Drats.
The Buffalo News appears to have had the story first, and the news isn't good for Syracuse fans that were hoping to land one of New York's biggest lacrosse attractions:
Silver Creek lacrosse standout Zed Williams has verbally committed to the University of Virginia, the senior told The Buffalo News.
Williams, a three-time first-team All-Western New York selection, said he called coach Dom Starsia of the perennial power Cavaliers recently to notify him that he would accept the school's full scholarship offer. Williams said he will sign a National Letter of Intent when the early signing period for lacrosse (and many other sports) begins Nov. 14.
He picked Virginia over Syracuse, Ohio State and Albany.
Williams would have been a major coup for the Orange. Williams, a 6'2" death machine in the midfield, broke Casey Powell's record of 553 career points last season. That was Williams' junior season, not his final campaign. Fantastic.
Things aren't all doom and gloom for the Orange with its Class of 2013 class, though. John Desko and Associates, Ltd. has already put together a solid class, higlighted by Dylan Maltz, Jordan Evans, Scott Firman, J.T. Forkin, and Nick Weston. Williams would have been arguably the shiniest jewel in the crown -- Williams is currently ranked fifth overall in Inside Lacrosse's rankings -- but it's not like Desko is going to have to hang shelves with thumb tacks. In fact, some folks think that this may be Syracuse's best haul in a long time.
It's just . . . dammit.