Lacrosse duo are at the head of the class

Cusolito, Maher sign with Div. 1 colleges

BRENDAN MAHER has signed to play lacrosse at Div. 1 U Mass Amherst. (courtesy photo)

By JENNIFER GENTILE

MELROSE—Even though they won’t be playing their seniors years as Red Raiders, Melrose High’s Chris Cusolito and Brendan Maher made every minute count on the lacrosse turf at Fred Green Field in four years. Both have signed with Div. 1 college lacrosse teams and will continue their athletic careers at Providence College and UMass Amherst.

The two senior captains have been a potent duo for Melrose, helping the team capture three straight league titles and become Div. 2 North playoff mainstays. Cusolito and Maher have been products of the Red Raider team since their freshmen year and clearly made their mark.

Cusolito, an 18-year old All-American in the sport, would have come close to breaking the school scoring record had he seen a senior year in 2020. He was the leading scorer for Melrose last season and was on par to make this a banner season for Melrose—not unlike his football season. The All-Scholastic, League MVP running back also blew away the competition in scoring last fall and helped Melrose clinch a Super Bowl title. The big question was whether or not Cusolito would pursue football or lacrosse in college. He was weighing both options and exploring NESCAC schools and, in the end, it was lacrosse that won him over and Providence College was the natural fit for the attacker.

CHRIS CUSOLITO has signed to play lacrosse at Div. 1 Providence College. (courtesy photo)

“I had a very difficult time deciding on a college because I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue football in college or not,” admits Cusolito, son of Lisa and Paul of Melrose and brother to Michael. “I went down numerous times to visit Providence and in the end, was drawn there by the competition of the Big East conference and the family atmosphere surrounding the coaches and players.”

Brendan Maher, meanwhile, picked up notice his junior season at MHS and drew the eyes of Div. 1 UMass Amherst, among other schools. Between his play as a Red Raider and summer training camps and club ball, it became evident what the defensemen brought to the field.

“Brendan had a lights-out sophomore year,” says his coach, Matt James. “He’s probably the most under-the-radar player we’ve ever had. Just a shutdown defender with outstanding skills. It was clear from the beginning that he was a legit Div. 1 defender. On the field for us, he’s been a great leader who makes the players around him better.”

He also notes about Cusolito, “I wish I could have seen Chris’ senior year. I couldn’t wait to see him top himself. He would have done it all for us. There was a lot of interest in him, obviously being an All-American Player, so I’m glad he’s going Providence and playing at such a high level.”

For Maher, son of Steve and Maureen and brother to Ryan, Liam and Sean, he found UMass Amherst the perfect fit. “I was contacted by UMass the beginning of my junior year and I immediately loved the program,” says Maher. “I went on a few visits to the campus and ended up committing in December of my junior year. I chose UMass because of the dedication and hard work the players and coaching staff. I was also drawn in by their great business school.” There, Maher will reunite with former MHS teammate Jack Siebert, currently on the lax squad at UMass.

While the future is bright for both Cusolito and Maher, not having a senior year at Melrose is a tough pill to swallow for both players and their coach.

“That talk had to be one of the worst things I’ve ever had to do,” says coach Matt James. “Our senior class would have been remarkably strong. I feel like for 6 years it was building for this pinnacle moment and we had the right ingredients. Last year in playoffs, we didn’t finish where we wanted to, but we had the strength of roster coming back, both seniors and underclassmen, to fight for this unfinished business. This team wanted to add to the winning culture at the school this year. Football champs. Wrestling champs. Lacrosse champs. Had a nice ring to it.”

Says Maher, “It’s disappointing. This year was supposed to be great. We were finally putting together all the pieces to our team and it would have been a lot of fun to play one more year with my brothers.”

Cusolito echoes those sentiments. “I know we had a legitimate shot at a state championship and it won’t feel the same to never put on that Melrose jersey again. It’s devastating.”

Eventually, time heals wounds and fortunately, there is plenty of lacrosse ahead for these two, and that’s of solace. There is talk of a senior showcase for high school lacrosse players in July, sponsored by statewide lacrosse organizations, which may allow these two to serve as Melrose seniors on for a field last time. But as they prepare to leave Melrose High, both look back on their time as Red Raiders as some of the most significant of their lives. And they’re grateful.

Says Cusolito, “I’d like to thank everyone from my coaches and teammates to all the fans, especially my family.”

And Maher, “I’d like to thank my parents as well as my coaches and teammates. They’ve all helped to give me a great experience at Melrose High School.”