A Rivalry That Only Matters on the Field

WCAC Opponents Become Supporters as DeMatha's Senior Goalie Continues His Fight Against Cancer

Before word spread to the rest of the lacrosse community, Zack Angel heard it through the high school grapevine.

It was mid-November and Angel, a standout attackman for St. Mary's Ryken, had a girlfriend with a connection to DeMatha goalie Matt Miller. Because of that link, Miller and Angel had hung out on a few occasions and become friends during past tryouts for state all-star teams.

They hadn't seen each other in a while when the news reached Angel, but that didn't reduce the shock.

Miller, he was told, had testicular cancer.

Six months earlier, Angel had led St. Mary's Ryken to a Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championship win over DeMatha. That game, which snapped the Stags' streak of eight straight WCAC titles, only escalated the intensity of one of the league's best lacrosse rivalries. But according to Angel and Miller, there has never been any bad blood or venom between the teams. Only respect.

For proof, look no further than Angel's reaction in November.

Angel, an All-Met, immediately told his coach and teammates about Miller's diagnosis, and the Knights put together a team card offering Miller their thoughts and prayers. It was a simple gesture, but considering the source, that one card carried plenty of meaning.

"You've got to appreciate the kindness of their team," Miller said. "Even though we lost to them in the championship game, that [game] meant nothing when I was going through chemotherapy. It just gave me a higher respect for the character of their team and their coaches."

Said Angel: "Even though DeMatha is our rival you can never have enough get-wells in that condition. And he's a lacrosse player, just like us."

Four days after his diagnosis, on Nov. 12, Miller had surgery to remove the cancerous testicle. He also had a tumor the size of a tennis ball on lymph nodes near his waist, so he underwent nine weeks of chemotherapy.

During that time, Miller said he reconnected with extended family -- "The aunts and uncles and cousins you normally only see on holidays," he said -- and relied on the support of his immediately family, friends and teammates.

He also received the card signed by each of the Knights, a card from St. Albans Coach Malcolm Lester and almost daily phone calls from his future coach, Drexel University's Chris Bates.