All-Metro boys lacrosse: Thiemann paves way for landscape of area lacrosse

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Like a crystal ball, JT Thiemann could look onto the field and see the future of MICDS lacrosse.

 

After winning a state title that was six seasons in the making, Thiemann can take comfort in knowing that his co-captaincy of a state championship squad had a direct effect on the landscape of St. Louis lacrosse.

 

“JT can be very very proud of the legacy that he leaves here,” MICDS coach Andy Kay said. “Knowing that, if I ask any third-grader or fourth-grader who they want to be when they are playing for me down the road and they say JT Thiemann, I think that that’s enough said.”

 

After six years, Thiemann remembers being that kid, playing as a seventh-grader tossing a ball around as Kay looked on, not sure if he would fit into the quarterback role Kay had envisioned for him.

 

“When I got to middle school, Coach Kay kind of helped me into that role, immediately,” Thiemann said. “And he wanted me to be that quarterback and obviously you weren’t quite sure in middle school if that was going to be the right thing to do, but he helped me into that role and gave me some confidence.”

 

Six years later, a four-year career in the books and a state title wrapped up, Thiemann can add Post-Dispatch All-Metro boys lacrosse player of the year to his resume.

 

Kay also remembers his development well. As the dean of the seventh grade, some of Kay’s first memories of St. Louis lacrosse include Thiemann and a handful of now MICDS seniors discussing lacrosse and working on a common goal.

 

“You better believe that there were a lot of conversations in my office, when they weren’t in trouble, about lacrosse,” Kay joked.

 

Kay looked at the local youth as the future of the program.

 

“There’s an aura,” Kay said. “In lacrosse you want to find a quarterback, you want to find a finisher and you want to find a speedster at the attack as your kind of developing your program and JT was definitely that quarterback-type of a kid. That was easy to see right away.”

 

Over time, Thiemann developed the speed, the finishing ability, and the leadership qualities.

 

Now, fresh off helping MICDS clinch its first state championship since 2005 with an 11-10 overtime win against CBC, Thiemann has no more doubts. He understands the weight of being a captain, and the rewards, coupled with intangibles that stats simply cannot measure.

 

“I think I do a lot more now that the season’s over and you can see that with all the little kids running around,” Thiemann said. “So, that’s important and it means a lot to see that I think when we come back, 5-10 years later, you’re going to see the little kids that we were playing with, out on the field playing for a varsity team. That’s going to be cool as well.”

 

What those kids, Kay and the rest of the St. Louis lacrosse world saw this season was a senior attacker with a snap shot, impeccable vision and enough skill to score 100 goals if that’s what was needed.

 

“JT’s been the face of our program,” Kay said. “If you look at where Missouri lacrosse is right now versus where it was four years ago, I think that JT, actually from a playing standpoint, has a lot to do with it, just from what he brought to the table.”

 

Thiemann, who will be attending Wake Forest seeking a business degree and looking to play club lacrosse, had 35 goals, 53 assists and 92 shots going into the title game.

 

Thiemann was at less than 100 percent going into the state semifinals. He developed a severe sprain in his right ankle that stemmed from excessive wear and tear, and that condition became aggravated during the title contest.

 

He stayed in during the championship and continued to be a nuisance to the CBC defense, drawing attention no matter where he was on the field.

 

“I wish I would have known that because in overtime we basically don’t use plays,” Kay said. “I just said ‘JT, I’m just going to give you the ball and go create,’ and if you watch that last goal that Will Cella scored, it wasn’t the prettiest lacrosse play, but there was so much attention on JT, he didn’t even really make a hard move to the goal, but everyone was down, and then the ball goes up top, they’re still worried about him and there’s a late slide and we actually got it in.”

 

Thiemann’s regimen and work in the weight room with his teammates during the offseason helped ease the toll of the state-title run.

 

For him, the physicality and being able to ride through the defense was a joy.

 

“Our attack line took a lot of pride in riding this year, and sometimes it was better than others, but I think that was a really fun part because you usually have the ball and you’re the one getting whacked,” Thiemann said. “It was fun to be able to take pride in that kind of playing defense, as an attackman, the one who’s supposed to be playing offense all of the time.”

 

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