Carthage High School head lacrosse coach Kirk Ventiquattro is getting ready to begin his 23rd season with a career record of 354 wins and just 92 defeats, a sparkling 80% record, difficult in a small school. Last season, his Comets were 13-4 as they stretched their league record to 53 consecutive unbeaten games.

Coach Ventiquattro brought The Game to Carthage in 1988 and has won 17 league titles since then. Fourteen of these seasons were undefeated in the Frontier League. The Comets won Class “B” titles in Section 3 six times.

Kirk attributes the success of his program to great chemistry and support from his coaching staff, the backing of the Carthage community and having great players. He has been names Coach of the Year honors a dozen times in the Frontier League and once, in 1997, in Section 3.

Coach Ventiquattro’s teams have produced some of America’s finest collegiate players, including national champions, All-Americans and National Award winners. The great Powell brothers played for Kirk. Over 30 former Comet players have continued their lacrosse careers at Division 1 colleges. In 2008, Kirk shared All-CNY Coach of the Year honors with West Genesee’s coaching legend Mike Messere.

Kirk and his wife Carelita, an elementary school teacher, have two sons, both lacrosse players – Tony for UMass and Cortland, and Mario for Ohio State.