Jul 02, 2009 - 01:48 PM

By Shawn Cayley

WHITBY -- Playing for the Whitby Warriors is a big deal for the Sorichetti brothers.

Never mind that the club is in a fight for their playoff lives. Brothers Eric and Adrian are just happy to carry on the family name that has long been a part of Jr. A lacrosse in these parts.

"I was born and raised in Whitby and I have always wanted to play for the Jr. A Warriors. I played (Whitby) minor all the way through and it's an honour to throw on the jersey and follow the (family) name," says 18-year-old Adrian Sorichetti.

Sorichetti is a family name that dates back to the inception of the Whitby Jr. A Builders, a team that Nick Sorichetti, the brothers' grandfather, helped create.

"It's been in our family. Our grandfather, he brought the Jr. A builders to Whitby, so there is a lot of tradition there," notes Adrian.

When the late Nick Sorichetti was inducted into the Whitby Sports Hall of Fame in 2006, the grandsons were on hand to accept the honour on his behalf. If it weren't for him, it's likely the Whitby duo would have never picked up a lacrosse stick, says Eric.

"My grandfather started all his kids in it and it was only a matter of time before the next generation moved in," he explains. "As soon as I was old enough to pick up a lacrosse stick it was in my hands. From there it blossomed."

It blossomed to the point where Eric has developed into a bruising defender with the Warriors, and the men's lacrosse program at Bishop's University in Quebec. After some success at the Jr. B level with the Clarington Green Gaels, Eric felt the time was right to suit up in Whitby as the 20-year-old closes out his junior career this season.

"It feels good to carry on his name," he says of his grandfather. "My brother and I, we accepted the Hall of Fame induction a couple years ago and it just felt right to suit up for the Warriors together, especially with this being my last season.

"I couldn't toss this chance away."

It was a chance both brothers dreamed of as young kids on the floor at Iroquois Park, tossing the ball around between periods of Warrior games.

For Eric, another drawing card was his familiarity with the coaching staff and management, as general manager Ed Derks coached Eric in his final year of midget lacrosse, a team that team won provincials and the summer games.

Adrian, meanwhile, has a couple years of junior eligibility remaining and will be off to university this fall on a lacrosse scholarship to Hofstra in Hempstead, New York.

"They are a top-5 Division-1 program and I look forward to playing there," says Adrian, who like Eric is a former Green Gael.

Nick Sorichetti has a Minto Cup on his resume from his time with the Builders, while previous to that he served as director of the Whitby Jr. B Transporters.