Duke’s Schoeffel playing for two

It doesn’t look like Bo Carrington will ever experience the thrill of returning to his hometown to play college lacrosse in front of family and friends.
The Duke senior will have to live vicariously through his teammate and lifelong friend Steve Schoeffel.
Carrington won’t be playing in the Blue Devils’ ACC Tournament semifinal against North Carolina tonight at Klockner Stadium because of a neck injury — the same ailment that sidelined him when Duke visited Charlottesville on April 12.
“I was looking forward to coming back and playing in the stadium that we grew up watching games in,” Carrington said. “It’s hard not be out there, but we have lots of guys who are going to do a great job. My role has just changed a little bit.
“I’ll be on the sideline and helping the team out as much as I can.”
Nobody feels for Carrington more than Schoeffel.
“It was something that we were both looking forward to for a while,” said Schoeffel, a junior.
Carrington and Schoeffel, a month apart in age, have known each other since kindergarten. They’ve basically played lacrosse together their entire lives.
The pair starred at The Covenant School before going off to Duke to play college lacrosse.
They each figured there would be plenty of chances to come back and play in their hometown.
However, in 2006, their chances were nixed because of the “Duke lacrosse scandal” that saw three players accused of rape. All charges were ultimately dropped, but the university canceled several late-season games.
Both Carrington and Schoeffel were subsequently granted another year of eligibility, but that doesn’t really do Carrington any good because next year’s Virginia-Duke regular-season game will be played in Durham.
Carrington, who has been undergoing regular rehabilitation since he sustained his injury, said there is an outside chance he could be back for the NCAA Tournament. However, he didn’t sound very hopeful.
“If there’s anyway that I can be back on the field, I definitely will,” said the 6-foot-5, 235-pounder. “But at the same time, it’s a little scary messing around with a neck thing.”
Carrington first suffered the injury — a herniated disc — in Duke’s win over Lehigh on March 5. Ever since, Carrington has experienced a number of “stingers” and says he hasn’t been the same.
“Doctors used the word ‘time bomb’ and that was kind of scary,” said Carrington, referring to a recent evaluation of an MRI. “As hard as it is to sit on the sidelines at UVa, it’s something you don’t want to risk. I’ve got a lot of years without lacrosse in my life, hopefully.”
Thirteen days ago, it was Carrington’s buddy who was a major key in the Blue Devils’ 19-9 thrashing of Virginia. Schoeffel scored a career-high three goals.
“There’s not a bigger thrill for me than having him play so well in front of the home crowd,” Carrington said. “If I can’t be out there, then that’s the next best thing.”
Coming into this season, Schoeffel had just three goals and three assists in his first two seasons. Heading into tonight’s clash with UNC, the former Eagles star has 12 goals and two assists.
“Steve’s one of the quickest players that I’ve ever played with,” said Virginia fifth-year senior Pete Lamade, a former teammate of Schoeffel’s at Duke. “He’s just one of those kids who’s thriving now that he’s finally gotten his chance.”
Carrington, a member of last year’s ACC All-Tournament team, says it’s been great to see Schoeffel make his mark.
“I think he’s just been able to fulfill that role on the first line so well, playing with Brad Ross and Ned Crotty, who are such great players,” Carrington said. “He’s fit right in, done exactly what everybody’s asked and been really successful, which has been a huge boost for our team.”
Whenever Schoeffel scored in the win over Virginia, Carrington was the first player off the Duke bench to congratulate him.
“I know it’s been hard for him to just sit when he was looking forward to playing so much,” Schoeffel said. “I’ll certainly be thinking about him when I’m out there playing.”