By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

NORTH READING — At the North Reading High boys’ lacrosse banquet a couple of weeks ago, head coach Chuck Campobasso gave out five awards.

Joe Collins, a senior defenseman and long-stick midfielder, received the team’s MVP while senior goalie, Andrew Peppe and senior defenseman, Aidan Smith, shared the Defensive Player of the Year Award.

Collins was also a Cape Ann League First-Team All-Star while Peppe was a CAL Second-Team All-Star.

Dan Oliveira received the Offensive Player of the Year award as the senior midfielder was a CAL First-Team All-Star.

Senior defensive-midfielder, Kiernan Schultz, took home the Coaches Award while senior midfielder, Ryan Long, received the Unsung Hero Award.

This spring, the Hornets finished the year at 10-11 overall as they lost at Austin Prep, 16-4, in the MIAA Division 3 Round of 16 playoff game back on June 11.  They beat Triton, 9-6, in the first playoff game in the Round of 32.

North Reading ended the year at 5-7 in the league as they tied Triton for 4th place in the CAL Kinney Division.

 “I think the season went well,” said Campobasso, who just completed hit 20th-year at the helm. “We had a good group of seniors that did a good job. We had trouble scoring but our defense was excellent.”

Along with Collins, Peppe, Smith, Oliveira, Schultz and Long, the four other seniors were Dan Ancri (midfielder), Devin Tran (midfielder), Ryan Supple (defenseman) and Nick Albano (attack).

“The seniors did a great job and I am going to miss them,” said Campobasso. “They had to miss their sophomore year (Covid) but they were great leaders and good student athletes.”

Peppe and Collins both played in the Agganis All-Star Game at Manning Field in Lynn on Sunday and Schultz was just the third-ever Hornet named by US Lacrosse as an Academic-All-American.

 Next spring, the team is slated to return nine veterans.

 “It will be a little different next year as we will rely on our offensive players more since we have more of them returning,” explained Campobasso. “We have a lot of players to replace on defense and Peppe in net.”

Sam Morelli, the team’s top scorer, and Teddy Suny will spearhead the returning veterans.