Seacoast high school boys lacrosse: What to know about every local team, key players
Here's a team-by-team look at the upcoming high school boys lacrosse season for Seacoast area schools in New Hampshire and Maine in 2024.
More: Anastas scores six goals as York beats Messalonskee in Class B boys lacrosse championship
NEW HAMPSHIRE
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DIVISION I
DOVER HIGH SCHOOL
Coach: Chris Ketcham, first season.
2023 result: 5-12, lost to Exeter in Division I quarterfinals.
Key returning players: Dom Chalifour, sr., G; Lukah Ready, sr., M; Micah Krick, sr., M; Orion Jennison-Henderson, sr., D; Jackson Bairstow, sr., LSM.
Other key players: Landon Gray, jr., DM; Tobey Desroches, jr., A; Ben Tower, jr., M; Kyle Behan, jr., A; Quintin McCormick, soph., D; Bryson Glidden, soph., D; Logan Carter, soph., A; Silas Brown, fr. A.
Season outlook: Ketcham takes over the Green Wave program after two years with Exeter as assistant varsity coach and JV head coach. … Dover returns 14 players with varsity experience, most notably the athletic Chalifour, who made second-team all-state last season and is 54 saves away from setting a state record for career saves. … With four of their first five games on the road, the Green Wave will be tested early. ... Dover opens its regular season on Tuesday, April 9 at Bedford.
EXETER HIGH SCHOOL
Coach: Matt Brewster, third season.
2023 result: 14-6, lost to Pinkerton in Division I semifinals.
Key returning players: Owen Williams, sr., A; Tanner Smith, sr., D; Ethan Bernich, sr. G; Marshall Lasewiscz, jr, M; Will McIlroy, jr., FOGO; Harry Caracciola, sr., D; Andrew Nicholas, sr., LSM/D.
Season outlook: Although the Blue Hawks lost 14 seniors from last year’s club that entered the postseason as the No. 2 seed in Division I, they expect to field a strong core on defense anchored by Smith and Bernich and a creative offense led by Williams and Lasewiscz. Smith, Bernich and Williams have all committed to play lacrosse in college. … Exeter faces a challenging schedule that includes three teams from Massachusetts, two against three-time defending Division I champion Bishop Guertin and one against Division II power Portsmouth in its first 10 games. ... The Blue Hawks open their 19-game regular season on Tuesday, April 9 at home against Lincoln Sudbury Regional.
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DIVISION II
OYSTER RIVER/NEWMARKET
Coach: Ruppy Hailey, seventh season.
2023 result: 11-7, lost to Derryfield in Division II quarterfinals.
Key returning players: Jon Buteau, sr., D; Evan Plourde, sr., Tyler Callander, soph., A; Jake Failla, sr., A; Aidan Golding, sr., D; Matthew Monahan, sr., DM; Costas Frangos, sr., D; Sawyer Levesque, jr., D; Talon Beyer, soph., M; Tyler Callander, soph., A; Cole Levesque, soph., M/FO; Alex Moody, soph., A; Jadyn Smart, soph., M/A; Kavi Weber, soph., LSM.
Other key players: Pearson Stiles, sr., D; Cole Norris, jr., G; Travis Faul, jr., M; Joe Hinchcliffe, jr., M; Domenic DeRosa, soph., M; Finn Rice, soph., D/LSM; Dee Tsakiris, fresh., M; Cabot Holden-Mount, fresh., M; Connor Evans, fresh., G; Jackson Pearson, fresh., D; Cameron Wheeler, fresh., M.
Season outlook: Despite the team’s youth the Bobcats return ample varsity experience, including a playoff win in 2023. … Callander and Moody are back at attack and will be joined up front by Failla, who returns to the team after a year off. Faila made honorable mention all-state in Division II as a sophomore in 2022. … Defense is expected to be a strength with Buteau, Golding and Sawyer Levesque who returns at close D. … Plourde and Smart anchor the midfield with Cole Levesque the primary faceoff option. … Monahan is a potential all-state candidate at SSDM. ... Oyster River opens its 18-game regular-season schedule on Tuesday, April 9 at Derryfield.
PORTSMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL
Coach: Chad Vischer, 12th season.
2023 result: 18-2, lost to Derryfield in Division II championship.
Key returning players: Zac Amend, sr., M; Nick Smith, sr., M/FO; Lucas Patten, sr., M; Ben Purcell, sr., A; Masi Shone, jr, D; Kai Paterson, jr. G.
Other key players: Briggs Catino, jr., A; Reilly Collins, jr., A; Andy Brown, soph., D; Gus Baker, fresh., A.
Season outlook: Despite the graduation of nine seniors, including five starters, the return of Amend and Smith make the Clippers a legitimate threat to reach their fourth Division II final in five years. … Amend (69 goals, 32 assists) was voted Offensive Player of the Year in Division II last season and Smith (25-21) was a first-team all-star and one of the top face-off men in the state, winning 83% of his draws. … Shone, a second-team all-star last year, will take on even more responsibility on the back end this season with the graduation of stalwarts Max Diep and Gunner Jackson. ... Portsmouth opens its 17-game regular-season schedule on Wednesday, April 10 at Newburyport (Mass.) High School.
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS HIGH SCHOOL
Coach: Scott Singer, third season.
2023 result: 13-5, lost in Derryfield in Division II semifinals.
Key returning players: Jackson Estes, jr., M; Finley DeTolla, jr., M; Zach Bottrill, sr., D.
Other key players: Aidan Morrison, jr., A; Trent Salyards, sr., M; Owen Birch, sr., DM.
