Reloaded Nantucket Boys Lacrosse Team Eyeing Bounce Back Season

The Whaler boys lacrosse team stumbled through an odd season last spring. They began their season 3-1, with wins against Nauset, Martha’s Vineyard, and Falmouth. But Nantucket was unable to build on that momentum, losing six of their last seven games.

“Last year we were just so thin all across the board and I think with the depth we now have we are going to be able to run a lot more,” head coach Sam Aloisi said. “That will be something we are looking to do and use to our advantage this season now that it is one of our strengths.”

Senior Makai Bodden will lead the Whaler midfield and figure to be one of their key pieces. Sophomores Colton Chambers and Jack Halik also figure to play key roles in Nantucket’s attack after promising freshman seasons in 2021. The Whalers will need to replace players such as James Culkins and Jack Wilson, who played important roles as starters last year, but Aloisi said there will be plenty of candidates to replace that production.

“I also look at Sean Murphy as someone who will be coming out from the net and playing in the field for us rather than as one of our goalies,” Aloisi said. “Sean is really fast and he should be good for us as a midfielder. Justin Bloise decided to play this year and he has incredible speed. We have a whole bunch of other guys who are sort of similar in terms of speed and skill.”

“I don’t think we will have any superstars, but everybody is going to be solid. Going back to the depth, I just think we will be able to substitute a lot more in the midfield and even attack than we have been in the past because our numbers are just so high and we have so many talented kids.”

On glaring area of the Whaler’s game that will need to improve is faceoffs. Senior Cole Evens will be a very capable option and gradually improved as last season went on. He will be their top faceoff man going into the season. The Whalers will also lean on senior Hudson Perry and junior Justin Roethke.

“Hudson showed a lot of promise as a freshman, but he hasn’t played since then,” Aloisi said. “Then we have Roethke, who has a lot of experience. I see it being those three guys, but like I said with some of these other areas, I’m sure someone else will show us something and be capable of helping out in that area as well given how many kids we have.”

The Whalers are looking to keep 26 to 28 players on their team. Aloisi believes the talent is so strong that there will be players on the JV team who could have started last season.

On defense, the Whalers return three starters including sophomore’s Griffin Starr and Hunter Strojny, along with senior Justin Zadroga.

“We are missing Gannon Mooney who graduated but since we have so many guys who have come out, I feel very confident that we will find someone who can fill Gannon’s shoes and play a big role for us on defense alongside those three returning starters,” Aloisi said.

Any efficient defense in lacrosse generally has stability in net, and the Whalers have that this year with senior George Boucher.

“George will be our goalie again and he had a nice season for us last year,” Aloisi said. “This is his fourth year with us. He has been with us since eighth grade. It would be his fifth if we didn’t have that missed COVID year. George is a typical lacrosse goalie. He is hot and cold. He can be really, really good as long as he doesn’t get in his own head. If he gets in his own head, he can become his own worst enemy and start going cold. But that is so typical for any lacrosse goalie. He is a really good player for us. We will definitely be looking at George to lead this defense for us.”

The Whalers will begin their season on the road against the Pembroke Titans on Saturday, April 9, at 12:30 p.m.