PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Whether you call it business in front, party in the back, the Duval waterfall, a Camaro crash helmet, or just a plain mullet, the Ponte Vedra boys lacrosse team is hoping that its new cheddar means a state championship.
Junior Andrew Ewalt is one of 24 Sharks sporting a new do for the playoffs and he says that team bonding from it could get them closer to their goal.
"It is a tradition here kind of," said Ewalt who is a face off specialist. "I feel like we all just wanted to do something different with our hair so we committed to it. The whole team but three of us has mullets now or something done to our hair. I wanted it bad so I also dyed the back of it for that golden flow."
Head coach Tom West still has his regular hair cut, but if this helps win a state championship, he says, then cut away.
"Mullets are everywhere. One of our guys did a weird, black dye thing so he looks like Eddie Munster. I just stay out of it. But if that's going to help them be loose and be ready and be prepared, then go for it," he said.
"I feel it brings us together. We all go to the barber together so that was pretty fun. It definitely helps us bond," said Ewalt.
Coming into their state semifinal matchup with defending champions Jupiter on Friday, MaxPreps named the Sharks the No. 1 ranked team in the entire nation. According to West, some may see that as added pressure, but he sees it differently.
"This group has been together for a while and I think they like that kind of pressure, they are used to it. There's always pressure at Ponte Vedra to do well and to be there at the end, and this group is ready for it. If we are first in the nation or fifth in the nation we still have to play the game on Friday night. That is what it comes down to."
The Sharks and the Warriors state semifinal clash begins at 4 p.m. Friday.