JEFFREY REINHART jreinhart@LNPnews.com

WARWICK’S GIRLS’ LACROSSE TEAM HAS DEDICATED THIS SEASON TO FALLEN TEAMMATE LINDSAY DUNN

When I heard about this story, I simply had to drop what I was doing and head over to Warwick, where the Warriors’ have dedicated this season (and what a fine season its been up to this point for this team) to Lindsay Dunn, a former teammate, classmate and friend who was killed last spring in an automobile accident. It’s incredible what this team is doing for Lindsay, and I wanted to share that with you. Here’s my column from Wednesday’s New Era …

Becca Spengler was at home, doing some work on her computer when she got the phone call.

“It was a phone call you never, ever want to get,” Warwick’s senior lacrosse standout said. “You never expect that. It wasn’t easy.”

It was last June 24 – the morning after Warwick freshman Lindsay Dunn was killed in an automobile accident on her way home from work.

Lindsay ran for the cross country team and played lacrosse for the Warriors, and she lost her life just two weeks after Warwick wrapped up its lacrosse season – and, tragically, just days after her sweet 16th birthday party.

“I basically sat there in awe,” Warwick senior Megan Klinger said.

As did Marissa Talbot, Lindsay’s best friend and lacrosse teammate.

“The whole thing is just so sad,” said Talbot, pausing several times to hold back tears.

“It’s just so hard because I can’t call her. I can’t ask for her advice. I can’t play lacrosse with her. I can’t hang out with her.”

Warwick’s players have kept Lindsay’s memory alive and well this season. Every player wears a black wristband with Lindsay’s number – 3 – emblazoned in white on it. And during warm-ups, every Warriors’ player wears a specially designed pink t-shirt.

The team presented Lindsay’s parents, Joe and Diane Dunn of Lititz, with a shirt and a wristband. And the school district will be planting a tree and dedicating a bench in Lindsay’s honor in the near future.

“I started crying when I heard they were going to do all of this for Lindsay,” Talbot said, tugging at her pink shirt.

“Pink was one Lindsay’s favorite colors,” Warwick senior Kathryn Kirk said. “We knew she’d love that. The shirts and the wristbands push us to keep going. It’s as if she’s still a part of our team.”

On the front of the pink shirts is a picture of two lacrosse sticks and the letters WGL – for Warwick girls’ lacrosse.

On the back is the African word ubuntu, meaning to always show humanity towards others.

And on the left sleeve is Lindsay’s No. 3 inside a white heart.

“The three in the heart was a classy touch,” Warwick coach Cassie Rumbaugh said. “The kids designed the shirts. They’re a thoughtful group. … This put a lot of things into perspective. I know it did for me. And I think it did for them, too. I know the memory of Lindsay has provided some inspiration for the whole team.”

Especially when the sun shines.

“We were playing Central Dauphin earlier this season and it was raining and we were down by two goals,” Warwick senior Shannon Mearig said. “All of a sudden the sun comes out, it stopped raining, and we came back and won the game.

“We all sort of stood there looking at each other and we were like, ‘Wow, was that Lindsay looking down on us?’ I got goose bumps. I got goose bumps now just standing here thinking about it.”

Rumbaugh said the same thing happened later this season, when the rain stopped during a game against Manheim Township – a game Warwick was trailing, only to rally and earn a tie when the sun came out.

“We know when the sun shines Lindsay’s looking down on us,” Spengler said. “Everything we do is in her memory. This is something you never want to go through, but I think this has made us all a lot stronger. The whole situation brought us closer together as a team, and as a result we’ve played a lot better.”

Warwick won the Section 2 title with an 11-1-1 league record, and didn’t suffer its first loss until the final game of league play – a 14-13 setback to Cocalico on Tuesday. The Warriors will take a 16-1-1 overall record into Friday’s game against McCaskey/Lancaster Country Day in the first round of the league playoffs.

“Lindsay’s looking over us,” Klinger said. “I really, truly believe that. I know I’m thankful for every day I have, and I don’t take much for granted anymore. I think we all feel that way. That’s why we do what we do for her.”

And that has a lot to do with why Warwick has the best record going into the league playoffs. In dedicating the season to a fallen teammate and classmate, the Warriors have played with a purpose and with a little extra motivation.

“This has turned out to be a unity thing for us,” Spengler said. “We want to come through for Lindsay and for her family. Everything we do is in her memory.”

“If we’re losing or if we’re not playing so well, we’ll talk about playing for Lindsay,” Mearig said. “This whole thing really drives us, so Lindsay will always be in our minds. We want to win for her.”

Three more wins and the Warriors – pink shirts, black wristbands and heavy hearts — will be league champs.