The Daily Orange is a nonprofit newsroom that receives no funding from Syracuse University. Consider donating today to support our mission.
O
n Army’s last chance to recover from a two-goal deficit, Peter Dearth readied himself at the block ‘S’. The Black Knights’ James Pryor sprinted back to the 45-yard line, but Dearth, then a Syracuse senior, anticipated the clearance attempt. He lunged, extending his left arm and cradling the one-handed interception to smother any last hope for Army.
Like most games since his shift to defensive midfield, Dearth didn’t register a goal that afternoon. But as he tumbled onto the far-side 40-yard marker, he somersaulted to his feet and evaded Pryor one last time before flipping to Owen Seebold to carry into the attack area. Just over 5,400 fans packed the Carrier Dome, and Dearth’s clutch play, ensuing fist pump and holler at midfield spurned them to their feet.
Now, Dearth is back for a fifth season, and he’s trying to lead No. 3 Syracuse to its first national title since 2009. He’s a preseason second-team All-American and SU’s first three-time team captain. But none of those feats would be possible had he not adopted a defensive role three years ago. At Ridgefield (Conn.) High School, Dearth was a two-time All-American offensive midfielder, but it’s his switch to defensive midfield — one that he bought into quickly — that’s given SU the versatility it needs to capture old glory.
“That’s one of the reasons Peter is a captain,” head coach John Desko said. “He’s done what’s best for the team, on and off the field.”
From the start of his freshman season, Dearth was instantly thrust into the rotation. After four goals in 11 appearances his first season, the midfielder began his sophomore season on SU’s starting midfield line as attacking mid. Five games later, he hadn’t scored, and his playing time diminished — and so did his confidence in his abilities to continue playing there.
Rather than prolong what he now calls a “horrible” start, Dearth went to assistant coach Lelan Rogers to ask about a switch to defensive midfield in March 2018. ESPN analyst and former Syracuse All-American Paul Carcaterra likened the adjustment to going “from linebacker to safety.” Responsibilities increase, but it was a better fit for Dearth, one of the best athletes on the field. So, Rogers welcomed what Drake Porter called “such a selfless” decision — sacrificing offensive glory for the betterment of the team.
He's done what's best for the team, on and off the field.
John Desko, Syracuse men’s lacrosse head coach on Peter DearthIn moving to defense — which was “definitely a big shift,” according to Carcaterra — Dearth’s combination of size, speed and offensive IQ had the potential to revitalize SU’s transition game. While most defensive midfielders leave the field once six-on-six offense commences, Dearth could carry himself and use his background as an attack to contribute on the other end. Two weeks after the switch, Dearth scored his first goal of the season after stifling a Duke clearance and taking it himself.
Despite only starting five of 15 games that year, Dearth finished ninth on the team with 24 ground balls. He added five points and five caused turnovers. His transition was expedited by the mentorship of Paolo Ciferri and Joe Gillis, two defensive middies from Dearth’s freshman year.
“I think when I made the switch over to defense, it really just helped me use my athleticism and was a more natural fit for me as a position,” Dearth said.
Ciferri and Gillis taught Dearth “more than they know” about on-ball and off-ball positioning, and more importantly, about how to be a defensive leader, Dearth said. With his junior year on the horizon, Dearth wanted to be the one setting the example.
Dearth spent the 2018 offseason focused primarily on strength-building. Niche offensive activities such as wall ball and shooting were replaced with intense workouts that isolated multiple muscle groups at once. Desko recognized Dearth’s efforts by naming him the lone junior captain alongside four seniors.
In 2019, another season devoid of gaudy stats and offensive notoriety, Dearth still earned an All-American honorable mention on a team that went just 9-5. Porter finished All-Atlantic Coast and said, while much of Dearth’s impact doesn’t show in the stat sheets, he’s invaluable at helping Porter clear.
But the source of the decision to make the switch — and the sacrifices that came with it — was incomplete. Dearth dreamed of winning a national championship at Syracuse “since I picked up a stick in first grade,” he said.
Growing up, Dearth had two built-in combatants in his older brother, Cal, now a Boston Cannons attack, and his younger brother, Ray, who’s a Harvard-commit. Dearth’s father Brian took the boys to watch Duke’s CJ Costabile at New London (Conn.) High School and Johns Hopkins’ John Ranagan in Yorktown Heights, New York, according to Inside Lacrosse. For Dearth, these games doubled as entertainment and a learning experience.
