Depth matters in boys’ lacrosse. Teams need multiple lines of midfielders to keep everyone fresh and the physical nature of the sport means injuries are a given and backups will play.
Thanks to a strong feeder program and a town that embraces the sport, the Hopkinton boys’ lacrosse team’s depth has overflowed enough to create a junior varsity team.
“It was the right time,” Hopkinton Coach Deacon Blue said of starting the JV team. “It’s definitely going to help our development as a program and help us grow in the division and keep playing the way we’ve been playing.”
The way the Hawks played last year led to a 12-4 record and a spot in the Division III semifinals, where Hopkinton lost in overtime to top-ranked Pelham, 5-4. And it was the right time for the new JV program because only five seniors graduated from last year’s team, 13 freshmen joined the program this year and enough schools now field JV teams for the JV Hawks to have a full schedule.
“There’s definitely been a trend with growing programs. Like last year we played some fifth quarters and third halves with teams that were really wanting to get those younger guys in,” Blue said. “And we have almost a full schedule of JV games to accompany our varsity schedule. I think only three teams we play don’t have a JV team.”
Hopkinton’s 13 freshmen and everyone else on the JV team will get experience this season that will surely help the Hawks down the road, but the season at hand also looks pretty good for Hopkinton. Junior goalie Derek Amoth and senior defenseman Jake Hemmerlein, both D-III Second Team last year, are back to lead the defense. Junior attack Joe Cullinan and Liam Flanagan, who were also D-III Second Team in 2015, are back to lead the offense. And all of the Hawks are willing to do what it takes to win.
“We work well together as a team and we’ll work hard to get the ground balls and do all of those little things that add up to wins,” Blue said.
The Hawks will have an early-season measuring stick on Friday against Laconia, a semifinal team last year expected to be a top contender this season. Last year’s finalists, Pelham and Trinity (which won the title), lost some key players but still figure to be in the hunt.
The other local team with a real chance to make some noise in D-III is Kearsarge. The Cougars, who were 10-5 last year and reached the quarterfinals, return junior midfielder Justin Norris, D-III First Team last year, and senior attack Lucas Muzzey, an D-III honorable mention last year. The defense is in good hands with junior goalie Jakob Arnold and senior long pole Austin Hogancamp. And when Kearsarge faced Hopkinton in a preseason scrimmage this spring, it was the Cougars who came out on top.
John Stark was one of three D-II boys’ lacrosse teams to finish the 2015 regular-season with just one loss. That record gave the Generals a first-round bye, but they were upset in the quarterfinals by No. 6 Winnacunnet, 13-11. Stark lost eight starters to graduation from that team, so there will be some work to do this spring. But the Generals do return five players with starting experience, led by junior midfielder Drew McQuarrie (Second-Team D-II All-State last year).
“Since I’ve been at John Stark the goal has always been a deep run in the playoffs and that is still the goal,” Stark Coach Howard Roever said. “I feel that we should grow as a team and build momentum as the season progresses.”
Bow is also looking for growth after last year’s 4-10 regular-season mark that let the Falcons sneak into the D-II playoffs as the 12th, and final, seed. Bow lost to No. 5 Windham, 11-6, in the first round last year, but there are nine seniors on the roster, led by attack Ben Podis and midfielder Colin Buck (both three-year starters), who are hoping to leave last year behind and a new legacy in it’s place.
Defending-champion Goffstown lost a lot to graduation, but the Grizzlies should be near the top of the standings again this year, along with Windham, Derryfield and Portsmouth. Local D-II teams Merrimack Valley and Pembroke Academy are looking to get back in the playoffs after missing out last season.
Concord also missed the postseason in 2015 with a 5-10 record, not quite good enough to make the 10-team D-I field. The Tide returns its starting defense this spring, led by junior Alex Marceau, who was an D-I honorable mention last year. Marceau, Jon Osbourne, Cormick McGonigle and Dan Kelleher should provide solid protection for goalie Ethan Donlon, who is also a returning starter.
