Record seeker
BUTLER TWP — When it comes to lacrosse, putting the ball in the net is not Ayden Davis’ only talent.
But it’s the one he’s most noted for.
With two games left in Butler’s regular season — to be followed by the WPIAL playoffs — the Golden Tornado junior attacker is trying to hunt down the boys lacrosse school record of 69 goals in a season. Only no one is quite sure how many he has.
“I’m about halfway through tallying all that stuff,” Butler coach Justin Steiner said. “I’m not sure where Ayden stands at this point, but I’m pretty sure he’s past 50.”
Davis scored 50 goals as a sophomore last season. He was one of the Tornado’s leading scorers his freshman year as well, though “I was just trying to transition into high school lacrosse that season,” he recalled.
“I really want that record. I feel like I can get there ... It’s going to be close. I’m not sure what my (goal) total is right now. I lose track.”
What he doesn’t lose track of is his teammates.
Davis scored seven goals Friday night at Cathedral Prep. He tallied five more Saturday at home against Fairview, all in the first half. He spent much of the game looking to set up his teammates.
The fact that he and senior teammate Landon Dubyak are the team leaders in assists as well as goals attests go that.
He’s developed his passing skills through a solo game he plays called “Wall Ball.”
“I go out in the back of the house and practice different passes off the wall,” he said. “I’ try to do it a few days every week.”
“That’s what is so impressive about Ayden,” Steiner said. “He’s an incredible talent, but he’s a team player first. He’s an adept, accurate passer who understands the importance of team scoring.
“Putting in extra time on your own like that is what makes great players in any sport.”
Davis fires passes through traffic and finds teammates in position to score. He lofts passes over defenders and uses his speed to elude pursuit to set up his own open shot or a higher percentage shot for a teammate.
“That No. 1 (Davis) killed us today,” Fairview coach Tim Palochak said following the Tigers’ 19-6 loss at Butler on Saturday. “We couldn’t contain him. He was too fast, so elusive.”
A lacrosse player since age 6, Davis is a three-sport athlete at Butler. He was a wide receiver for the football team last fall and plays basketball for the Golden Tornado as well. He is already committed to the University of Maryland-Baltimore County to play collegiate lacrosse.
He said he will not play football his senior year “because I don’t want to risk an injury that may affect my future in lacrosse.”
Davis is so into lacrosse that he knows part of the origin of the sport.
“The American Indians used a form of lacrosse to defend their home grounds,” he said. “There’s a lot of history there.”
Now he’s trying to make some history in the sport at Butler before he graduates in 2024.
“Even more than the goal record, I want Butler lacrosse to be at the level of programs like North Allegheny and Shady Side Academy before I leave here,” Davis said. “That’s why it means so much to involve my teammates in the scoring and help develop other talent in the program.”
“Ayden and I have the same vision for the program that way,” Steiner said. “He goes with me when I’m with our teams at the younger levels. He’s very interested in the future of Butler lacrosse and the direction it’s headed.”
