2019 HockomockSports Boys Lacrosse Awards

Franklin senior midfielder Jacob Alexander has been selected as the 2019 HockomockSports.com Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year. Alexander was instrumental in leading the Panthers to their seventh straight Kelley-Rex division title and was one of the most dominant face-off specialists in the state over the past four years.

Alexander dominated at the face-off ‘X’ yet again, winning 357 out of 410 draws this year, for an eye-popping 87.1% success rate in the regular season. He has been widely regarded as the top face-off specialist in the state over the past couple of seasons, earning Hockomock League MVP for 2019 and first team All American for the second straight season.

“There have been a lot of great players that have come through the Hockomock League but there hasn’t been anyone as dominant as Jacob has been at the face-off ‘X,'” said HockomockSports.com Editor-in-Chief Ryan Lanigan. “Despite being very good early on, Jacob continued to get better and better each season. While he never led the league in scoring, his impact on the game was colossal and gave Franklin a gigantic advantage.”

Alexander is a four-time Hockomock League all-star and joins former teammate Eric Civetti as the only two players in league history to be selected as two-time Eastern Mass. All Americans. Civetti earned HockomockSports.com Player of the Year honors each of the last two seasons.

“No one has worked harder to master the techniques at the face-off ‘X’ than Jacob,” said Franklin head coach Lou Verrochi. “He is the complete athlete – always in the gym or on the field. I can’t wait to see what he does at Bryant.”

This is the sixth straight year that a Franklin player has earned Player of the Year, following Civetti (2018 & 2017), Austin Kent (2016) and Jack Vail (2015 & 2014). Pat Ward of Canton was the inaugural winner in 2013.

Honorable Mentions: Colin DeVellis (King Philip), Matt Lazzaro (Franklin), Brendan Tully (Foxboro)

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Please note that the HockomockSports.com awards are selected by our staff. They are completely separate from the Hockomock League All-Stars. Players are listed alphabetically by position.

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HockomockSports First Team

Will Davis – Franklin – Goalie
Franklin senior goalie Will Davis had to bide his time before getting the starting role and he jumped right in and continued the Panthers run of strong play in the cage, helping them earn a seventh straight league title and a spot in the D1 South semifinal for just the second time ever. The St. Anselm College-commit allowed only 5.3 goals per game this season, which was best in the league. He made 190 saves, stopping 67.8 percent of the shots he faced, which was also best in the league. He was an academic All-American and won the program’s prestigious Coach Davey Award. Franklin coach Lou Verrochi said, “We were extremely fortunate to have Will — he’s a coach’s dream: great player, leader, and teammate.”

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Wes Bishop – King Philip – Defense
King Philip senior defender Wes Bishop was integral to the Warriors having the second lowest goals against total in the Hockomock League. The physical defender was regularly put on the opponent’s top attacker and his quickness and accuracy with his checks made him a tough guy to beat. KP allowed only 121 goals in 19 games this season, which was less than seven per game. The UMass Boston-commit was one of the main reasons for that defensive record and he was selected as an all-star by the league’s coaches. King Philip coach Hal Bean said, “He’s a very strong defensive playmaker with accurate stick checks and great transitional awareness. He’s a great team leader and a true role model.”

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Patrick Morrison – Franklin – Defense
Franklin senior pole Patrick Morrison continued his run as one of the toughest defenders in the league and the Boston University-commit was integral to the Panthers allowing only 113 goals in 21 games, which was the best defensive record in the Hock. Morrison used his size, quickness, and his stick work to be a menace to opposing attackers, while also being able to jump into attack when he snagged a ground ball. Morrison was named a first-team All-American this season, despite missing a couple of game due to an early-season injury. Franklin coach Lou Verrochi said, “Pat is the best and smartest pole we’ve had at Franklin and we’ve had a lot of good ones. He was the top vote-getter of all ‘D’ this year for All-American.”

