Warriors won 17 games and second straight M.L. title a year ago
AUSTIN COLLARD (center) was named a Middlesex League Freedom division all-star as a junior last spring for the two-time league champion Warrior boys’ lacrosse team. (Donna Larsson File Photo)
Published in the April 4, 2017 edition.
By DAN BYRNE
WAKEFIELD — After a record setting season a year ago, the Wakefield Memorial High School varsity boys’ lacrosse team has a tough act to follow in 2017.
Last season, head coach Andrew Lavalle’s team won a school record 17 games, while losing just three, claiming its second straight Middlesex League Freedom Division Championship.
The season was a success, but losing to Winchester in double overtime in the Div. 2 North semifinals leaves a sour taste in the returning players’ mouths and they are hungry to avenge that loss and achieve more success than last year.
Lavalle, in his third year, was unable to be reached for the official roster for this year’s team as of press time.
There are some big shoes to fill with four graduating seniors named to the Middlesex League All-Star team, as well as Middlesex League MVP and Warrior all-time leading scorer Brandon Grinnell.
Grinnell piled up 72 goals and 64 assists for the Warriors last spring and is now playing Div. 1 lacrosse at Manhattan College.
Along with Grinnell, fellow seniors Ben Yandell, Andrew DeLeary, and Steve Marino were named to the Middlesex League All-Star team last year.
The Warriors will also miss the leadership lost from Ned Buckley and Evan Gourville who have both graduated.
Seniors PJ Iannuzzi and Austin Collard were honored with All-Star recognition last season as juniors as well. They both played in the midfield.
Junior Ryan Chambers played in goal for the Warriors and was named to the Middlesex League All-Star team a year ago as well as a sophomore.
There are players from last year’s roster that were underclassmen as well and contributed mightily to the team’s success.
They include current seniors Ty Collins (defense), Braedan Langlois (midfield), Pat Leary (attack), and Nick McGee (midfield).
There are also current juniors Ryan Fitzpatrick (defense), Robert Keegan (midfielder), Alex Joly (defense), Nolan Collins (defense), and Devin O’Brien (defense).
Also on the 2016 roster were William Miller (attack), Jack Petitto (defense), Brad Safner (midfield), and Dylan Frank (midfield).
Wakefield could be a contender in the Middlesex League Freedom division once again in 2017. The Warriors will be looking to avenge its losses to Winchester, and the early season defeat at the hands of Reading as well.
The Warriors have a busy schedule with three games in the opening week. The first game was to be played against Shawsheen in Billerica, but it has been changed. The game will now be played in Wakefield this afternoon, April 4 at 4:30 p.m. at the Galvin Middle School.
The Warriors will then host Lexington on Thursday at 4 p.m. before heading to Malden Catholic for a weekend game on Saturday at 1 p.m.
