Early in the third quarter of the Terrapins men’s lacrosse team’s game against Yale on Feb. 21, 2015, Lucas Gradinger had one thing on his mind.

Not the tie score. Not the ACL tear that wiped out the back half of the midfielder’s freshman campaign a year prior.

Gradinger’s only focus was diving toward the end line for possession. He was so focused he paid almost no attention to the pop in his left shoulder upon landing.

But the Bulldogs earned possession, so the sophomore climbed to his feet for the counterattack. As he ran, only his right arm swung in stride. He couldn’t lift his left one.

He jogged off the field to the trainer. The Yale medical staff came over, too.

Before Gradinger knew it, he was in the locker room having his shoulder popped back into its socket.

On the field, meanwhile, the Terps suffered their first loss of the season. That made the bus ride home pretty painful.

Gradinger learned soon after that he tore his labrum and needed season-ending surgery. That hurt even worse.

It meant Gradinger was stuck on the sidelines one month later when the Terps played in California — his home state, where the Gradinger name is synonymous with lacrosse success.

That might have been most painful of all.

Gradinger’s college career has been marred by injuries, but 2016 is a fresh slate.

During a campaign in which Gradinger hopes to jump-start his Terps production, the third stop — a battle against No. 1 Notre Dame on Saturday in the Pacific Coast Shootout — marks a second-chance homecoming.

An opportunity to ease some of the pain.

Midfielder Lucas Gradinger swings the ball behind the goal when the Terps defeated High Point, 15-10, at Maryland Stadium on Feb. 20, 2016. (Christian Jenkins/The Diamondback)

‘LUCAS IS COMING’

Growing up, Gradinger seldom went without a lacrosse stick in hand.

He adored his two older brothers, Nick and Max, who starred locally before playing at Cornell and Vermont, respectively.

Gradinger watched their club games, enthralled with the action. He started playing at about age 5, soon a star attackman in a family of defenders.

With Nick eight years and Max five years older than Lucas — he was the ball boy for their high school team in fifth grade — the Gradinger boys didn’t usually roughhouse while playing together. Instead, they taught Lucas defensive intricacies, fostering their young protege’s ability to exploit opponents.

That helped Gradinger storm through the club lacrosse circuit, garnering news coverage and buzz from parents on both sidelines.

“They were excited and waiting for him to come join the high school team,” said Gradinger’s father, Leo. “A sense of ‘Hey, Lucas is coming.'”

‘THE GUY’

Gradinger sometimes refrained from passing when he was younger. His stick skills were more advanced than his peers’. They weren’t ready for his passes.

But Gradinger’s niche as a freshman on Torrey Pines’ varsity team in 2010 was feeding from the X behind the goal, setting the foundation for the two-time U.S. Lacrosse High School All-American’s 291 career points on 144 goals and 147 assists.

His production drew double- and sometimes triple-teams.

It opened up his teammates for scoring opportunities, while he doubled his efforts to crack the face guarding.

He’d practice his shooting. Play wall-ball. Lift. Watch film. Record games for future study.

Gradinger was also a three-year assistant coach for the middle-school Rancho Santa Fe Eagles, elevating him to celebrity status.

His players wanted “to be like Lucas.” At Torrey Pines’ Friday-night games, Gradinger had his own cheering section filled with kids and decorated signs.

“Some guys are just like, ‘Oh, that kid’s really good, but he’s an asshole,’ or ‘That kid’s selfish,’ but everyone just liked being around him and playing with him,” Torrey Pines coach Jono Zissi said. “It made guys just kind of want to work harder, like, ‘I don’t want to let that guy down.’

“I don’t know. He literally is so rare that I can’t say it enough. There aren’t enough Lucases in the world. There are just not.”

Gradinger finished his career with four section championship appearances, including titles as a sophomore and senior.

Today, Torrey Pines has 12 Division I-bound players, but Zissi reminds his squad they “haven’t really done anything. It’s guys like Lucas and his brothers that made this name so cool.”

So none of the current Falcons wear a No. 6 jersey — the one all three Gradingers donned, the only number retired at Torrey Pines.