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Pat Stapleton – Foxboro – Defense
Foxboro senior Pat Stapleton concluded his high school career with another stellar season anchoring the Warriors’ defensive unit. It’s the second straight year Stapleton has been named to the HockomockSports.com First Year after being picked for the Second Team as a sophomore. A Connecticut College-commit, Stapleton has been at the heart of the defense for the Warriors for the past three seasons and helped Foxboro win three league titles in the past four seasons. Foxboro once again had one of the best defenses in the Hock with a division-best 125 goals against and Stapleton was a big reason for that. His athleticism and toughness made him one of the best defenseman in the league over the past couple of seasons.

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Will Harvey – Franklin – Midfield
Franklin senior Will Harvey proved to be one of the top defensive midfielders in the league again this season and his ability to stay with attackers and keep them away from the cage was a huge advantage for the Panthers. It was almost like they had an extra pole on defense, which was a reason that the league champs had the best defensive record in the league. The St. Anselm College-commit was no slouch on offense either, scoring 14 goals and recording six assists this season. Franklin coach Lou Verrochi said, “Will is the best short-stick defensive midfielder we’ve had in the program. Our players always comment ‘nobody gets by Harve.’ He’s so valuable and unselfish; gave up an offensive role to play ‘D’ because we needed it.”

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Shane Kilkelly – Oliver Ames – Midfield
Oliver Ames junior midfielder Shane Kilkelly built on his breakout sophomore season and got the Tigers back into the playoffs. Kilkelly scored 63 goals and recorded 30 assists this spring and he was one of the top five scorers in the Hockomock League during the regular season. He became the program’s all-time leading scorer as a junior and he was also only the second player in program history to eclipse the 100-goal mark for his career. Oliver Ames coach Ben Devlin said, “His skill, unselfishness, lacrosse IQ, and toughness all make him one of the premier players in the Hock. His teammates elected him a captain for the 2020 season as he’ll look to add on to his career totals.”

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Griffin Roach – Canton – Midfield
Canton senior middie Griffin Roach was one of the top scorers for the Bulldogs again this spring, despite regularly drawing the attention of the top defenders on the opposing team. The Boston University soccer commit scored 46 goals and had 27 assists this season and finished his career with 143 total points, which was fifth best in program history but was the highest total for a midfielder. Canton coach Bill Bendell said, “Griffin is the heart and soul of our team and one of the best players I have ever coached. He is talented, smart, athletic, unselfish, and gritty. He’s going to play D1 soccer at BU, but would absolutely be playing high-level lacrosse if he had decided to pursue that path instead.”

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Brendan Tully – Foxboro – Midfield
Foxboro senior Brendan Tully was one of the best players on the field each in every game he played in this spring. A do-it-all midfielder, Tully has been a leader both on and off the field for Foxboro during his career, helping the Warriors win three division titles in the last four years, including this season. He was dangerous on offense, both with possession or setting teammates up. His lacrosse IQ is also among the best in the league and that gives the Warriors a big boost. During this season, the Providence College-commit scored 38 goals and had 14 assists during the regular season.

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Jake Davis – Franklin – Attack
Franklin junior attacker Jake Davis emerged as one of the top attackmen in the league this season and helped propel the Panthers to a seventh straight league title and the program’s second appearance in the D1 South semifinal. The UMass Lowell-commit tied for the league lead with 66 goals in the regular season and he also added 36 assists. His 102 total points finished third in the league during the regular season and he came through in a number of big games against some of the state’s premier programs. Franklin coach Lou Verrochi said, “Jake is the best and most accurate shooter on our team. He was in the conversation for All-American and many coaches were impressed with Jake’s game.”

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Colin DeVellis – King Philip – Attack
King Philip senior attacker Colin DeVellis closed out his career by leading the Hockomock League in scoring and helping the Warriors get back into the state tournament. DeVellis scored 66 goals, which was tops in the league, and recorded 46 assists, which was third best. His 112 points in the regular season were five more than the second highest total. His speed and stick skills made him a consistently dangerous attacker and one of the reasons that KP finished with the third highest number of goals scored in the Hock. King Philip coach Hal Bean said, “Colin is an incredible dodger and prolific scorer. He’s an extremely intelligent lacrosse attackman. He motivates everyone around him.”

