For four Elis, team chemistry is nothing new

By Brannan Schell

On a rainy day four years ago in suburban Annapolis, Md., Severn, a small private school with only 16 players on the varsity men's lacrosse team, was facing their league rival, St. Paul's of Baltimore. The teams, which are members of the MIAA athletic conference—arguably the best high school lacrosse conference in the country, were battling out their annual contest. Amidst the massive puddles, Severn was able to pull off the upset. Celebrating the victory were four athletes who had no idea they would all be on the Yale team together less than three years later.

Eugene Youn, SM '99, was issued a tough assignment for the game. Tucker Radebaugh '99, now playing lacrosse at the University of Virginia, was one of the best attackmen in the country that year, but Youn stepped up to the task of defending him. "Gene did a good job on him," remembered fellow teammate Brad Graw, SM '99. "[Radebaugh] was held to a subpar game."

"The most memorable game was sophomore year when we upset St. Paul's," Sean Songer, DC '01, said. Youn, the team's captain that year, had similar memories. "It was cool because all four of us were playing in that game together," he said. "It was the crowning moment of our season."

Youn and Graw have ties which go back long before high school. Since the sixth grade, the two have interacted both on and off the field. Growing up in the same area, Graw and Youn attended the same middle and high schools. Before joining the lacrosse team in ninth grade, the two were fierce competitors. "We had four little teams within our middle school," Youn said. "I definitely remember Brad. We would always talk trash to each other."

After the competitive days of junior high, Graw and Youn entered Severn, where they found the camaraderie they still enjoy today. After a year, they were joined by another familiar face. Kevin Schelenski, TD '00, who had played lacrosse with Graw and Youn since junior high and had known Youn since recreational league soccer in third grade, enrolled in Severn. The three players were to be joined a year later by Songer—another future Eli.

JULIA TIERNAN/YH Brad Graw, SM '99 (center, background), Eugene Youn, SM '99 (28), Sean Songer, DC '01 (32), and Kevin Schelenski, TD '00, with the rest of the 1995 Severn High men's lacrosse team.

"I had known Brad since we were little," Songer said. "Our families were really good friends. Brad's and another family influenced me to go to Severn." The four future Yalies played two seasons together at Severn.

After a successful senior season, Youn and Graw left Severn for Yale, paving the path for the two future remaining Bulldogs. Yet Youn's and Graw's decisions to come to Yale were hardly independent.

The summer before their senior years, they were asked to attend a summer lacrosse camp at Yale directed by head coach Mike Waldvogel. They roomed together and had their first contact with Yale players, who were counselors at the camp. Following their experience, the two seniors returned the following fall to the Elm City on a recruiting visit together. "I was leaning more towards an urban school," Youn said. "I really liked being in New Haven, as strange as that sounds." After talking about their prospects, both decided Yale was for them.

With two teammates headed to Yale, Songer and Schelenski were more open to the idea of attending the university. Schelenski, who succeeded Youn as captain at Severn, said, "I stayed with Gene on my recruiting trip when I came up here. Gene definitely had a huge influence in whether or not I decided to come to Yale. He spent a lot of time trying to convince me to come here instead of Cornell." Songer was influenced in a similar fashion. "I heard good things from the older guys," he said.

"Athletics were a big bond at Severn," Graw explained. "I still keep in touch with [Severn]." In fact, when Severn got a new coach last year, Graw contacted all the college players to keep connections strong. But considering that there aren't any Severn players in the freshman class and none on the recruiting list for the Class of 2003, one must wonder whether there will be a new Severn generation on the men's lacrosse team. "Severn has some talent, but I am not sure how studious they are now," Graw said of the potential for future Severn graduates to attend Yale. Yet in light of the impressive tradition of competitive players from Severn, Yale will hopefully see more recruits in the future.

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