Team has fifth coach in six years
New Piedmont High School boys lacrosse coach Andy Kittler is looking long-term. He is the fifth coach in six years for a program that won a North Coast Section Division 2 championship back in 2019.
The turnover has taken a toll. Since Alex Yu led the team to a 14-4 record and an appearance in the NCS Division 2 championship game in 2023, the Highlanders went 8-6 under Jeff Lamb in 2024 and 4-11 under Paul Pappas last year.
Kittler was an assistant under Lamb and after living with his family in Spain last year, he has returned to take the reins. Kittler, 39, has worked on tech startups for most of his professional career. He played at the Menlo School and then Princeton, was an assistant coach at Stanford for five seasons and worked camps for several years.
He said his goals are to focus on building the program back up. That will include working to get numbers and improvement out of the junior varsity.
“There hasn’t been a lot of coaching continuity the past few years and I think that takes a toll on your roster size,” Kittler said. “I’m really optimistic in the way were going to get results but it’s a year to reinstall the program. Hopefully get more guys out next year. We’re going to make the best with what we have but hopefully we have another five guys in the program next year.”
Seniors Timmy Kalamas and P.J. Brayer are two of the top players returning. Kalamas was the team’s leading scorer a year ago and Brayer was the team’s top defensive player.
“Timmy’s going to play midfield,” Kittler said. “He’s a really strong two-way middie. P.J. you might see all over the field sometimes. One of the things well do is get creative with where we play our players.”
Goal will be shared by two players, at least at the beginning of the season. Senior Luke McAuliffe is new to water polo but played in goal for the water polo team. Junior Deniz Radzik will also play. Kittler said McAuliffe has natural ability while Radzik has more experience in lacrosse.
Senior Ian Nguyen is a top attacker.
“He’s just a really good all-around player,” Kittler said. “Good shot, good vision, good passing.”
Senior midfielder Connor Fredericks is the top face off specialist. Kittler said possession is the key to get the offense rolling.
“Win the faceoff, score a goal,” he said. “We call it make it, take it.”
Newcomers will play key roles. Freshman Evan Abernathy-Horn will set up as a long stick midfielder, or pole. Sophomore Jax Edward Thayer will start on defense alongside Brayer. So will senior Fischer Veltri.
“I’m really excited about our defense,” Kittler said. “We’re going to play aggressive athletic defense.”
Sophomore Lukas Toth will line up at attack. Junior Mile Stevenson will be expected to step up on offense.
Kittler said making the NCS playoffs would make for a successful season.
“I think if we come together as a team, play good team defense, play our brand of offense, off ball movement, quick passing, sharing the ball — if we get it down, we’ll have success. Teams that fall apart, team concepts don’t get installed, it’s all about the individual.”