Season outlook: The Saints have a nice blend of returning veterans and young talent anxious to make another deep playoff run. … Co-captains Estes and Botrill provide leadership. … Estes and DeTolla patrol a strong midfield that also includes Salyards with Botrill anchoring the defense. … Estes, a two-time, first-team, all-state selection in Division II, and DeTolla, a three-year varsity player, are effective at both ends of the field. ... STA opens its 16-game regular-season schedule on Tuesday, April 9 at Merrimack Valley.
SPAULDING HIGH SCHOOL
Coach: Brandon Dube, fifth season.
2023 result: 0-16, didn't qualify for Division II tournament.
Key returning players: Justin Libby, sr. M; Gannon Hughes, sr., A; Jackson Morgan, sr., D; Wil Godbout, sr. A; Seth Cortina, jr., FOGO; Jonas Levesque, jr., A/M; Wade Jones, jr., D; Logan Barker, jr., D; Dylan Gravelese, jr., G Collin McIntyre, soph., A.
Other key players: Seth Jones, fresh., G; Jackson Shapleigh, fresh., D; John Hebert, fresh., D; Rowan Hughes, fresh., A; Leighton Ducharme, sr., A.
Season outlook: Coming off a winless season and the graduation of seven starters, the Red Raiders feature a roster that includes several hockey players who played integral roles in the Red Raiders spirited run to the Division II championship game. ... The coaching staff hopes that success will rub off in terms of experience and leadership. … Godbout is an offensive threat and Morgan, who has a wrestling background, anchors the defense. ... Spaulding opens its 16-game regular-season schedule on Tuesday, April 9 at Timberlane.
WINNACUNNET HIGH SCHOOL
Coach: Pat Snow, eighth season.
2023 result: 12-5, lost to Windham in Division II quarterfinals.
Key returning players: Noah Andronaco, sr., G; Jake Magri, sr., D; Tony Piotrowski, sr., D; Lukas Botnick, jr., M; Alec Mitchell, soph., FO/M.
Other key players: Braden Nowak, jr., D; Laird Sullivan, sr., D; Drew Marelli, sr., D.
Season outlook: The Warriors look to contend once again and get past the quarterfinals in a competitive division. … They’re building around a strong defense which returns almost intact from a year ago led by Magri. … Warriors hope some of the younger players emerge on the offensive side with the versatile Botnick being another option in that area. … Andronaco, who is coming off a strong junior season in goal, has looked good this spring in practice. ... Winnacunnet opens its 16-game regular-season schedule at home on Tuesday, April 9 against Marshwood.
MAINE
CLASS B
MARSHWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
Coach: Matt Moreland, third season.
2023 result: 10-6, lost in Class B quarterfinals.
Key returning players: Bradley Wentworth, sr., LSM; Noah Quater, sr., FOGO; Luke Dockham, sr., G; Shane Waterman, jr., D; Jackson Hamilton, jr., M; Quinn Maguire, jr., A; Hayden Demeroto, soph., A; Owen Walker, soph., D; Seth Goodwin, sr, D/M.
Season outlook: With the loss of nine seniors the Hawks could be hard-pressed to match last year’s success although Moreland is optimistic. … Wentworth was among the team leaders last season in caused turnovers and ground balls. … Hamilton and Maguire are expected to provide offense with Goodwin and Dockham in goal anchoring the defense. … Quater will handle most of the faceoffs. ...Marshwood will open its regular-season schedule on Thursday, April 11 at home against Falmouth.
YORK HIGH SCHOOL
Coach: Bill McNamara, third season.
2023 result: 14-4, beat Messalonskee to win Maine Class B championship.
Key returning players: Nick Hoy, sr., M/A; Laird Masterson, sr., D; Evan Anastas, jr., M; Evan Giacobba, sr., G; Jim Neal, sr., M/FO; Haydn Forbes, sr., M; Quinn Walenta, jr. A.
Other key players: Chris Connors, sr., D; Shea Buckley, jr., D; Brady Higgins, sr., LSM; Luke Douris, sr., A; Mike Hanlon, jr., DM.
Season outlook: Returning all but two starters from last season’s championship club, the Wildcats are optimistic they can make another deep playoff run. … York will feature a balanced attack led by Anastas, an all-conference performer in 2023 who scored six goals in a 12-10 win over Messalonskee in the Class B final, and Hoy, a senior co-captain. … Masterson, another co-captain, anchors the defense along with Giacobba while Neal will handle the bulk of the faceoffs. ... York opens its regular-season schedule on Thursday, April 11 at home against Freeport.
CLASS C
TRAIP ACADEMY
Co-coaches: Raphael Matty and Tim Roberts, fourth season.
2023 result: 5-10, lost to Freeport in first round of Class C playoffs.
Key returning players: Terry Gagner, sr., D; Brody Johnson, sr., A: Joey Watts, sr., M: Brodie Caine, sr., D; Matt Raiff, sr., A.
Other key players: Makili Matty, jr., A: Eli Holden, jr., A: Noah Zyskowski, jr., G; Grant Sumsion, jr., M.
Season outlook: The Rangers will look to continue their upward trend after winning one game two years ago and five last season. … Gagner, a two-time all-conference defender, returns as does Johnson who made honorable mention a year ago at attack. … Traip will be bolstered by the return of Caine, who is coming off an injury-plagued season, and Raiff, who is back after a year away at prep school. ... Traip opens its regular season at home on Friday, April 12 against Wells.
-Capsules were compiled by Seacoast Media Group correspondent Al Pike.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Seacoast NH, ME high school boys lacrosse teams, key players in 2024
