Laurence Manning's Strickler powers hot start for Swampcat LAX on way to Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week

The Laurence Manning lacrosse team is out to a hot start in 2026. One of the reasons is the senior in the middle of it all, midfielder Camdyn Strickler.

The 'Cats went 2-0 last week against Gilbert and Philip Simmons. Strickler did a little bit of everything, scoring four goals with five assists and excellent defensive play. His performance helped the Swampcats improve to 4-0 on the season and helped him secure Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week honors.

"It feels great knowing that everyone around here has my back," Strickler said of the support from the LMA community.

Strickler is one of 10 seniors with the Swampcats this season, and they're determined to make a run. A large portion of that senior group has been with the program since its inception, and they want to end their careers on the right note.

"The mindset behind this season is just to win it all," Strickler said. "It's been the goal since eighth grade for this senior group and all of the underclassmen underneath us. That's the mentality we came into the season with, and we're just trying to keep the momentum going."

That senior group is the guiding force for the Swampcats. LMA head coach Mike Davies has loved the way their bond and leadership are leading to wins early in the season.

"They've played together so long. They play in backyards, they meet at parks, they come and play at the school. They're constantly trying to hone their skills and get better. They talk to each other and watch film; travel ball helps," Davies said. "But you have to have a few workhorses, and Camdyn is our workhorse because he can transition. He plays really tough on the inside. We play him on the crease, and you have to be able to take some really big hits on the crease from guys who are playing defense. You have to have mental toughness to do that, to know that you're going to get hit and pushed and knocked down. He does that for us; he works well in transition, and he's selfless. He's OK if he scores, but he's even better when he's looking and he's able to see people to make really nice passes for easier goals."

As a midfielder, part of Strickler's role is to help the Swampcats make their transition from defense to offense. He picked up seven groundballs last week to help flip the switch from one side of the ball to the next. His ability on both sides of the ball is also evident in his role on special teams, as he plays on both their man-up and man-down lineups.

"It's a big deal for us because we love transitioning and playing fast," Strickler said of his role as a midfielder. "Playing both ways is very important to me. Defensively, we're really good. Our D poles and the shortstick D middies we have are really good, so I'm happy with the guys I have behind me on defense and on offense."

Strickler's ability to be a facilitator offensively while also finding the back of the net makes him extremely valuable to the Swampcats. His vision in transition has been important for an offense that piled up 52 goals in their first four games.

"It's critical to our success," Davies said of Strickler's ability to both score and assist his teammates. "We've got like eight players who have played together since the eighth grade, and they've played all over, gaining a lot of experience. It helps to have guys around you that have the same skillset and have the same kind of understanding of the game. He's a selfless player, so if he takes the shot or has that opportunity, he's going to score for you, but if he knows there are other guys coming at him and he's getting double-teamed, he's very willing to pass to make sure we win the game."

Strickler credits the bonds he's formed with his teammates for their collective offensive success.

"With a lot of years here and travel ball together, we've built a lot of chemistry on and off the field," Strickler said. "We always hang out, we're always friends, and we just try to stay as a family and as one."

Now, they just want to keep the good times rolling all the way to a state title, their ultimate goal.

"Just playing up and never playing down (to your opponent), just staying focused on the task at hand," Strickler said of the key to making a deep playoff run this season. "We're just going to try to keep the momentum going towards the end of the season and try to pull off a win in the state championship."