2012 BOYS LACROSSE PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Bettison than ever
(Union County Weekly, 6-22-12)

Mavs senior helped usher in new era of Marvin Ridge lax

by Aaron Garcia

Marvin Ridge's Walker Bettison

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Walker Bettison is a bit torn when thinking about his position as Marvin Ridge’s all-time leading scorer. It’s a bit too much of an individual honor for the senior attacker and captain’s taste. While he’s proud of what the milestone represents in terms of his own sweat equity over the past four years, he’s done his part to make sure it doesn’t stand for too long.
“I don’t want to downplay (it), but for me it’s not a huge deal, really,” he said. “I put my work in, but there will probably be kids that will come in after me that will break my record. I did what I could, and hopefully the younger guys will come up and beat it.”
It’s that team-first mind-set, coupled with game-changing abilities, which not only earned Bettison the title of Union County Weekly’s 2012 Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year but also led the Mavs to their best season in program history.
Marvin Ridge finished the season 15-4 and ranked eighth in the state, according to laxpower.com. Even better, the Mavs advanced to the state quarterfinals, the team’s best season in its five-year existence.
“My job as a captain, as a leader of the offense, was to make sure the offense was moving the ball and playing together,” said Bettison. “That was my goal.”
But Bettison’s contributions were far from simply motivational. He led the team in goals scored (32) and assists (34), and he added 46 ground balls. Thanks largely to his efforts, the Mavs were able to gain a program-building win over archrival Weddington for the first time in Marvin Ridge history, which Bettison hopes is a sign that his team will continue its tract to becoming Union County’s top program.
“To finally get over that hump and actually beat Weddington,” said Bettison, “That was a good moment.”
Bettison, who signed to join Georgia’s Berry College lacrosse team, said those are the things that will stick out more in his memory than his scoring record.
“I don’t know what (being the program’s all-time leading scorer) means to me,” Bettison said. “It’s a good thing, but personally I don’t look at it as, ‘I’m the all-time leading scorer in Marvin Ridge history.’ Maybe it just doesn’t register for me, or maybe our program hasn’t been built enough yet, I guess.”
Perhaps not. But thanks to Bettison, it’s well on its way.