BOYS LACROSSE PREVIEW: SJP HUNGRY FOR MORE
DANVERS — If you were to take a quick stroll up Spring Street and into the wilderness of Danvers, you’d notice an exhilarating sense of excitement in recent days, one which has encapsulated the campus of St. John’s Prep.
That’s because the school’s lacrosse team was finally back on the practice turf last week, anxious to recapture the magic the Eagles discovered last year.
Not only did the Eagles (17-1) cap an improbable 2021 season with their first Div. 1 state title since 2010, they inexplicably managed to build a deeper roster, if you can believe it. St. John’s Prep will welcome back three senior college commits, including Tommy Sarni (Providence), Luca Winter (Union) and Connor Kelly (Richmond). The Eagles will also see the return of a rising star in sophomore Jack Vana ,a member of the USA Lacrosse U16 National Development Team. Watch out for the emergence of Jackson Delaney and Chris Esposito as well.
“Last year was last year,” said St. John’s Prep coach John Pynchon. “We spent a lot of time talking about the ideas of balancing experience vs. expectations…It gave us a tremendous amount of experience that we can build upon, but yet, it brings expectations that are mostly placed on us from other people outside of the influences. So, (we’re) keeping it really simple, keeping it focused on our core values, and what we’re trying to do every day.”
The Catholic Conference is expected to remain very relevant within the Div. 1 ranks this season. St. John’s Prep’s greatest challenger could arguably be its league rival from Morrissey Boulevard, as BC High looks to avenge last year’s loss in the state final. The Eagles will turn to their leading scorer from last season, as Will Emsing (61 points) makes his comeback. Tim Rogers, an Ithaca commit, will hope to provide some physicality on the front lines. Don’t be surprised if Xaverian starts to make some noise again this year as well.
The usual public schools are also expected to contend, as Hingham returns the likes of Henry Crean, Connor Hartman, Cian Nicholas and John Sula.
Lincoln-Sudbury will attempt to gain headway in the chase for supremacy within the Dual County League. Meanwhile, Acton-Boxboro will lean on defenseman Devin German, a UMass-Lowell commit, looking to keep pace.
Franklin captured yet another Hockomock Kelley-Rex title in 2021. Don’t expect the Panthers to wither away in the near future, as junior attackman Luke Davis still has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Natick remains a force to be reckoned with out of the Bay State Conference, as senior standout and Sienna commit Colby LeBlanc will attempt to provide another
explosive season offensively. Needham should also be among the top teams in the Bay State Conference.
However, the ultimate monkey wrench that could shake up the entire Div. 1 field could be a newcomer to the fray. Concord-Carlisle joins the Div. 1 group after winning its fifth state title last season.
Now, Patriots coach Tom Dalicandro and his group will look to flex their collective muscles against some of the state’s premier competition.
In the new statewide alignment, Duxbury is in Div. 2 and immediately is expected to be one of the favorites. Billerica, Reading and Scituate could threaten the Dragons in their pursuit, however.
Longmeadow is shaping up to be a Western Mass. powerhouse once again, after battling Concord-Carlisle to a one-goal game in the championship last July.
Watch out for Nauset as well, which has suddenly entered the conversation as a dark horse candidate following an impressive preseason.
Jumping down to Div. 3, we can quickly point out one contender. Medfield returns 26 seniors and nine of them are committed to playing at the collegiate level. This loaded class will be helmed by UMass commit TJ Casey
(a faceoff win rate of 75.9% last season), as well as Luke Murphy (59 goals, 18 assists), who is bound for Loyola at the conclusion of the season.
Could Norwell challenge Medfield after making an appearance in the Div. 3 title game last summer? It’s possible, but as of now, you’d have to think the Warriors are the immediate favorite among the field.
“I hope,” chuckled Medfield coach John Isaf. “We like to think that we’re competitive every year, and we don’t really focus on the end goal. We just really say: ‘Hey, how does Medfield play lacrosse? Let’s play to that standard.’ If we follow those standards and that process, the outcomes will take care of themselves.”
As it comes off a Div. 3 championship (a 10-4 victory over Norwell last season), Dover-Sherborn should make waves in the Tri-Valley League with Will Bowen and Charlie Perry coming back. The Raiders are now a team to key in on within the confines of the recently-formed Div. 4 field, but they might still have to deal with the likes of Cohasset, Medway and Sandwich come the statewide tournament, if the usual script pans out.