A cursory knowledge of lacrosse isn’t even necessary to notice Tyler Pomerleau. When he slashes in from the right wing attack as Oak Hill runs its primary offense, if there’s room, he’s probably going to score.

Much like the 45 times he’s already done so this season.

But what Pomerleau takes just as much pride – perhaps even more pride – in setting up the rest of his teammates, something he’s done 30 times, as well.

“When he shoots, he’s very accurate, but he’s not a gunner,” Oak Hill coach Dave Wing said. “He’d almost rather collect the assists, honestly.”

Sometimes, though, Pomerleau can’t resist. In a game against Morse on May 31, Pomerleau found the back of the net eight times.

“I just felt like I was finding seams,” Pomerleau said. “I felt like I was finding the ball in a one-on-one, and if I have the one-on-one I’m going to take it if I can make it.”

But he won’t force it.

“I like to settle things down,” Pomerleau said. “That’s my main job, to get the ball, slow it down and get the options. If a double team comes, there’s always a man open. This is something we weren’t doing last year.”

In 2007, the Raiders leaned hard on offensive juggernaut Kevin LaPlante, who graduated as the KVAC Player of the Year.

This time around, despite Pomerleau’s 45 tallies, the offense is much more spread out.

“That’s been the mark of this team,” Wing said. “They all like each other, there’s a good team concept. Nobody thinks of themselves as the big star.”

One of Pomerleau’s teammates he leans on is Nick Brown, who draws most of the attention when Pomerleau isn’t around.

“We know they’re going to be targeting either me or Brown, so when they do that, and we get the ball, other men are open,” Pomerleau said. “What (Brown and I) do, we slow the ball down, they cut and give us shooting opportunities. Then, they respect those players, and that opens up opportunities for us that way, too.”

In addition to hooking up with LaPlante last summer, Pomerleau went to the hotbed of lacrosse: Maryland.

“I went to a camp down at (Salisbury University),” Pomerleau said. “That’s probably the best thing I’ve ever done. The teaching I got there was unbelievable, and the skill players … That’s the only was you’re going to get better. If you sit around all offseason and expect to come play and score all kinds of goals, I’m sorry, but that’s just not going to happen.”

Pomerleau and LaPlante began playing together in the sixth grade.

“Almost every day, I was over at his place, playing pass with him. He taught me almost everything I know,” Pomerleau said.

Pomerleau said the idea of teaching younger players to play better isn’t lost on him, either.

“I want to do the same with these guys, teach them everything I can. I want to see (the program) grow. It really used to be a recreational sport, and we were O.K. with being .500, and now we’ve gone and won the KVACs. You can’t ask for better.”