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Matt Lazzaro – Franklin – Attack
Franklin sophomore attacker Matt Lazzaro, the 2019 HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year (see below), stepped into the program’s long line of talented attacks and has shown the potential to be one of the best to come through Beaver Street field. Lazzaro, a first-team All-American this spring, scored 59 goals and racked up 48 assists for the league’s top offensive unit. His 107 regular season points were second best in the league and he continues to impress against some of the state’s best teams, such as his seven-point day against BC High. Franklin coach Lou Verrochi said, “Matt always gets the top pole yet still finds a way to put up great numbers; we’re very fortunate to have him for the next two years.”

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Jacob Alexander – Franklin – FO
Franklin senior midfielder Jacob Alexander dominated the face-off ‘X” all season and his ability to keep the Panthers in possession not only led to a seventh straight league title and a return to the D1 South semifinal but also earned him All-American, Hockomock League MVP, and HockomockSports.com Player of the Year (see above) honors. The Bryant University-commit won 87 percent of the face-offs in the regular season and also chipped in with 15 goals and eight assists. Franklin coach Lou Verrochi said, “No one has worked harder to master the techniques at the face-off ‘X’ than Jacob. He is the complete athlete – always in the gym or on the field.”

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HockomockSports Second Team

Trevor Koppy – Attleboro – Goalie
Attleboro senior goalie Trevor Koppy put together a remarkable season for the Bombardiers to close out his four-year varsity career. He made 307 saves this season, 60 more than the next closest goalie in the Hockomock League, and saved 61% of the shots that he faced, which was second best in the Hock. The UMass Boston-commit recorded his 1,000th career save earlier this season and was selected as an all-star by the league’s coaches. Attleboro coach Kevin Patton said, “Trevor kept us in games this year and was a true leader on and off the field. He has left the program in excellent shape and I look forward to watching his career at the next level.”

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Brendan Albert– Canton – Defense
Canton senior pole Brendan Albert closed out a solid career in the heart of the Bulldogs defensive unit as one of the more physical defenders in the league. He was a solid one-on-one defender, using his strength to keep attackers away from the cage, and also was one of the most aggressive players when it came to scooping ground balls. When he got out in transition, Albert could also be a playmaker for the Bulldogs attack. Canton coach Bill Bendell said, “He was our Canton Lacrosse Bulldog Award winner for mental and physical toughness in 2018 and again this year, as voted on by his teammates and coaches…I don’t think we have had anyone win that award two years in a row. Brendan’s an absolute beast.”

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Liam Arsenault – Franklin – Defense
Franklin senior pole Liam Arsenault flew under the radar among the other Panthers stars but he was a critical component of the league’s best defense. His ability in close defense helped Franklin hold opponents to only 113 goals in 21 games and allowed double-digit goals in only one game this season. This was a major component of the program’s seventh straight league title and its run to a second-ever D1 South semifinal. Arsenault was also an Academic All-American this spring. Franklin coach Lou Verrochi said, “Liam didn’t get the accolades that he deserved because we had so many kids up for consideration. He was an important part of our team ‘D’ that was outstanding.”

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Brett Labonte – North Attleboro – Defense
North Attleboro junior Brett Labonte was an important piece of the Rocketeers this season, emerging as a leader and one of the top players on the team. After a breakout sophomore season, Labonte was once again one of the top defensive players in the Hock this season. The combination of speed and physicality made him one of the toughest defenders to go one-on-one with. After a tough start to the season, Labonte helped the Rocketeers win nine of their final 10 games, allowing an average of just 3.8 goals against in those wins. He will be a key piece returning for North Attleboro next season.

