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Off to a 5-0 start following a blowout win against Lafayette this past Saturday, Army is firing on all cylinders early in 2025.
This year’s Black Knights have contributions coming from everywhere, but it’s a few Thunder alums that are leading the way.
Starting junior goalie Sean Byrne is the backbone of the defense and made nine saves in the win on Saturday. He’s also got a goalie goal to his name this season with five wins, a .737 save percentage and just 20 goals allowed (4.4 per game).
Evan Plunkett, the reigning Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year and considered by many to be the best midfielder in the country, potted three goals and an assist Saturday. He has has 10 points this year. Plunkett’s younger brother, Hill is a freshman at West Point. The former four-star recruit in the class of 2023 has six points with three goals and three assists.
Freshman Brayden Fountain is already a star, with a whopping 20 goals and seven assists, including a four-goal, seven-point performance on Saturday. His 20 tallies are the most of any freshman in the country. The four Atlanta natives and Thunder alums are a major reason why Army is unbeaten and ranked No. 5 nationally heading into this Saturday’s battle with Holy Cross.
“Thunder… was a No-Brainer”
“When me and Evan were going through, Thunder was the biggest program in Georgia and kind of the only place that was producing Division 1 guys,” Byrne said in a phone interview late last week. “It was a no-brainer. If you could make it to that team and you were part of a decent Thunder team, you could go play D1 because of what they instill in you.
“With Georgia being a non-traditional hotbed, guys have this little bit of extra work ethic and chip on their shoulder to want to go do something when the odds are kind of stacked against you.”
“I think it definitely starts from a young age,” Evan Plunkett said. “Continuous training, not necessarily just summer ball. There’s events in the fall, winter and spring. They make sure you have a stick in your hand year-round and keep you competitive. It’s just a great way to build good habits on and off the field and play with great players.”
Georgia has more than 120 high school programs 20 years after only having a handful. It’s now a hot bed, but only because of opportunities like the Thunder continuing to develop players and individuals.
Best Friends Still Playing on the Same Team
Byrne and Fountain also have a unique relationship despite the age gap. The two of them grew up in the same neighborhood and have been working towards this opportunity since playing in the street.
“Brayden and I actually grew up across the street from each other, like, literally right across the street,” said Byrne. “We would play every sport in the driveway and cul-de-sac and we’d hang out pretty much every other day. He was a freshman when I was a senior and he’s pretty much my best friend. Getting to spend two more years with him because I went to prep school and he didn’t is honestly a dream come true.”
“It’s actually amazing,” Fountain said. “I remember like, every single day after school we would get together because I was a minute walk across the street. I’d shoot on him for hours and he’d shoot on me for hours. When I was going into freshman year of high school, my main goal for the whole year was to play varsity with Sean.
“I got to do that and now that I’m here at Army with him, it’s like playing backyard lacrosse again. I’m very blessed to have him. He helps me through so much stuff. Like, a bad practice or something, he’s always there. We’re best friends so it’s fantastic (playing together), actually.”
Brothers Back at It for the Troops
Meanwhile, the obvious bond between the Plunketts had led to this unique chance to share the field and duty to their country together.
“We kind of always knew it was a possibility, but he was much better than me out of high school, so he had a lot more uncertainty with what he wanted to do,” said Evan. “I was pretty set on here and he also liked it, so it worked out perfectly and now we both get to play together.”
“It all started with (Evan). When he went to lessons and started to put in the extra work, really started to watch film and dissect it, I just kind of followed him in that sense,” added Hill. “It grew from there and then when he got his license, it was every moment we could get our stick in our hands and get to the field and just shoot and truly learn each other’s games. Now, we’re playing together and it’s just the best outcome that we could have.”
In the end, the commitment to something bigger than themselves is what attracted each of them to Army. The term ‘brotherhood’ is thrown around a lot in sports, but it truly has to be when your life is in the hands of the guy next to you.
A Special Program
Any future success the Black Knights continue to have will be because they live the word day in and day out.
“Yes, we’re going to serve afterwards. Yes, we’re going to be part of the military, but it’s the team, the experience, the four years, the guys here, everything that being a West Point lacrosse player has to offer,” added Byrne. “It’s such a special aspect I don’t think a lot of people understand until you get to experience it. Kids come up for recruiting visits and whatnot and they always talk about the guys and the team.
“That’s what people love about this place and I think that’s what makes our program so special.”
