Meet the top high school boys lacrosse players from the SouthCoast to watch in 2024
Not only did two-time Standard-Times Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year, Old Colony’s Will Harrop, graduate, so did more than half of the players on the 2023 Super Team, opening the door for up-and-coming stars.
Five Super Teamers — Apponequet’s Jake Cusson, Kevin O’Connor and Kenny Wisniewski, Dartmouth’s Jackson Hart and Old Colony’s Stu Burnham — are back and will look to lead their respective teams.
Both Old Colony and Apponequet will try to defend their conference titles from a year ago.
Here’s a look at the top 27 boys lacrosse players to watch on the SouthCoast in 2024:
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Jake Cusson, Apponequet
Cusson is coming off a breakthrough junior campaign in which he had 57 goals, 35 assists and 44 ground balls to be named to the Super Team. “Cusson is great at creating his own space and he does lots of good passing,” said Apponequet head coach Jeremy Nodelman. “He’s good at getting the ball where it needs to go.”
Will Levrault, Apponequet
Levrault made major contributions to Apponequet’s South Coast Conference title a year ago with 43 goals, 32 assists and 87 ground balls as a sophomore. “Will grew a lot for us last year,” Nodelman said. “He’s very shifty. You see his basketball vision and IQ coming into lacrosse.”
Kevin O’Connor, Apponequet
O’Connor, a 2023 Super Teamer, is moving from taking faceoffs to playing midfield as a senior after he had 13 goals, nine assists and 64 ground balls a year ago. “He grew into being more of an offensive player,” Nodelman said. “He started a lot of our fastbreak and found other guys. He can play as a defensive midfielder, offensive midfielder or Fogo. He’s an all-around midfielder.”
Kenny Wisniewski, Apponequet
Wisniewski erupted for 85 goals as a sophomore attack. He also had 26 assists and 56 ground balls to help the Lakers win the SCC crown. “He’s been strong since he started playing with us,” Nodelman said. “He can create from anywhere. He’s really good at getting others involved and he can create his own shots.”
Jett Carbone, Bishop Stang
Carbone will power the Spartans as a junior midfielder. “Jett is going to be carrying the ball through our midfield,” said Bishop Stang first-year head coach Nathan Melo. “He’s ultra competitive. He wants to win.”
Eli Ikkela, Bishop Stang
The senior attack will look to power Stang’s offense with his playmaking ability. “He’s a hard worker,” Melo said. “He’s competitive. He’ll do whatever it takes to help the team win whether it’s scoring goals or putting others in position to score.”
Andrew Lally, Bishop Stang
Look for big things this spring from Lally, a sophomore attack. “Andrew is our general on offense,” Melo said. “The ball runs through him. We expect him to make the right decisions on offense. We expect a lot from him.”
William Sanders, Bishop Stang
Sanders is coming off an impressive freshman campaign in which he averaged 16 saves and was named to the Standard-Times All-Star team. “We expect a lot out of him,” Melo said. “We expect him to be in charge of our defense. Talent wise, he’s invaluable and now he’s going to be a vocal leader.”
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Jackson Hart, Dartmouth
Hart, a junior midfielder, was Dartmouth’s leading scorer a year ago with 40 goals and 21 assists. “His overall athleticism,” said Dartmouth head coach Mark Rossi of what makes Hart stand out. “He’s usually the best athlete on the field.”
Jack Howarth, Dartmouth
Growing up playing club lacrosse, Howarth has the experience, talent and knowledge of the game to have an immediate impact as a freshman attack. “He’s going to take a load off of Jackson (Hart).”
Lennox Massucco, Dartmouth
Look for Massucco to make major contributions this year as a junior attack. “He identifies as a lacrosse player,” Rossi said. “That’s his sport.”
Owen Centeio, Fairhaven
The Blue Devils will rely heavily on Centeio’s playmaking ability after he had 33 goals and 15 assists as a junior attackman a year ago. “His vision of the field allows him to lead the offense,” said Fairhaven first-year head coach John Ricciardi. “Sophomore year he was finishing goals and last year he was more of a facilitator.”