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Nitin Chaudhury – Franklin – Midfield
Franklin senior midfielder Nitin Chaudhury was the ultimate glue guy and an integral piece of the Panthers winning a seventh straight league title and getting to the D1 South semifinal. Speedy, tough, and with an accurate shot, Chaudhury was more than capable of scoring on his own, as evidenced by the 15 goals and 20 assists he had this season, but he was also heavily involved in grabbing ground balls off the draw and whatever else the team needed. “Wow, every team needs a Nitin,” said Franklin coach Lou Verrochi. “He’s the most versatile player in our league, plays man up and down, on the wings on face-offs, ground ball machine, tremendous dodger with great vision, and he’s the best teammate and leader we’ve ever had.”

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Shayne Kerrigan – Foxboro – Midfield
Foxboro junior Shayne Kerrigan did it all for the Warriors during the 2019 season. Kerrigan took care of faceoffs early but was a regular in the Foxboro midfield by season’s end. His ability to make an impact on both ends of the field made him one of the top two-way players. Not only was he a big help defensively, coming away with turnovers and key ground balls, he was also involved on the offensive end. He scored 24 goals this season, which was fourth on the Davenport division winning Warriors, and added nine assists. He will be a key returner next year as Foxboro looks to claim another division crown.

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Ben Kolb – Franklin – Midfield
Franklin senior midfielder Ben Kolb was a key player for the Panthers because he contributed on both ends of the field during the team’s run to a seventh straight league title and to the D1 South semifinal. The Western New England University-commit developed his offensive game in the off-season and turned in his best season with 18 goals and 12 assists in the regular season. As a short-stick defensive midfielder for most of his career, Kolb also provided extra cover on the ride and in the defensive end of the field. Franklin coach Lou Verrochi said, “Ben really worked hard to become a more complete player this season. This season he was one of our best two-way middies.”

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Aidan Sacco – Mansfield – Midfield
Mansfield senior Aidan Sacco has been one of best players on the field for the Hornets over the last two seasons, and he was a big reason the Hornets qualified for the state tournament yet again this season. The heart of the Hornets’ midfield, Sacco led by example on both the defensive and offensive ends. He came up with big plays defensively and was a top option on the offensive end for the Hornets. He was second on the team with 30 goals, and he added nine assists, tying for second on the team with 39 points. His leadership will certainly be missed going forward.
 

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Andy DeMattio – North Attleboro – Attack
North Attleboro junior Andy DeMattio continued his stellar career in Rocketeer red, helping his team turn it around down the stretch and qualify for the state tournament. After a breakout sophomore year, opposing defenses keyed in on DeMattio but he still managed to have a terrific year, ranking fourth in the Hockomock League in points. He scored 49 goals and added 39 assists for a total of 88 points. His ability to make a play through contact was a big reason that the Rocketeers went on a terrific run down the stretch, winning one of their final 10 games to make the tournament.

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Ben Greco – Franklin – Attack
Franklin junior attacker Ben Greco set a new program record for assists this season and his vision and ability to pick out the right pass from behind the cage opened up the offense’s potent ball movement. Greco scored 35 goals of his own and set a new program mark with 52 assists in the regular season. His 87 points were tied for fifth best in the Hockomock League and his ability to combine with Jake Davis and Matt Lazzaro helped Franklin score a league-best 310 goals this season. Franklin coach Lou Verrochi said, “Ben is probably the most unselfish (sometimes to a fault) players ever to play for us. He is a tremendous rider and has a knack for coming up with ground balls; always backing up shots and has a great lacrosse IQ.”

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Tommy Vaughan – Canton – Attack
Canton junior attacker Tommy Vaughan was the leading scorer for the Bulldogs this spring, helping them grab second place in the Davenport division and book a spot in the state tournament. Vaughan gave the Canton attack balance with his ability to shoot from distance as well as get to the cage. He scored 63 goals and assisted on 23 more, which is the highest total for a Canton attacker in the past 10 seasons. Canton coach Bill Bendell said, “Tommy is one of the most talented players I have ever coached. He is a legitimate Division I prospect because he is an elite shooter, dodger, and finisher with both hands. Tommy had at least one jaw-dropping play every game.” 

