Kenwood grad has high hopes this year at Hood

Hector Montoya, as a student at Kenwood, made a visit to St. Mary's College of southern Maryland and also looked into attending Salisbury and Towson University.

But once he made a trip to Frederick he knew he had found the right school.

"I liked the atmosphere. It felt like family," Montoya said of Hood College, where he plays Division III lacrosse. "Also, I knew the program was on the rise. It has been a lot of fun."

Hood is a former women's school that added men's lacrosse in 2005. Last year Montoya, as a sophomore midfielder for Hood, was the main faceoff player for the team and he converted 157 times to set a school record.

The team was 6-4 overall before losing its seven next matches, including two to teams that were ranked No. 1 in the nation at the Division III level at the time: Stevenson and Salisbury.

Montoya returns as a junior this season for the Blazers, who begin the season at home Feb. 22 against Gwyneed-Mercy. Hood lost to that team, 7-5, in its second game of the 2010 season and ended the year 0-7 in league play. Hood will play at Stevenson on March 2 in the second game of the year for the Blazers.

"I am looking forward to this season," said Montoya, who played in all 17 contests last year and made 16 starts. In high school he competed in soccer, wrestling and lacrosse all four years at Kenwood.

This year he will play for a new coach. Jeremy Mattoon, a University of Maryland graduate, took over the program last summer after former coach Curt Foxx took a coaching job at Hendrix College in Arkansas. Mattoon is a former high school at Saint John's Catholic Prep in Frederick and Montoya said he brings the intensity of a football coach to the program.

"He definitely takes charge of our team. He is definitely in your face. There is a lot more intensity," Montoya said. The junior from Baltimore did not meet Mattoon until late last year, since Montoya spent the fall semster studying in Australia. He had the chance to work out with a club lacrosse team while he was Down Under.

One of six brothers and sisters, Montoya's father was born in Colombia while he was born in Maryland. After college he has considered joining the Air Force or the Peace Corps, which he admits are diverse career options.

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