Brook's La Valle Stadium.
Trailing 10-5 against third-seeded Hofstra midway through the fourth quarter, things were looking grim for senior defenseman Jake Deane and the UMass faithful.
But Deane, dubbed "The Terminator" during his freshman season because of his relentless drive and uncompromising desire to win loose balls, wasn't quite ready to let that dream go.
"I told the guys to keep it together, to keep their heads up, and to keep fighting," says Deane. "We've been in that situation a couple times this season, against Fairfield and the Cornell game, and we came back to win those."
In that Fairfield game, Deane won the final three face-offs down the stretch, and scored the game-winner with 34 seconds left in regulation, as UMass roared back to take a 7-6 win that likely salvaged their NCAA Tournament hopes. Three weeks later against Cornell in the NCAA opener, Deane won 17-of-23 face-offs, including all seven in the fourth quarter, as the Minutemen edged the No. 6 seed, 10-9, for the program's first-ever road playoff win.
History, it appears, does indeed have a way of repeating itself - at least when Jake Deane is at the X.
In the final eight minutes of regulation and overtime against the Pride, Deane went on to win all six of his face-off attempts, sparking the Minutemen to a miracle comeback win that earned the Amherst school their first-ever trip to the national semifinals. It's a win that Deane believes could help put UMass's name on the map alongside Division One's more storied programs.
"It really does a lot for our program," he says. "Kids know about us now. You always hear about Syracuse, Maryland, Hopkins, Virginia, Princeton, the usual teams, but people don't really know about UMass - and now they do."
While this season has certainly been one to remember for a UMass program that had failed to get over the quarterfinal hump in its previous 10 attempts, it has also been one full of personal accomplishment for the Suffield Academy (CT) product.
Deane is currently second on the UMass all-time list for ground balls in a season with 130, just one behind Jeff Seals' mark of 131 during the 2001 season. He also stands poised to break the school record for face-off win percentage at 63.6 %, slightly ahead of Seals and Mike Lewis, who both won 63.0% in 2001 and 1980, respectively.
In both instances, Deane feels that his numbers are more a product of sheer effort and determination on the field rather than perfecting a craft.
"You can't really teach someone how to win a groundball. You can teach skills like passing and catching, but you can't teach winning ground balls. It's a matter of you versus the other guy, and who wants the ball more. That's a desire that you just have to have in you," he says.
"I'm not the best face-off man there is," he adds. "There are guys out there with quicker hands. But I have the will and the want where I think I can beat the guy to the groundball."
It is that on-field intensity that UMass head coach Greg Cannella says was somewhat misunderstood when Deane first arrived at Amherst, but has since grown to become his greatest strength as a leader and team captain.
"It was a little bit of a difficult transition from high school. He was so intense when he came in, the other players were wondering `What's with this guy?' But that's just Jake being Jake, that's the way he is."
This year, in his final campaign, Cannella recognizes more than ever the profound impact that Deane's approach to the game has had on the team's underclassmen.
"You've seen his actions on the field, but he is also a tremendous leader in the locker room," says Cannella. "He brings the intensity and tenacity with him off the field. He's instilled that will and desire to perform in our younger players, and that never back down attitude."
As UMass turns its attention to this weekend and an NCAA Semifinal match-up with the No. 2 seed Maryland, Deane and the unseeded Minutemen will need that attitude more than ever.
After all, Deane's boyhood dream never included walking away with a loss.
"I've been telling the guys that we're going for the ring, that there's still unfinished business," he says. "Maryland is very, very good, and very talented...but we're looking to win it all."
