USA LAX honors San Mateo County players

Kaestner was the Gators’ other co-captain and another WCAL first-team selection, was chosen as the Gators’ MVP. A ball-control and defensive player, Kaestner scooped up 59 ground balls and caused 29 turnovers. The senior will continue his career at Johns Hopkins University.

Additionally, Menlo-Atherton’s Peter Koren and Jack Kryger were named to the All-Academic team, along with SHP’s Peter Dakin and Alex Shen.

Koren, who had 61 goals and 16 assists this season, finishes as the No. 2 all-time scorer for the Bears and finished his career with 172 goals and 235 points. A two-year captain and three-time first-team All-PAL choice, Koren will continue his playing career at Amherst College.

Kryger, like SHP’s Kaestner, was a ball-control and defensive force. He corralled 138 ground balls and caused 135 turnovers and finished his career ranked No. 1 in both categories for his career. A two-year captain and twice named to the PAL first-team, Kryger was named the PAL/CCS Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year and will play at University of Florida.

Dakin was a faceoff specialist, winning 340 of 400 faceoffs, an eye-popping 85% win rate. He was a first-team All-WCAL selection and will play at Cal next year.

Shen had 51 goal and 37 assists this season, earning second-team WCAL honors and was named the Gators’ offensive MVP. He’ll be playing at MIT next season.

SHP’s Blake Hetherington was honored with the prestigious Bob Scott Award, which is for a player who, “goes above and beyond in service to his team, school and community,” according a press release from USA Lacrosse. In addition to scoring 41 goals and assisting on 23 more and earning first-team WCAL recognition, Hetherington also volunteered at the Young Men’s Service League, the Oakland Lacrosse Club and the Red Cross. He will continue his career at Harvard University.

And the Silicon Valley Region Coach of the Year goes to M-A head coach Steven Krgyer, who guided the Bears to an undefeated Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division title, its second in a row. The Bears also advanced to the Central Coast Section Division I semifinals this season.

Coach Kryger, who briefly played at University of Pennsylvania, is heavily involved with the sport. In addition to being the PAL’s sports chairman, he also sits on the CCS lacrosse committee.

Having recently wrapped up his 14th season as the Bears’ head coach, Kryger has overall win-loss record of 185-79.