HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' LACROSSE: A LONG ROAD BACK AS GARVIN MAKES A BIG IMPACT IN HIS RETURN TO THE LACROSSE FIELD (2024-04-29)

By Brian Fees
Southern Tier Sports Report
It’s been a magical year for the Elmira Express, full of firsts.

It was the first win for the Express over the Corning Hawks. Then it was the first win for the Express over the Ithaca Little Red.

For senior Evan Garvin the firsts also include his first lacrosse game in three years, and his first ever lacrosse games on the new Elmira stadium.

Due to injuries the Express senior missed his sophomore and junior years, returning for the first time in the season opener against Corning.

For Garvin that first game of the season was not only the first win in Elmira Express history over the Corning Hawks, but it was also Garvin’s first lacrosse game under the lights in Elmira.

“It’s just great to be back out here with the guys,” Garvin said.

Talking with his teammates Kaiden Green and Sam Brenen-Buseck after that season-opening win, Garvin was happy to be back out there with them.

“Two of my best friends growing up and it’s great to be out here with them again,” Garvin said.

For Garvin it’s been a long road.

In the summer of 2021 he was playing basketball for Elmira in summer league when he dove for a loose ball. Hew was diagnosed with a Bankart lesion, shoulder instability up his right arm.

With football season coming up Garvin wanted to try and rehab it through physical therapy. He played football and the shoulder instability because increasingly worse and he was scheduled for labrum surgery in Decemember of 2021 where 13 anchors were placed in his right shoulder.

It was a long road to recovery as Garvin was out seven months, missing basketball and lacrosse his sophomore year.

At the start of his junior year for football the shoulder injury reappeared after playing defense during a game against Corning. He stopped playing defense that year and finished his junior year focused on playing quarterback.

When basketball tryouts came around his junior year his shoulder kept slipping out of place and he went to Rochester to find out about a potential injury. It turns out his prior surgery had failed him and he had to have another in January of 2023.

This surgery was a reconstructive surgery which included two screws to secure his shoulder instability. He was again out for basketball and lacrosse his junior year, again needing seven months to recover.

This year he’s been back healthy. He helped the Express win a sectional title in football and again in basketball and now he’s hoping for similar success in lacrosse.

For Garvin one of the hardest things was watching his teams play and not being able to be out there with them.

“It’s tough,” he said. “You just wish you could be out there supporting your team, helping your team on the field. Because off the field you can only do so much. It’s just great to be back on there helping to lead the team back to getting wins.”

There were definitely moments for Garvin where he wondered if he’d ever play lacrosse again.

“For sure, back-to-back shoulder surgeries you aren’t sure if you are going to be able to play again,” Garvin said. “I was just really happy I was able to recover and I had a great doctor that was able to take care of me and I was able to get back.”

Coming back from the surgeries Garvin worked hard, so he was never really worried about how his shoulder would hold up once he got back out for lacrosse games.

“I wouldn’t say I was nervous,” he said. “I put a lot of work in the offseason to get stronger and build my shoulder up, so I haven’t really been worried about it. I honesty thing I wouldn’t even think about it. I’m glad I put in the time in the offseason and it’s tarting to pay off.”

Being back on the field, under the lights, at home against Corning on opening night was something that Garvin had thought a long time about.

“This is awesome,” he said. “This is what I dreamed of when I was younger playing league lacrosse. I was just waiting. New stadium, under the lights, playing lacrosse, there is nothing better than that.”

And, the matchup like Corning was a magical way to return to the field.

“It was a completely different feeling, it was awesome,” Garvin said. “It was great, great environment. Two great teams playing against each other.”

It’s special for Garvin to be part of a history-making Elmira team.

“I am very confident, I have the most confidence in my teammates and the guys I play with every day and put the time in with,” Garvin said. “It’s just awesome to be able to come back and play well.”

Having teammates that he’s played with in sports since he was a kid made the return to the lineup easier.

“Fore sure, because I have a lot of these guys who support me, they give me a lot of confidence to keep shooting when things aren’t going my way,” Garvin said. “I have great teammates that keep my confidence high.”

Being part of that win over Corning, and then against Ithaca, were special moments for Garvin.

“It was awesome, just our first time beating Corning it’s just unreal,” Garvin said. “They are our rival, we haven’t been able to get over the hump. WE feel we have a good team and are just trying to make some noise.”

Garvin has had a big year so far with double digit goals and assists on the year helping to lead the Express.

After the sectional titles in both the fall and winter, Garvin would love to add one more title to the collection this year.

“I deifnitely wanted to go out 3-for-3,” he said. “Right now we are 2-for-2, I have football and basketball but trying to go 3-for-3 with lacrosse here.”
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PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEES.


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