MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — In 2019, when Dylan Heningburg became head coach of the Columbia High School boys lacrosse program, he wanted to bring a winning culture to the program at his alma mater.
Heningburg, a 2012 CHS graduate, and his coaching staff managed to accomplish that goal this season. The Cougars finished with a stellar 14-5 record, including winning the New Jersey Interscholastic Lacrosse League–Kimber Division title with a 5-0 divisional mark.
Heningburg was named the state Group 4 coach of the year, and rising senior goalie Sam Busch and graduated senior midfielder Aidan Kemp were named to the Group 4 first team, voted by the coaches. Busch was voted unanimously.
Kemp will continue his career at Division III University of Hartford, in West Harftord, Conn.
The honorable mention Group 4 members for Columbia were defenseman Walter Rae, attackman RJ Benn, midfielder Lachlan Campbell, all of whom just graduated, and rising junior faceoff specialist Max Gigante.
The Cougars also featured a program-record nine honorees on the Kimber Division first team. They are Busch, Kemp, Benn, Campbell, Rae, Gigante, graduated senior attackman Shane Knezovic, rising senior attackman Cole Abel and rising senior midfielder Sumner Verdun. Rising senior defenseman Casey Abramson made the second team, and rising senior Jake Blaney made honorable mention.
Busch was named the Kimber Division player of the year, voted by the coaches. Benn was named NJ.com’s Kimber Division player of the year.
Heningburg was elated for his team’s great season.
“This year was the best year I’ve had since coaching here,” Heningburg said. “I spent two years as an assistant, and this is my fourth year as the head coach. We’ve been working really hard to turn the culture around. When I got here, guys were not too focused on winning and building a strong program, but this class of seniors, which was my first freshman class as a head coach, just bought into what I was looking to do from the start. They went through missing a season (in) their sophomore year to having a weird season their junior year, and they came back for their first real regular season since their freshman year and were just dedicated to this team.
“Everybody just followed suit,” Heningburg continued. “Everybody was doing their job, working hard, having fun. Just top to bottom, we really had great team chemistry. Everyone wanted to do the goals that we set out, and we went out and accomplished a lot of them.”
Heningburg especially credited his assistant coaches. They are Cassius Christie, defensive coordinator; Terrell Boccia, faceoff/midfield coach; Orterro Felton; and John Trieu.
“I got coach of the year, but I really think (it should be) coaching staff of the year,” Heningburg said. “Everything we did this year couldn’t be done without those guys buying into what we were doing and helping mentor these young men.”
Photos Courtesy of Tim Parlin.
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