New Hope’s Kyle McLaughlin reaches scoring milestone

Personal stats aren’t that important to Kyle McLaughlin.
But that doesn’t mean he isn’t happy when he hits a milestone.
The senior on the New Hope-Solebury boys lacrosse team reached the 100-goal plateau this season in the Lions’ 20-4 Suburban One League American Conference loss at Wissahickon.

“I didn’t even realize it when it happened,” said McLaughlin, an attack player. “I found out after the game when we got into the huddle and coach (Jeff Bruemmer) said he wanted to congratulate me on getting my 100th goal and I was like, ‘What?’ because I was just so focused on the game that I didn’t know.

“Honestly, it was never on my mind until I got close to it. Once I knew I was coming up on it, it still wasn’t on my mind that much, but once I actually did get it, it was like a weight off my shoulders.

“I worked hard, I practiced so much, and it was a goal that I’d set for myself, so I am very happy to get it.”

McLaughlin ended the season with 53 goals, 34 assists, 87 points and a points-per-game average of 5.12.

He scored 126 goals and had 93 assists for 220 points and a 4.89 points-per-game average for his career at New Hope.
It’s a solid career, despite losing the 2020 season to the pandemic.

McLaughlin was grateful to be able to play this season.

“When I was a sophomore, we had a junior on the team, Tom Raupp, who finished that season three or four goals away from 100,” he said. “He definitely would have done it his senior year, but then we didn’t have a season, and that was a shame.

“Seeing that happen to him really made me appreciate the opportunity to play this year and to try to reach that milestone.”
McLaughlin began as a baseball player.

“I played baseball until sixth grade,” said McLaughlin, who also played basketball for the Lions. “Then I just got bored with it and I really wanted to try something new. I picked up a stick in seventh grade, and I haven’t looked back.”

He will continue his playing career at Arcadia, where he plans to major in business.

He also considered DeSales, Randolph-Macon and Lycoming before deciding to become a Knight.

“I wanted a school that if I didn’t play a sport I’d still enjoy my time there,” he said. “I really like the campus and just the overall vibe there, and it’s in a great area.

“The coaches were just amazing. Everything there was perfect for me.”

New Hope, a Class 2A team playing in the primarily Class 3A SOL American Conference for the first time, finished the league season 2-8, 7-10 overall. The Lions just missed a spot in the District One tournament, finishing ninth in the power point rankings. The 2A draw was eight.

“That hurt,” he said. “We didn’t make it my freshman year but we made it my sophomore year. We got knocked out in the first round, but just making it was a great achievement for us. We had high expectations for last year and unfortunately, we didn’t get to play.

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