“Anyone west of Missouri knows Lucas and his name,” Zissi said. “He was ‘the guy.'”

‘A SMALL FISH’

When Gradinger committed to the Terps, his mom’s alma mater, “we knew he was going to become a small fish in a big pond,” Leo said.

Gradinger played in five games as a rookie, his only goal coming on a diving backhanded shot against UMBC.

Midfielder Lucas Gradinger shields the ball from a defender during the Terps’ 14-3 win over UMBC on Feb. 15, 2014 at Maryland Stadium. (Photo courtesy of Maryland Athletics)

Midway through the year, Gradinger made a cut in practice, and his right knee gave out. He hobbled to the training room, and an MRI a few days later confirmed he tore his right ACL. His freshman season was over.

While his teammates prepared for a postseason run, Gradinger did “prehab” exercises to strengthen the muscles around his knee.

From the bench, Gradinger looked on as the Terps fell in the NCAA semifinals. From the stands of M&T Bank Stadium, Leo watched his son’s disappointment.

The two then flew back to California, and Gradinger had surgery the next week.

“Going through an ACL injury,” Gradinger said. “That’s as bad as it gets for an athlete.”

Or so he thought.

‘ON THE SIDELINES’

After a summer and fall filled with physical therapy, Gradinger was itching to start a new season.

He didn’t record any stats as a reserve during the 2015 opener, so Gradinger wanted to make a difference as he dove for the sideline in New Haven, Connecticut.

But when his shoulder popped, so too did his expectations for his sophomore campaign.

Four weeks later, the Terps spent spring break in California, capping their West Coast week with a victory over then-No. 2 North Carolina.

Gradinger’s parents again watched Lucas watch the game. Leo then followed the Terps east for his son’s second major surgery in as many seasons.

As his teammates worked toward another championship weekend appearance, Gradinger grimaced as the Terps medical staff stretched his shoulder, forcing the joint to regain its range of motion.

He was there for the Terps’ national championship loss in Philadelphia. His parents, though, stayed home.

“It’s so hard to watch him on the sidelines,” Leo said. “I told him, ‘Next year, I’ll come when you’re playing.'”

But he didn’t want his son to feel as though he had to overcome another injury. While Gradinger rehabbed after shoulder surgery, Leo listed Gradinger’s options.

He could come home, switch schools, stop lacrosse.

“Parents are always the ones who are going to be lovey-dovey, kind of, talking to you like that,” Gradinger said. “That was never a thought that even came close to entering my mind.”

‘A PRIDEFUL DAY’

Now Gradinger’s conversations with his family center around school and his future. He interned with a California commercial real estate company last summer. He wants to do the same in a few months.

Still, their talks never looked too far ahead in lacrosse — until now.

Hotel rooms? Booked. Gradinger’s brothers’ flights? Reserved.

The whole Gradinger clan, including numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents, will be in Costa Mesa, California, this weekend for the top-10 matchup.

Zissi is “making it as mandatory as you can make something” for the Torrey Pines team to trek to LeBard Stadium to watch Gradinger and Notre Dame defender Chris Carter, who also played for the Falcons.

Yet Gradinger said this year’s trip west might not be as fun as the last.

The 2015 event fell during spring break, allowing the Terps to spend all week in California.

One morning, they bussed to Coronado Island for a Navy SEALs presentation. Then they went to Del Mar, California, Gradinger’s hometown, and spent time on the beach. The Gradingers rented a taco truck.

Gradinger brought about 10 teammates to Torrey Pines to lead a free clinic with the Terps coaches. Hundreds of kids from second through eighth grade participated. Coach John Tillman also talked to the Torrey Pines varsity team in the locker room.

“That was really a prideful day for Lucas,” his dad said.

This year, the Terps are only in California from Thursday to Monday. Practice, meetings and rest will limit beach and family time.

But as Gradinger thought about the itinerary, he backtracked.

Last year, Tillman asked Gradinger to lead the Terps out of the tunnel with the state flag. Then he was a spectator for the rest of the contest.

This year, Gradinger’s healthy and ready to play. That might be even more fun.