This year it’s a whole new game. With the MIAA’s recent alignment, many of the schools with dominant boys lacrosse programs prowess have been tossed into an entirely different division, leaving many questioning what the spring journey could bring.
Let’s look at two, beginning with Scituate, which dropped from Div. 2 after years of relevance. The Sailors come to mind as a favorite in the eyes of many because of their recent history, but are dealing with the injury bug. The team will be relying on Willy Robinson (77 goals, 22 assists) for scoring and are hoping for success with a newfound challenge.
“To me, D3 is very, very competitive,” said Scituate coach Mark Puzzangara. “I just think we’re now, we are just one of five or six teams that could win the whole thing. If we can stay healthy, get a little bit of luck. But to me, I still think Division 3 is run by Medfield, Dover-Sherborn, Newburyport. These are teams that are in it every single year. I just think throwing us down in there, now you’ve got Nauset down there, too, I think we are one of five or six teams that could possibly get to the Final Four and win it.”
Nauset also dropped to the Div. 3 ranks after a historic run the past few years. Last season, the Warriors earned themselves the second seed in the Div. 2 tournament, before faltering in the Round of 8 to a then-undefeated Marblehead squad. However, the program brings back Logan Poulin, a University of Vermont commit. The faceoff star will join goaltender Zach Coelho and a series of other junior stars as the program looks to make a run at the pinnacle.
“I think given where we’re at, we fit in pretty well there with the teams we traditionally compete with,” Nauset coach Jesse Peno said. “So, our outlook is pretty good. I know we’re replacing quite a bit, especially on the offensive side. So we’re kind of learning, and getting better as we go, but I think Division 3 is a good landing spot, with where we’re at. But I think it’s the biggest division. There’s a lot of competitive teams there, so we’re looking forward to it.”
This isn’t to say that the field will be confined to just the South. A notable school from the Middlesex League also entered its name into the sweepstakes. That would be Burlington. Do we see the Red Devils make a surge, following a drop from the Div. 2 ranks? Do we see a squad like Nashoba open eyes with a great campaign?
Then there are the usual heavyweights, opening with Medfield. The Warriors have an outstanding group of talent and are right back in the mix as a favorite in the Div. 3 scene. Senior captain Joe Bartolotta (16 goals, nine assists) will carry things as the primary standout, with Tim Collins (60 goals, 23 assists) closing things offensively. Matt George (43 goals, 18 assists) will look to provide support.
A longtime Tri-Valley League nemesis in Dover-Sherborn could stand in their path, however. The Raiders come into the 2024 season with hunger, hoping to return to their usual dominance fans have become accustomed to seeing over the past decade. Look for attackman Wyatt Pastore and defenseman Dillon Rogers to lead the charge this spring.
Is Div. 4 a de facto South Shore League crown this year? It’s not a fait accompli, but the lead favorites all hail from the aforementioned conference.
Last year’s champion, Cohasset, remains a dominant force as always. The Skippers have had turnover in recent seasons, but still manage to vie for hardware, year-in, year-out. Don’t expect them to go anywhere, as the program brought back Liam Appleton and Shane Mulcahy to shoulder the offensive attack. Rising stars like sophomore Gus Greene could add a spark.
Meanwhile, the Skippers will have a conference rival joining them in the Div. 4 ranks, and it is a noteworthy one, at that. Norwell, which finished as last year’s Div. 3 champion, was slotted down during the recent realignment, and will now hope to continue its reign of success.
Considered to be one of the top teams from the Cape, but now joining the South Shore League list of juggernaut Div. 4 programs, is Sandwich. The Blue Knights will be powered by Assumption commit Shane Corcoran (248 saves last season) in net.
Even some of the dark horse teams come from the vaunted South Shore League, with rising schools like Abington looking to challenge. Up north, Pentucket will hope to have a similar campaign to its prior, when the Panthers were one of the premier teams in the Commonwealth.
Lenox is a program to watch from the Berkshire region, already off to a great start this season.
Players to Watch
Liam Appleton (Cohasset); Joe Berardi (Nauset); Joe Bartolotta (Medfield); Zach Coelho (Nauset); Tim Collins (Medfield); Shane Corcoran (Sandwich); Johnny Donohue (Scituate); Matt George (Medfield); Hunter Grafton (Abington); Gus Greene (Cohasset); Declan Lee (Cohasset); Mike Long (Medfield); Shane Mulcahy (Cohasset); Johnny Olenik (Medifeld); Wyatt Pastore (Dover-Sherborn); Brendan Peno (Nauset); Logan Poulin (Nauset); Patrick Prewitt (Abington); Willy Robinson (Scituate); Dillon Rogers (Dover-Sherborn).
