Worthy of a book: Coach Dan Dolphin’s final season at Central Catholic, complete with state championship win

Worthy of a book: Coach Dan Dolphin’s final season at Central Catholic, complete with state championship win

By Ben Stemrich

June 23, 2021

The Lehigh Valley has no shortage of high school state champion teams across sports. Now, for the first time, District 11 boys lacrosse will join that list.

Allentown Central Catholic High School’s Boys Head Lacrosse Coach Dan Dolphin planned on retiring in 2020. But after sports were canceled due to the pandemic, Dolphin decided he wanted his last season

“If I was writing a book, I couldn’t write the script any better and I just couldn’t leave on that note. I knew we were going to have a good team,” Dolphin says. 

The Vikings Boys Lacrosse team beat the undefeated Mars Fightin’ Planets 14-5.

“For the kids I know it was kind of a euphoric feeling that everything they worked for had come to fruition for them and they were just very very happy about it. For me and I think the rest of the coaching staff it was kind of a relief,” Dolphin says. 

He credits the successful season to the 13 seniors and their leadership.

“I don’t think we ever had to tell kids this year to hustle up at practice, they were doing that on their own. And it was interesting a number of practices the players would actually get there before the coaches,” Dolphin says. 

In Dolphin’s final season, the Vikings finished with a record of 23-1. 

Now the coach says he’s looking forward to retirement and might head south.