Breaking down the 2024 boys lacrosse season for SouthCoast's eight teams
Five of SouthCoast’s eight boys lacrosse teams won at least 10 games a year ago. With the return of several of the area’s top players from 2023, it should once again be an exciting season.
Apponequet and Old Colony will look to defend their respective conference titles from a year ago while Dartmouth, GNB Voc-Tech and New Bedford work to make more strides.
With the South Coast Conference splitting into two divisions — Blue and Gold — Fairhaven will try to make a run at the Gold championship while Old Rochester will fight in the Blue division. Bishop Stang will see how it stacks up against the top competition in the Catholic Central League.
Here’s a look at SouthCoast’s eight boys lacrosse teams heading into the 2024 season:
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APPONEQUET
Head coach: Jeremy Nodelman
Last year’s record: 16-2
Top returners: Kenny Wisniewski, Jr., A; Jake Cusson, Sr., A; Will Levrault, Jr., M; Kevin O’Connor, Sr., M; Zach Menendez, So., M; Boston Piquette, Sr., D; Jackson Moore, Sr., D; Hunter Owen, Jr., G.
Key newcomers: Nathan Navega, Jr., A; Luke Combs, So., LSM; Colin McKay, Fr., M.
Outlook: The defending South Coast Conference champion Lakers are looking to build on last year’s success with a nice mix of returning veterans and talented newcomers. “We’re looking to continue moving in that direction,” said Nodelman. “Guys feel comfortable where they are right now. Our goal is to win the SCC and improve on our standings in the playoffs.”
BISHOP STANG
Head coach: Nathan Melo
Last year’s record: 13-5
Top returners: Eli Ikkela, Sr., A; Andrew Lally, So., A; John Goll, Jr., A; Ryan Oliveira, Sr., D; William Sanders, So., G; Jett Carbone, Jr., M; Lukas Hirschmann, Sr., D; Jacob Mikutowicz, Jr., M; John Podkowa, Jr., M.
Key newcomers: Dylan Hunt, Jr., D; Hunter Millan, So., LSM; Miles Millan, So., M; Luke Oliveira, So., M; Benny Oliver, Jr., M.
Outlook: Melo, a first-year head coach at Bishop Stang, has high hopes for the season with the return of several key players from last year’s team that won 13 games, including one in the Div. 3 playoffs. “Almost my whole team is back,” he said. “A lot of experience coming back which is good. High expectations coming off a winning record last year so we hope to match that. I think our defense is our strength.” Sanders, a second-year starting goalie, will anchor the defense.
DARTMOUTH
Head coach: Mark Rossi
Last year’s record: 5-13
Top returners: Jackson Hart, Jr., M; Lennox Massucco, Jr., A; Ray Gramlich, Jr., M; Will Gibson, Jr., M.
Key newcomers: Aidan Cruz, Jr., G; Jack Howarth, Fr., A; Adam Mogawer, Sr., D.
Outlook: Look for Dartmouth to be a higher scoring team this spring with the return of Hart, Massucco and Gibson and the addition of Howarth. “Last year were one or two dimensional,” Rossi said. “We were limited, but now we can have a more balanced attack. Our core is our junior class. Some kids are new to the program, but we have experience with kids coming up.” Rossi said Dartmouth has its sights set on making the playoffs after winning just five games last spring. “We should be better than last year,” he said. “We should go at least .500.”
FAIRHAVEN
Head coach: John Ricciardi
Last year’s record: 11-8
Top returners: Owen Centeio, Sr., A; Barrett Becotte, Sr., A; James Isaksen, Sr., D; Will Foster, Sr., D; Jarrod Frates, Jr. M; Justin Marques, Jr., M; Colin Tavares, Sr., M.
Key newcomers: Griffin Milton, Jr., LSM; Dean Joseph, So., D.
