Nashoba Tech Lacrosse Looks for Third Consecutive Playoff Berth
Thursday, April 05, 2012
The new Nashoba Tech lacrosse program has enjoyed tremendous early success.
The Vikings (1-1) are playing in only their third season as a varsity squad, but have already qualified for the Central Mass playoffs twice. The team also faces other challenges inherent in being a technical high school.
“We don’t have a lot of players, so when the track coach isn’t around, I ask those kids to play lacrosse, and when the baseball coach isn’t around, same thing,” coach John Paolilli said with a chuckle. “Other schools get 60 kids or so for tryouts. We’ve got 25 kids on the roster. It’s going to grow, but right now we have a lot of kids on that have never played before and are still learning.”
Gaining Confidence
While the program is young, it has progressed at a rapid rate. Practices have gone from coaches teaching the fundamentals of the game to installing advanced offenses and set plays. What used to be a relaxed pre-practice atmosphere now consists of every player engaged with a coach, drawing up plays and looks on a white board.
“It’s much better organized than when I first started playing here,” senior Tom Bavis, who has been with the program since its varsity inception, said. “I think last year we were a little skeptical about our chances coming into the year, but now we know that we have the capability to win.”
Up-Tempo Offense
To make up for a lack of numbers, Paolilli is trying to build an offense that plays at a blistering pace. The offense seems to be coming together, as the Vikings put 15 goals on the board in a victory over North Shore on Tuesday. But it isn’t just about masking a lack of depth, Paolilli is also trying to chase down conference power Shawsheen Valley.
“We’ve got a real lethal attack, and that’s what we’re trying to build here,” Paolilli said. “To keep pace with a team like Shawsheen, you have to be able to put the ball in the net. If you don’t score, they will absolutely bury you.”
Key Players
Bavis will again be the center of the Viking attack, and will look to improve upon his 91 points (47G, 44A) from a year ago. The Vikings also return senior attacker Colin Marcin, who is expected to share the scoring load with Bavis. Rounding out the front line is senior midfielder John Cortez, who Paolilli thinks can tie the whole attack together.
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