Will Foster, Fairhaven
Foster, a senior, will lead Fairhaven’s defense. “Will is smart,” Ricciardi said. “He understands the offenses and where he needs to be on defense. He also has strong communications with the other defenders.”
Justin Marques, Fairhaven
Marques will have an impact on both ends of the field as a junior midfielder. “His speed and versatility,” said Ricciardi of what makes Marques stand out. “He can play offense and defense and do faceoffs.”
Kevin O’Brian, GNB Voc-Tech
The senior will lead the Bears in faceoffs. “He’s a leader that has taken the role of faceoff seriously,” said GNB Voc-Tech head coach Justyn Walker. “He builds up the younger guys as a role model.”
Nathan Pearson, GNB Voc-Tech
Look for big things on offense from Pearson, a senior attackman. “He’s the kind of lacrosse player that plays all year long,” Walker said. “He's been the facilitator the past few years. Nathan is going to take over the role of the scorer this year and turn some heads.”
AJ Pragana, GNB Voc-Tech
Pragana gives the Bears another option on offense as a junior attack. “He uses his speed and size to his advantage,” Walker said. “He finds ways to get open. His IQ of the game is strong.”
Dakota Mathieu, New Bedford
In just his second year of playing lacrosse, Mathieu, a junior, will lead the Whalers on defense. “He’s aggressive on defense while still having a good stick,” said New Bedford head coach Chace Allain.
Christopher Monterroza, New Bedford
The senior attackman is looking for another strong season after leading the Whalers in scoring a year ago. “He’s played youth so he’s got great stick skills,” Allain said.
Stu Burnham, Old Colony
Burnham is coming off an impressive junior year in which he recorded 54 goals, 39 assists and 72 ground balls to help the Cougars win the Mayflower Athletic Conference. “Stu is super athletic,” said Old Colony head coach Geno Busa. “He's one of those guys that’s faster, bigger and stronger than other people. He’s got the skills other guys don’t have. He’s a matchup nightmare for other teams.”
Brody Darling, Old Colony
Darling, a senior attack, has been able to successfully transition from defense to offense over his career and will be a scoring threat for the Cougars this spring. “He’s an instinctual and smart player,” Busa said. “He can catch and finish from anywhere on the field and he makes other guys around him better.”
Ryan Letendre, Old Colony
Letendre is a four-year starter in goal for Old Colony. “He’s been playing phenomenal for four years,” Busa said. “He works hard and he’s got a great routine. He’s never satisfied with how good he is.”
Luke Meelia, Old Colony
Meelia should once again be a scoring threat for the Cougars after recording 52 goals as a junior. “Luke is a big, strong kid,” Busa said. “He’s got a fast shot. He can run by other defenders. He’s got a good rapport with Stu and Brody and they all find each other really well.”
Caleb Bousquet, Old Rochester
With strong playmaking ability, Bousquet will lead ORR’s offense as a junior attackman. “He always wants to be involved in scoring and can score in different ways,” said Old Rochester head coach Michael Forns.
Andrew Nee, Old Rochester
Opposing defenses had trouble keeping up with Nee a year ago as sophomore. “Andrew is fast, fast, fast,” Forns said. “It’s incredible how fast he is. He has good hands and can shoot the ball well.”
Jake Profit, Old Rochester
Profit has been a defensive midfielder the past two years, but will take on more of a scoring role as a junior. “He’s going to be able to transition the ball from defense to offense,” said Forns. “He’s a guy you want on the field all of the time. He’s really grown as a player.”
Brady Reardon, Old Rochester
A three-year starter in goal, Reardon will lead Old Rochester’s defense. “He’s a phenomenal goalie,” Forns said. “He’s very calm. You can throw anything at him. He’s calm in between the pipes. It’s exciting to watch him.”
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: SouthCoast high school boys lacrosse players to watch in 2024