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Chris Longobardi – King Philip – FO
King Philip midfielder Chris Longobardi was one of the top face-off guys in the Hockomock League, while also giving the Warriors a strong presence in attack and defense. He won 251-of-325 face-offs during the regular season, good for 77.2 percent, which was second best in the league. He won double-digit face-offs in 18 of the 19 games that the Warriors played this season. In addition to his success at the face-off ‘X,’ Longobardi scored nine goals and had seven assists this spring. King Philip coach Hal Bean said, “Chris was a stallion of a midfielder. He was very strong defensively and scored two goals and had one assist in the playoff game against Marshfield.”

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Franklin sophomore attack Matt Lazzaro has been selected as the 2019 HockomockSports.com Boys Lacrosse Underclassman of the Year. After a solid freshman campaign, Lazzaro had a breakout season and emerged as one of the most lethal goal scorers in both the Hockomock League and in the state.

Lazzaro, who was also selected to the HockomockSports.com First Team, a Hockomock League All Star, and a First Team All American, was one of the most dangerous players with the ball in his possession. Not only could he take defensemen on by himself and score but he also was one of the top passers in the league, finishing second in the Hockomock League in helpers (48 in the regular season).

“Matt was one of the most talented players on the field this season across the Hockomock League,” said HockomockSports.com Editor-in-Chief Ryan Lanigan. “It’s rare that you have a player that is so good at scoring yet is also one of the most unselfish players. That combination makes him one of the best players in the area.”

Lazzaro was just one of three players in the Hockomock League to eclipse the 100-point mark, scoring 59 goals (third in the league) and adding 48 assists for a total of 107 points (second in the league), a huge jump after recording 30 points in the regular season as a freshman. When the big moments rolled around against some of the toughest competition, Lazzaro shined which was a big reason for his All-American selection. In a game against the defending D1 State Champs BC High, Lazzaro had three assists and six goals, the last one the game-winner in double overtime.

“We’re very fortunate to have Matt for the next two years,” said Franklin coach Lou Verrochi. “He’s a great finisher, rider, and great with ground balls. And he’s very unselfish too.

Lazzaro is the seventh straight sophomore to win the award and fourth Panther overall, joining Jacob Alexander (2017), Eric Civetti (2016), and Mike Sullivan (2013). Other previous winners include King Philip’s Paul Macrina (2015) and Johnny Piatelli (2014), and North Attleboro’s Andy DeMattio (2018).

Honorable Mentions: Remi Creighton (Oliver Ames), Drew Litner (Sharon), Matt Tully (Foxboro)

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Franklin head coach Lou Verrochi has been named the 2019 HockomockSports.com Boys Lacrosse Coach of the Year after guiding the Panthers to another league title, their seventh straight, and to their second appearance in the Div. 1 South semifinal, which is the furthest that the program has made it.

“Lou continues to build the Franklin program into a state power,” said HockomockSports.com Managing Editor Josh Perry. “By loading the schedule with some of the top teams in the state, the Panthers are no longer just a dominant team in the Hock but are now regularly considered a threat in the state as a whole.”

The Panthers went 18-3 this season and all three losses were by a single goal, including two in double overtime. All three losses were to teams that reached a sectional final. Franklin scored 310 goals, which was nearly 60 more than the second highest total in the league, and allowed only 113, also best in the Hock. Franklin won two playoff games and only a last-second loss to perennial power Duxbury cost the Panthers a chance at their first South final. Franklin also garnered three All-American nods and led the league in all-star selections.

This is the second time that Verrochi has been selected for this honor. His first Coach of the Year award was in 2015. This is the third time that a Kelley-Rex coach has been selected, Verrochi twice and Mansfield’s Tim Frias, who won the award in 2016.

Honorable Mentions: Matt Noone (Foxboro), Hal Bean (King Philip), Bill Bendell (Canton)

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