Last year, Walpole Boys Lacrosse lost in the Division 2 Semi-Finals to eventual champion Medfield 12-6. This year, Walpole Boys Lacrosse looks to have their versatility and balanced power lead them even deeper into the postseason.
With skill spread evenly around the entire field, senior Captain John Stanton is excited about his team this season.
“I am very confident that we will be successful this year,” said Stanton.
Spearheading the offense for the Rebels are seniors Seamus Ford and Tom DiCalogero, with Ford at midfield and DiCalogero at attack. Although they will need to make up for the loss of First Team Bay State All Star Sean Donnelly, the two should be able to provide the basis for an explosive offensive explosive.
On defense, Stanton (a Second Team Bay State League All Star last year), as well as juniors Alex Caskie and Dan Ryan will be tasked with shutting down the opposition’s scorers and protecting the goalkeepers, senior Jake Mitchell and junior Charlie Harrington. With the loss of First Team Bay State League All Star Andrew Blood, the Stanton-led defense will need to be effective early in the season as the new goalies settle into their positions.
As the sole captain of this year’s team, a lot of pressure rests on Stanton’s shoulders; however, this is a role he has readily accepted.
“It’s not bad at all. I don’t feel any extra pressure,” Stanton said. “Although I am the only captain right now, we still have a lot of guys who are leaders on our team, so they help me out a lot.”
Because Head Coach Jason Andalo believes that tough competition in the regular season improves postseason play, the Rebels are currently scheduled to play perennial powerhouses such as Barnstable and Xaverian. In a preseason scrimmage during the snow on Saturday, March 21, they beat Hingham to start out their season. If that success continues against top teams, Walpole Boys Lacrosse should be prepared for another postseason run.
“We have a great group of returning players as well as some talented sophomores,” said Stanton. “I think we will be a tough team to play against.”
