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Zach
Tedeschi s weighted grade-point average of 4.2 will serve him well when
the East High School junior goes to college at Johns Hopkins in
Baltimore. (Post / Andy Cross) |
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When 13-year-old Zach Tedeschi decided
to follow in Kip Malo's footsteps, he had no idea they would lead to
the steps of Johns Hopkins University.
Tedeschi, now a junior standout on the
East boys lacrosse team, has orally committed to the prestigious
Baltimore school where Malo - a 2001 East graduate - is a second-team
midfielder for the undefeated Blue Jays.
Tedeschi never met Malo growing up,
although they both attended Graland Country Day School as kids. Today,
Tedeschi wears Malo's old No. 4 jersey and dreams of emulating him in
one more way by guiding the Angels (10-3) to their first state
championship since 2000 - Malo's junior season.
"I watched him play when he was at
East and always looked up to him as a player," said Tedeschi of Malo,
whom he finally met in November during a visit to Johns Hopkins.
Tedeschi's weighted grade- point
average is 4.2. He loves AP calculus and would like to pursue a degree
in economics, which just so happens to be Malo's major.
"It's always kind of flattering to
find out someone has followed you like that," Malo said. "He's
obviously a great player. For him to know where he's going as a junior
is amazing."
According to veteran East coach Jon
Barocas, what makes Tedeschi so good is his blend of mental and
physical strength wrapped inside an athletic and instinctive body.
Barocas, a George Washington
graduate and former Vermont player, has been coaching East for 27
seasons, long before the sport was sanctioned in 1999 by the Colorado
High School Activities Association. Barocas has racked up more than 300
victories, with nine state championships.
At 6-feet, 190 pounds, Tedeschi can
play in attack or as a midfielder and possesses a shot that Barocas
calls a "rocket."
"It is not a pleasant thing," Barocas
said. "When he's on the cage, it's just an amazing shot. He has one of
the hardest shots I've had from a high school player."
In the wake of his breakout sophomore
season, Tedeschi has become an even bigger target for opposing
defenses, which give
him very little time and space to work. Tedeschi did score twice last
week in a loss to rival Kent Denver.
That defeat, like any others, usually
sends the soft-spoken Tedeschi to his backyard, where he mentally
relives key moments and vents his frustrations by practicing for hours.
"His neighbors must hate him," Barocas
joked. "But he takes his frustrations out by trying to get better."
Perhaps the brightest of the stars in
the Angels' lineup, Tedeschi is mindful to never behave like one. A
fiery competitor, Tedeschi prefers constructive criticism over ripping
on a teammate's performance, despite a common belief that standout
players have somehow earned that right.
Tedeschi even treats opponents in
similar fashion.
"He will not speak ill of anybody,"
Barocas said. "It doesn't matter if he's playing against someone that
is trying to take his head off."
Tedeschi has grown to appreciate the
pressure that comes with being a Johns Hopkins recruit. He knows the
academic demands are steep and inflexible when it comes to
student-athletes.
He also knows that his abilities will
be scrutinized in every game he plays and opponents are eager to size
up the future Blue Jay.
"It keeps my head level, especially
playing, because you can't really get cocky about yourself," Tedeschi
said. "You have to be confident, but you have to accept the fact
you're playing against kids that think you're not capable of going (to
Johns Hopkins) and you have something to prove."
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