As respect grows, Navy's Sowell focuses on field

Navy coach Rick Sowell shouts instructions to his team in the fourth quarter. The Navy Midshipmen defeated the visiting Army Black Knights, 10-7, in men's NCAA lacrosse Saturday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. (By Paul W. Gillespie / Baltimore Sun Media Group) Coach Rick Sowell had the same reaction to Navy men's lacrosse being tabbed second in the Patriot League preseason poll as he did last year the program was picked second.

"I don't pay a lot of attention to preseason polls," Sowell said. "It doesn't matter whether you're picked second or sixth. You still have to go out and prove it on the field. Our focus is on getting better every day and hopefully, by the end, we'll be a…