Colin O'Donoghue

WINGATE, N.C. — When Colin O’Donoghue was in the fourth grade, his neighbor handed him a lacrosse stick.

That neighbor? Peet Poillon, who plays in Major League Lacrosse and has returned this season as the coach of the Seneca Valley boys lacrosse team.

O’Donoghue learned well from Poillon and built a stellar four-year career at Seneca Valley. Now in his second season at Wingate University, O’Donoghue continues to excel with that lacrosse stick in his hands.

“Peet was the best,” O’Donoghue said. “The Seneca Valley program over the years has had a lot of talent, a lot of my friends who I played with have moved on to play in college.”

Count O’Donoghue as one of them. Not only is he playing in college, he’s playing at a high level.

He leads the team with 27 goals and 21 assists and is third in the Deep South Conference in points.

His big sophomore season comes on the heels of a superb freshman campaign in which O’Donoghue scored 19 goals, added 10 assists and was named the school’s top newcomer.

While moving from the high school to the college game appeared to be an easy transition for O’Donoghue, he said it was not.

“It was definitely a surprise. It was not that easy,” O’Donoghue said. “There was a lot of hard work, showing up before practice and staying after practice.”

O’Donoghue wasn’t about to let down once he reached college. A star for the Raiders during his entire career, he opted for Wingate, a small Division II school near Charlotte, N.C., because of opportunity.

The team was young and O’Donoghue felt he could make an impact right away.

“I’ve had a major role since I was a freshman in high school,” he said. “I never had to sit. Wingate was always my No. 1 choice. It’s a great place to go to school and play.”

One of O’Donoghue’s greatest strengths on the field was something that is second nature to him: He’s left-handed.

That poses lots of problems for the defense and the goalie.

His knack for finding the net has always been one of his skills as well, he said.

“It’s weird. I’ve always been in the right spot,” O’Donoghue said. “Plus I’m left-handed, and that definitely helps.”

Even though O’Donoghue has been a scoring machine for Wingate, he has no designs on following his mentor Poillon to the professional level when he graduates in two years — yet.

“I don’t think I’m ready for the big time yet,” O’Donoghue said. “I’m at a small Division II program and I am having a lot of fun. That’s really all I want to focus on now. I like playing the game and I don’t get too caught up in things when we win or too down when we lose.

“I just want to enjoy the time I play,” he added. “I just want to have as much fun as possible until it comes time to hang up the gloves.”