By Dean Geddes
I&M Staff Writer
Improving on a 15-5 season and defending the Maritime League title after graduating six of your seven top scorers is no easy task, but boys lacrosse head coach Rick Blair has his eyes set on a second consecutive league championship for the Whalers.
“We are not going to be the slick stick-handling team we were last year,” Blair said of the squad that advanced to the quarterfinals of the state tournament before falling to fourth-seeded Hopkinton last year. “We’ll be more of a tough, blue-collar team. We won’t be as flashy, but we will be more physical.”
The boys open up the season with four away games against tough tournament-tested teams. Their first game of the year is scheduled for next Friday, March 31, against Falmouth, which beat Nantucket 7-6 in overtime last year.
On offense the Whalers will look to dictate the pace of games by playing a more deliberate half-field style, Blair said, relying on a strong defensive corps and senior goalie Tucker Harvey, who was a Cape and Islands all-star in net last season.
Senior co-captain Eric Santos will anchor the Whaler defense, which should be the backbone of Nantucket’s success this season. Juniors Eric Rogers, Elias Ammerman, John O’Mara, Matt Aguiar and senior Ryan Small fill out the Whalers’ deep and talented defensive unit.
“On defense, everyone is familiar with each other and already knows what’s going on,” Santos said.
“But we’re not going to be getting tested by the same caliber of attack at practice. Last year we were getting worked by the top three attackmen in the league. We’re looking for the younger kids to step up on attack and give us the same challenge.”
In the midfield it’s all about experience, with senior co-captain Ethan Farrell leading a group of six seniors at the position, including Casey Santos and Ry Murphy. Farrell is one of the best face-off men in the state and a legitimate All-American candidate, Blair said, and might spend some time playing attack until the Whaler offense comes more into its own.
“I think the midfield will be doing a lot of scoring this year,” Farrell said. “Most of the attack is underclassmen, so we’re going to have to rely more on our defense.”
The attack is the big unknown going into the season, as last year’s entire starting unit – all of whom were Cape and Islands All-stars – graduated.
“We need to develop confidence with our new players on offense and take it one step at a time,” Blair said.
Senior Robert Anderson should have his place on this year’s starting front line secure, while Matt Dunham, Will Martin, Gaven Norton and Josh Holdgate will compete to fill the other two starting attack spots.
Forty-five students showed up for the first practice on Monday, 20 of whom were freshmen. With the strong junior varsity program led by head coach Kevin Martin, Blair said he expects a handful of JV players to move up and be playing at the varsity level by mid-season, including Norton, Ray DeCosta and Henry Farrell.
“We have our work cut out for us. Our non-conference schedule is something we take very seriously, you have to play good competition if you want to improve,” Blair said.
The Whalers’ home opener is on April 11 when they host Sacred Heart.
Reach Dean Geddes at sports@inkym.com
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