Name: Tristan Moncrief
Year: senior
Hometown: Hinsdale
When did you start playing lacrosse?
In fifth grade. One of my neighbors introduced me - the Hamoods - who have two daughters who committed to Penn State.
What has kept you playing?
Just a general love for the sport along with all my teammates, who are great friends of mine, who have helped me along the way, along with all the coaches I've had, who have stayed pretty consistent over the years.
What is the most challenging part of playing midfield?
Probably the amount of running you have to do. You have to play offense and defense, so it's too much cardio for my liking.
How do you handle the physicality of the game?
When you're in the game, you don't think about all the bumps and bruises you're going to get. You have that tunnel vision on winning.
How have you improved since your freshman year?
I've definitely improved on my overall skills as a player. I've probably improved more as a leader through the years. I was a captain on my freshman team and varsity these past two years.
Do you have any pre-game superstitions?
I always have to have a bag of Mike and Ike before my game. I don't know why.
What is your goal for the post-season?
Obviously to make it all the way. However, in our sectional, if we were to win our first two games, we would go against Lyons Township or Naperville North. We've lost to both of them in the season, so it would be nice to win that third game.
What are your plans for next year?
I'm going to be attending Texas Christian University (pre-business/finance) and I'm going to be playing club lacrosse down there, too.
Why does coach Dave Demasi like having Moncrief on the team?
Tristan is a starting midfielder and our main face-off man. Currently, Tristan is leading the state in ground balls and has won 227 of the 305 face-offs that he has taken, which has led to our team having many more offensive possessions than our opponents. Tristan is involved in all aspects of the game and is an unselfish player who wants to win. Regardless of who is helping the team do that, Tristan is always cheering them on.
- profile by Pamela Lannom, photo by Jim Slonoff
