Brewster Lax Standout to Play at College in Tennessee

Brewster High School senior Eddie Schoenig nearly gave up on lacrosse a couple years back, when he "lost his love" for the sport.

Fastforward to the present day, and he's preparing to head south, where he'll continue his lax career at Tusculum College in Tennessee. About 10 and a half hours away from home by car, the school offers a small campus and is close to the Smoky Mountains—two things that appealed to Schoenig.

"He always wanted to go south," Terrie Schoenig, Eddie's mother, said . "This school just seems like the right fit for him ... Just the whole atmosphere down at the college was really nice, very homey."

Eddie will likely play goalie and wear the number 10 as a Pioneer at Tusculum, just as he did as a Bear at Brewster. 

He is going to miss BHS, and the great memories he and his teammates created last football season, but he's looking forward to starting college. There, Eddie plans to study science and pursue medicine. He is overwhelmed with excitement about what's next, and his parents are very proud.

"He worked hard," Jim Schoenig, his father, said.

That's something others can attest to, too. Nick and Vincent Savastano, teachers at Brewster who also run the Westchester Warriors Lacrosse Club, had a big impact on Eddie when he was considering giving up the sport, the teen told Patch.

Vincent, who has been Eddie's physical education teacher since the first grade, said he knew early on—in elementary school, actually—that Eddie had the "toughness to become a great athlete." Vincent and Nick had a feeling lacrosse would be "the ticket," so they encouraged Eddie to keep playing at the club, even though he had momentarily "lost his love" for the sport.

"He played for us on our Westchester Warriors Lacrosse Club Team in the summer and fall for the past three years and got the love back for the game," Vincent said, adding that Eddie comes from a good family. "Now he has earned a scholarship and we can't be more proud. Eddie is one of the finest, most respectful young men we have coached."

Aside from the Savastano coaches, several other folks played a part in Eddie's decision to continue his lacrosse career. In addition to his newest coach, Richard Carrington at Tusbulum, he recognizes Mike Biondi, Ken DaRos, Mark Dingee and Mike Honey for their help along the way.