For BE siblings, lacrosse is a family affair!

She’s arguably the best female high school lacrosse player in the Palmetto State, and is a member of the National Honor Society to boot.

But Bishop England student-athlete Emma Pizzo’s best attribute just might be her modesty.

Just ask her coach, Jeff Weiner.

“She’s very modest,” Weiner said. “I’m surprised that she even agreed to do this interview. She doesn’t like to be in the limelight or stuff like that. Last year, when she was named the state player of the year, I had to convince her to sit on the dais.”

“She’s very bright, very studious,” Weiner continued. “She worries about academics more than anything else.”

Pizzo, who has a 4.7 GPA, is one half of South Carolina’s first family of lacrosse. Her brother Andrew, who graduates in a few days from Bishop England, is equally talented and humble. He should repeat as an all-state selection and will continue his athletic and academic careers at the University of Tampa.

It’s not unusual to see brother rooting on sister and vice versa when the BE LAX machine plays the same opponent on the same field on the same day.

“He’ll come over from his game to watch my game,” Emma said. “He will ask, ‘How many did you score?’ If he did better, he will rub it in a little.”

Both have plenty to celebrate as the proud owners of state championship rings. Emma has two of them, including the one she and her Bishop teammates just won on April 29.

The Bishop girls went 14-2 on the season and outscored four playoff foes 81-10. They beat Chapin 15-6 in the state final as Emma scored three goals. She finished the season with 113 points, which led the state. She scored 80 goals and handed out 33 assists.

Andrew, equally impressive, helped the Bishops post a 14-3 record as the Bishop boys won their first state title on the same day as his sister’s recent championship game.

“That was something she had that I wish I had,” Andrew said of the elusive state title.

The Pizzos grew up in Long Island, which was more of a lacrosse hotbed than the Lowcountry. The family moved south and that’s when the siblings became serious about South Carolina’s fastest growing prep sport.

Andrew was one of the team’s leaders, a role he gladly accepted. He knows firsthand that underclassmen can be in awe of the older players.

“I like being a role model,” Andrew said. “We can learn from each other. A freshman can improve his skills by working hard and by watching how the experienced players handle situations. It really helped me when I was a freshman and I hope it has helped the younger kids this year.”

Andrew will matriculate to Tampa because he likes the school, the good weather and the LAX program.

“I wasn’t sure how far lacrosse would take me when I first started playing,” he said.

His journey started in Long Island and continued in Charleston - with southern Florida slated as his next destination. And while the trip has gone south, he’s also been north, to the top of the high school lacrosse mountain.

Daniel Island Publishing

225 Seven Farms Drive
Unit 108
Daniel Island, SC 29492 

Office Number: 843-856-1999
Fax Number: 843-856-8555

 

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