5-on-5: Spring athletes weigh in on five hot topics

With the 2015 spring sports season just getting underway, five area athletes answered questions about five topics ranging from biggest rivalries in the YAIAA to favorite places to play.

Question: First up, other than your own home field, where is  your favorite place to play?

Sam Richards, Spring Grove girls lacrosse: University of Maryland. I went there for a lacrosse camp over the summer and it was hard, but completely worth it to play on the Terps' turf.

Braxtin Reddinger, New Oxford girls lacrosse: I would say my favorite place to play would have to be Spring Grove because they have an awesome turf field.

Emily Albright, Hanover softball: Probably Gettysburg because they have a nice field.

Michael Rider, Delone Catholic baseball: York Revolution’s Santander Stadium.

Zachary Hughes, South Western boys lacrosse: I think my favorite place to play other than our home field would be Central York.

They always have a great atmosphere for lacrosse up there that you don’t see at a lot of other schools.

-Who’s your team’s biggest rival and why?

Richards: South Western of course, because South Western is Spring Grove's rival no matter what.

Reddinger: That would have to be Spring Grove because it’s usually a pretty close game and it always seems like Spring Grove wins one year, then New Oxford wins the next.

Albright: I would have to say Delone Catholic. It has always been a long-standing rivalry.

Rider: Hanover because they’re a cross-town rival and we just don’t like them plain and simple.

Hughes: Definitely Spring Grove. We don’t like them, they don’t like us, and it’s always an exciting game to play in.

-What's your favorite sport to play other than this one?

Richards: Field hockey. But lacrosse is hands down my favorite.

Reddinger: That would have to be field hockey.

Albright: Field hockey.

Rider: Football. Nothing beats the brotherhood.

Hughes: Football.

-Have any gameday routines or superstitions?

Richards: I listen to the song "Headstrong" before every game. It gets me in a confident mindset. It reaffirms my confidence that I can take on anyone.

Reddinger: I don’t have any except before every game, Raleigh Bateman and I have a handshake.

Albright: I always listen to music before the game. Even while I’m warming up, you can probably catch me singing. It keeps me calm.

Rider: Say a rosary with “Momma Rider” and watch the movie ‘Rudy’ with my brothers.

Hughes: I usually put new tape on my stick before every game so it’s a little more grippy. And it’s probably silly, but I always put my left cleat on before my right cleat. It’s just something I’ve done forever and I guess it’s a lucky habit.

-Who is the toughest goalie/pitcher in the league to go up against?

Richards: Up until last week I would've said South Western's. But after last week's "Lax play day" at Central, Dallastown's goalie gave our team a little trouble.

Reddinger: The toughest goalie would have to be Laura Silver (South Western). I played with her for many years and I know what she is capable of and how awesome she is in goal. Sometimes it feels like you can’t get anything by her.

Albright: The toughest pitcher would be Madeline Yanetti from Gettysburg and the toughest batter would be Kaitlin Barron from Fairfield. She is always a solid hitter.

Rider: The toughest pitcher would be my teammate Hunter Keith and his wicked splitter.

Hughes: Definitely our goalie Nick Raynor. He’s very good at watching shooters’ eyes and he knows how to cut off the ball very well.