WELL-WORN PATH TO CAROLINA Staines following brothers' footsteps after Severn lacrosse | Maryland Gazette (HometownGlenBurnie.com)

Staines has been following his three brothers on the lacrosse field for years, and he'll begin writing the next chapter this fall.

"I looked around at other schools," Staines said. "But I felt comfortable there."

Each of his brothers - Ronnie, 26, Billy, 24 and Ben, 23 - were standouts for Severn. Ronnie and Billy were defensive specialists, and Ben made his mark as a defensive-minded midfielder. All three of them played for the Tar Heels.

Mark Staines did a little of both. He made Severn's varsity team as a midfielder his freshman season and moved to defense as a sophomore. For the last two years, he's anchored the Admirals' defense as one of the area's top defenseman.

"Mark is a true warrior," Severn coach Brian Wood said. "His intensity, his passion for the game is up there with some of the greats. He's the heart and soul of the team because of the way he approaches every practice - not just the games."

Staines, a three-year starter, grew up with lacrosse coursing through his bloodstream. His father, Ron, played at Western Maryland (now McDaniel College) and coached the boys when they were younger. The Staines family grew up in Severna Park, right behind Severn's campus, so sending Ronnie, Billy and Ben was an easy decision. Mark Staines, however, had a choice to make.

When Staines was in eighth grade, his father got a new job and moved the family to Gambrills. Ron Staines asked his youngest son where he wanted to attend high school, and he didn't give it much thought. He wanted to continue his brothers' legacy, no matter where he was living.

Staines' versatility has made Wood's job much easier. Playing Gilman earlier in the season, Staines played midfielder and handled the faceoffs against one of the strongest teams in the country.

Severn went into the fourth quarter trailing, 10-9, before losing by four goals.

"A lot had to do with putting him in the middle of the field," Wood said. "He's extremely athletic, but the best part is his mental approach. He would do anything for this team to put the team in a better position. He didn't like playing midfield that day, but he did because it made the team better."

Staines switched to defense because he felt more comfortable there, and few people appreciate him more than Severn goalkeeper Alex Plavner.

"He's awesome," Plavner said. "Every single time, you know he's coming up huge. You can't really ask for much more from Mark."

By the time his junior season ended, Staines had offers from several schools, including Navy, Maryland, Virginia and, of course, North Carolina. And despite pleas from Wood for Johns Hopkins - his alma mater - Staines chose the Tar Heels.

Staines knows the competition for playing time will be tough. He's not expecting to start right away like his brother, Ronnie, did. He just wants to contribute.

"I just want to play and work hard and see if I can get any time," Staines said. "It'd be great if I could get any time at all. We'll see what happens."

For the second time since 1997, Severn lacrosse will be without a Staines in the lineup. It's not something Wood wants to witness, but he knew it had to happen sometime.

"You don't replace somebody like Mark," Woods said. "You hope another kid comes along. He's 6-foot-4, 200-something pounds, he runs like the wind. Those kids come around every once in a while."