The offense will be more on an unknown commodity for the Tide with new players all over the place on this side of the ball. A couple of familiar faces in new places will be senior Sean Larner, who is moving to attack, and senior Chris Cummings, who will be taking faceoffs and playing in the offensive midfield.
After winning five straight titles from 2010-2014, Bishop Guertin does not enter this season as the reigning champs. That honor belongs to Pinkerton Academy, which beat Guertin, 9-7, in last year’s final. Those two, along with 2015 semifinalists Souhegan and Bedford, figure to be at the top of the D-I standings once again.
Hilary Grimes inherited a very good program when she became Kearsarge’s head coach last season. She kept the Cougars moving in the right direction with a 13-3 record and a trip to the D-II semifinals in 2015. And the Cougars should keep their momentum rolling this spring with 10 starters back from last year’s team that lost to eventual champion Laconia, 11-7, in the semifinals.
The list of returners includes senior attack Anna Stowell (D-III First Team last year and four goals in the semifinals), senior midfielder Eleanor Angus (D-III honorable mention) and junior goalie Anya Nowicki (D-III honorable mention).
“We have a really strong group of returning starters who bring some great experience and leadership,” Grimes said.
Bow was the only other local team to make the D-III tournament last year, getting in as the No. 7 seed with a 7-7 record before losing to Laconia in the first round, 19-6. The Falcons will bring in a new coach this year who isn’t really new at all. Before taking a break for the last two seasons, Chris Raabe was Bow’s head coach for 16 years. She led the Falcons to eight straight finals from 2002-2009 and won four titles – 2003, ‘05, ‘07 and ‘09.
Bishop Brady graduated just one player from last year’s 5-9 team and brings back a strong defensive core led by seniors Dana Beauregard, Emma Caveney, Sophia Marinace and Sophia Palangas (moving from defense to defensive mid) and sophomore goalie Emily Tremblay.
“We should have a good season this year. We have so many starters back who have the experience needed to play at a varsity level,” Brady Coach Kate Hohenberger said. “We’re looking to change our record this year to a winning season and make it to the playoffs. I have no doubt that this is an attainable goal.”
Laconia returns 13 players from last year’s championship team, including four D-III First Team picks, and comes in as the favorite. Kearsarge, Derryfield (undefeated last year before losing in the final), Lebanon and St. Thomas should also be contending for the title come tournament time.
John Stark returns three starters on attack (seniors Lizzie Brandt and Katie Waligura and sophomore Rylee Ledoux) and three in the midfield (seniors Danielle Galli and Liz Neal and sophomore Jillian Douzanis) from last year’s 9-6 quarterfinal team. That should mean plenty of goals for the Generals, which should mean that Galli (D-II Second Team last year) succeeds in becoming the seventh player in program history to reach the 100-goal plateau.
Scoring may not be be an issue for Stark, but there are holes to fill on defense. Freshman Samantha Porter will start in goal after field players Neal and MacKensie Nase filled in last year. Senior Abby Rancourt and Nase will be the experienced anchors in front of Porter’s cage.
“I’ll be looking for balance on offense and defense with the hopes of making it back to the playoffs,” Stark Coach John Warner said.
Windham, the 2015 champion and 2014 runner-up, appears on track to reach a third straight final. And don’t be surprised if Hanover (which lost to the Jaguars, 11-10, in last year’s final), Winnacunnet and Portsmouth join Windham in the semifinals to make it a repeat final four from last season.
Concord will know right away where it stands with the elite of D-I. The Tide’s first three games, all at home, are against Souhegan (semifinalst last year, runner-up from 2012-14), Bishop Guertin (2015 champion) and Exeter (2015 runner-up).
The Tide only has three seniors on the team, but it does have eight returning starters spread out all over the field – Tori Pelletier, Christina Soule and Breanna Vandersea on attack; Steph Resnick, Delana Erickson and Becca Proulx in the midfield and Amandaline Tibbals (goalie) and Madelyn Farrelly on defense.
“It should be a good season,” Concord Coach Steph Johnson said. “We have a lot of talented athletes, we’re just working towards learning how to play together.”