Outlook: An assistant coach at Fairhaven High for the past seven years, Ricciardi takes over the reins from Nick Pilla for his first head coaching job. “We look pretty solid,” said Ricciardi, who is also co-athletic director at the school. “I have a strong and talented senior class. It’s really a close group that has been playing together for a while.” Ricciardi said the Blue Devils are focused on making the playoffs once again after losing to Apponequet in the opening round. “Our goal is making the playoffs and making a steady run,” he said.
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GNB VOC-TECH
Head coach: Justyn Walker
Last year’s record: 3-14
Top returners: Nathan Pearson, Sr., A; AJ Pragana, Jr., A; Kevin O’Brian, Sr., FO; Isander Algarin, Sr., D; Nick Boucher, Jr., M.
Key newcomers: Talan Allain, So., M; Anthony Alicea, So., D; Jonathan Stefanik, Jr., LSM; Noah Tavares, Fr., M.
Outlook: Even though the Bears were hit hard by graduation, they should be much improved from a year ago when they managed to win just three games. “Last year was a real growing year for us,” Walker said. “It’s a young group but a hungry group. They’re ready to prove themselves.” Walker said Voc-Tech’s small senior class is determined to help the Bears reach their goals. “We only have five seniors but they are leaders,” he said. “There’s an all in mentality with this group.”
NEW BEDFORD
Head coach: Chace Allain
Last year’s record: 0-10
Top returners: Dakota Mathieu, Jr., D; Christopher Monterroza, Sr., A; Henry Aj, Sr., D; Brandon Moreira, Sr., A.
Key newcomers: Javin Irizarry, So., M; Giandiel Hernandez Vega, Sr., M.
Outlook: With more than double the amount of players from a year ago, the Whalers are building their program back under Allain in his second year. “We have 45 kids so now we’re looking to build the skill level. That’s the focus,” he said. Allain has a nice mix of upperclassmen and young players that he believes should be more competitive this year after going winless in 2023. “We look good this year,” Allain said. “We have a lot of returners so our junior and senior classes have a lot of kids. We also have a fairly good size of freshmen and sophomores.”
OLD COLONY
Head coach: Geno Busa
Last year’s record: 20-1
Top returners: Stu Burnham, Sr., M; Luke Meelia, Sr., A; Brody Darling, Sr., A; Mason Belanger, Sr., M; Ryan Chase, Sr., M; Tommy Fulton, Sr., D; Matthew Pitts, Sr., D; Ryan Letendre, Sr., G; Quinn Thompson, Jr., D; Finn Donnelly, Jr., M.
Key newcomers: N/A
Outlook: Despite graduating 2023 Standard-Times Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year Will Harrop, the Cougars have enough experience and talent to go for a third straight Mayflower Athletic Conference title and a second straight State Vocational crown. “That’s the goal for these guys. They want to win a league championship and win another vocational title,” Busa said. “We’re bringing back a ton of experience. We did lose some scoring but will make up for scoring with a lot of different guys contributing. The leadership from our defense has been amazing; they’ve been our rock. We know we can depend on them and we have too many athletes on offense that can create mismatches.”
OLD ROCHESTER
Head coach: Michael Forns
Last year’s record: 13-3
Top returners: Andrew Nee, Jr., A; Caleb Bousquet, Jr., A; David Lally, Jr., A; Dylan Durgin, Sr., D; Jack Langlais, So., D; Sawyer Johnson, Jr., D; Brady Reardon, Jr., G; Jayden Aguiar, So., D; Jake Profit, Jr., M; Jack Leconte, Jr., M; Andrew Geary, Sr., M; Brendan Foster, So., M/A; Tucker Cook, So., M.
Key newcomers: N/A
Outlook: The Bulldogs suffered some big losses with the graduation of several key members from last year’s team that won 13 games, including one in the playoffs. “We have a lot of shoes to fill,” Forns said. “I’m going to be moving a lot of pieces around. We’re going to spend all of our time teaching. It’s exciting because we have a smaller group and guys are going to play all different spots.” Even though the junior-laden Bulldogs are young, they have plenty of potential. “I think we’re going to be full of surprises,” Forns said. “By the end of the season is where they have to start jelling.”
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: 2024 SouthCoast high school boys lacrosse season preview
