Flynn gives boost to lax at Hanover
HANOVER — Hanover boys lacrosse coach Paul Zaylor has been around long enough to know that a senior wanting to play for the first time isn’t a normal recipe for success.
But when the player is multi-sport standout Pat Flynn, Zaylor didn’t give it a second thought.
“The kids kept telling me Patrick wanted to play,” Zaylor said. “I said to tell him that (first) practice is Monday at 5 p.m.”
Flynn has been the human victory cigar for the school this year. The 6-foot3, 265-pound two-way lineman earned All-Scholastic football honors in leading the Indians to an undefeated season and a Division 3 Super Bowl. Not satisfied with one title, Flynn traded in his cleats for sneakers and was an inside presence for a Hanover basketball team which won the Div. 3 state title.
“I don’t know if a lot of people have done it before, it’s been pretty amazing,” said Flynn, who will play football at UNH. “We have great coaches in place and a lot of kids who are willing to work hard.”
Flynn played three sports throughout his school career, but lacrosse was not on the resume. While he played youth lacrosse, Flynn played baseball his first three years at the high school. Then, some lacrosse players convinced him to give the sport a shot.
“The captains told me that they had a chance of winning it all,” said Flynn, as Hanover lost in the Div. 3 state semis last year. “I wanted to be a part of that.”
Even though he hadn’t picked up a stick in years, Flynn made a seamless transition to the sport. Zaylor didn’t expect to get much early on, but quickly changed his opinion.
“I was thinking that we would work him slowly as we were opening the season with Dover-Sherborn and Duxbury,” Zaylor said. “By the Duxbury game, he was starting and giving us a physical presence. He’s transferred his basketball knowledge over to lacrosse and it’s helped him tremendously in terms of getting him up to speed with us.”
Flynn was fully confident he could help the team right away. He credited his other sports for making a smooth transition.
“I think I’ve been able to take the athletic skills from the other sports and use them in lacrosse,” he said. “The toughest part was getting the basics down pat, trying to pick up ground balls and things like that.”
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