These days, the Manchester West boys lacrosse team isn’t short on motivation – or playoff talk.

The Blue Knights understand several things have to go their way in the next week to sneak into the Division I state tournament.

They’ll need to beat teams they’re chasing, such as Nashua South and rival Manchester Central, and those chasing them, such as Keene. They’ll need foes like Salem and Souhegan of Amherst, also in line for the eighth and final playoff spot, to stumble.

But whether motivated by headlines in the local papers looking past it or memories of opponents who have done the same, West is playing perhaps its best lacrosse at a most opportune time.

Beat up during the first half of its schedule when it faced the top five teams in the league, West knew the latter part of the spring would be their time to make a run. They’re approaching it at full speed.

“I said from the beginning, ‘We have to be positive through the first half because the second half, that’s when we get teams like the Memorials, the Centrals, the Keenes, the (Nashua) Norths,’” said West coach Josh Greenwood.

“The first half, the only team we could really run with was Salem (in an 8-5 loss), and I told the guys, ‘You know, if Salem sneaks in, you’ll know why.’

“We’re not counting it out,” he continued, referring to the playoffs, “but it’s not going to be easy either.”

It shouldn’t be for West’s opponents, either. Though knocked back in a 15-4 loss to Londonderry on Monday, May 14, West rebounded from a seven-game losing steak to stand at 3-9 entering a showdown with winless Manchester Memorial on Wednesday, May 16. The Blue Knights have already surpassed their win total of two from a year ago, and, as importantly, started to build upon the flashes of potential they showed earlier in the year.

The offense has come alive in recent weeks, the team notching season highs of 13 and nine goals in victories over Keene and Nashua North last week.

Senior Jeff Murray, who scored five times against Keene, and fellow midfielders Brandon Hill and Dwight Churchill have played a big part, sharing scoring responsibilities with attackmen Adam Lula, Trevor Morrissette and Wade Bussing.

But in many ways, it all starts in net with Tom Brisson. Finding his rhythm – and nearly a shutout in a 12-save performance against North – the junior goalie has helped spark the Blue Knights’ attack with improved clearing passes.

During practice one Sunday a few weeks back, Brisson gathered all the balls he could find around the crease and spent nearly the entire session launching them upfield to streaking midfielders.

Meanwhile, the middies have worked religiously on faceoffs, while practically everyone has taken part in shooting drills, a constant in Greenwood’s practices.

They’ve worked specifically on picking their spots, setting up cones at each corner of the net to promote accuracy.

“I think people have actually started to care,” said Brisson, who, with the rest of his returning teammates, watched a sour attitude kill team chemistry last year, he said. “It kind of sounds bad, but everyone has been showing up to play, and there hasn’t been as much goofing off. Everybody’s been more serious in practice.” In turn, it’s made West a serious contender for a tournament berth.

“If playoffs are a factor, I want us to be playing our best ball by the time we get there,” Greenwood said. “As long as we’re improving every game, I’m going to be thrilled.”