logo
Eastern Mass. boys' lacrosse: Here are 10 players you don't want to miss this season

Eastern Mass. boys' lacrosse: Here are 10 players you don't want to miss this season

Boston Globe27-03-2025

Charlie Carroll, Marshfield
— The 6-foot-1-inch middie earned
Related
:
Luke Kelly, St. John's Prep
— One of 22 seniors on the roster for the four-time defending
Advertisement
Luke Kelly (right) is one of 22 seniors on the St. John's Prep team this spring.
Ken McGagh for The Boston Globe
Tommy Farrell, North Andover
— Already over 150 points entering his second year as a captain, the Fairfield-bound junior attack leads a prolific offense that is stocked with returning playmakers.
Get Starting Point
A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday.
Enter Email
Sign Up
Nolan Jennings, Burlington
— The senior midfielder is the reigning Middlesex Freedom MVP and he's surrounded with talented attackmen including senior Jason Kane and sophomore Daniel Hanafin.
Related
:
Ben Lusby, Medfield
— A long-stick midfielder with a gear shift that can spark Medfield's transition game, Lusby scored 26 goals last season, including three hat tricks in the state tournament, while leading
James Nolan, Wellesley
— The Bay State Conference co-MVP has the potential to shift between midfield and attack. The 6-1 junior led Wellesley with 77 points (46 goals, 31 assists) last season.
James Nolan powers Wellesley's attack, finishing with 77 points last season.
MARK STOCKWELL FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE
Logan Poulin, Nauset
— Not only one of the best middies in the state, the Vermont-bound senior is also elite at the faceoff-X and a proven winner who just helped
Willy Robinson, Scituate
— Showing a penchant for dramatic goals as a junior, the senior middie returns as the leader of a Sailors program that advanced to the Division 3 state final last June.
Nico Smith, Mansfield
— After posting a program-best 19 wins, Mansfield returns most of its key pieces this year, including the reigning Hockomock League MVP, who led his team with 62 goals and 34 assists.
Advertisement
Mansfield's Nico Smith totaled 96 points last season in earning Hockomock MVP honors.
Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff
Others to watch
: Nate Burns, Sr. (Hopkinton); Will Carey, Sr. (Masconomet); Tristan Clayton, Jr. (Acton-Boxborough); Carson Eutsay, Sr. (Catholic Memorial); Colin Fuller, Sr. (Newburyport); Brayden Mattera, Sr. (Walpole); Jake McGuirk, Jr. (Norwell); Finn McKeon, Sr. (Westford); John Olenik, Sr. (Medfield) Alex Peck, Sr. (Natick); John Revegno, Sr. (Duxbury); Jack Weissenburg, Sr. (St. John's Prep)

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

How Rafael Devers' last hours in a Red Sox uniform played out
How Rafael Devers' last hours in a Red Sox uniform played out

Yahoo

time11 hours ago

  • Yahoo

How Rafael Devers' last hours in a Red Sox uniform played out

BOSTON — At 4:45 p.m. Sunday, for the first time in nearly a month, Rafael Devers met with reporters to discuss his homer off Max Fried that helped the Red Sox cap off their best weekend of the season with a sweep of the Yankees. Just minutes before, he was celebrating a big Boston win on the field at Fenway Park. It turns out those moments were his last in a Red Sox uniform. Advertisement Hours later, clubhouse attendants at Fenway Park were packing up Devers' grey Land Rover and sending it on its way. In a shocking Sunday night development, the man who had just hours before talked about how he felt his team was finally hitting its stride was heading West — but separate from the Seattle-bound the Red Sox. Devers had been traded to the Giants in a shocking blockbuster that sent four players — including pitchers Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison — to Boston. 'I'm literally speechless on this one,' said one longtime American League scout. At some point after the game, the Red Sox informed Devers he had been traded to San Francisco. As his team boarded a flight to Seattle at Logan Airport, he got in a cab and headed back to Fenway, where his car was waiting for him. He then drove home, seemingly to pack. A source with knowledge of the discussions said Sunday that the slugger had not demanded a trade. But the possibility, which had quietly loomed ever since Devers balked at the club's request for him to move to designated hitter during spring training, likely didn't crush him, either. Devers has felt for months that he had been poorly treated by the organization and, in emotional moments during spring training, had told friends and confidants that he had considered asking for one. Advertisement The Red Sox have been riding high in recent days, winning five straight (and seven of eight, including five of six over the Yankees) to get back to a game over .500. But there have been whispers of back-room meetings about a shakeup in recent days, even after top prospects Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer joined the club. Principal owner John Henry was on hand at Fenway on Sunday, making a rare appearance on the field before the game to catch up with legendary sportswriter Peter Gammons, who was honored and threw out a first pitch. On the field, though, it was status quo for Devers, who hit second as the designated hitter and launched an opposite-field homer off Fried in the sixth inning. After his 31st career blast against the Yankees, he showered, got dressed in team-issued travel gear for the club's flight to Seattle, then after a brief discussion with a media relations official, came to the clubhouse podium and addressed reporters in a formal setting for the first time since May 17. The session lasted four minutes and 15 seconds. 'Last month, it felt like we were always starting from behind,' Devers said. 'Now, it feels like the starting pitcher is giving us a shot to get ahead. That's very good. 'I feel like we're playing good baseball. I still feel like we have more. When the guys who are injured come back, we can show we have even more there.' Advertisement Since his much-publicized meeting with Henry and manager Alex Cora in Kansas City on May 9, Devers has not revealed what was said behind closed doors at Kauffman Stadium. That night, after a tough Red Sox loss, he told reporters that they should ask team officials — and not him — for details of that meeting. Nothing changed on the field as Devers remained at DH and the Red Sox tried Romy Gonzalez, Abraham Toro and Nick Sogard at first base. Devers wasn't considered to play third base when Alex Bregman went down with a quad injury in late May. Though Cora and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow often repeated the refrain that 'conversations were ongoing' between the team and Devers about potentially taking grounders at some point, he never showed a willingness to do so. Devers took grounders at shortstop for agility purposes before games on this past homestand but Cora reiterated Saturday that he was his DH. 'I feel good,' Devers said Sunday. 'I feel like I've adapted really well and now I'm just playing baseball.' Any excitement about a week that saw the Red Sox call up their top prospect Anthony, then go on a mini-heater against their rivals quickly turned to shock. The overlap between Anthony and Devers' time on the roster lasted six games. It's a striking reality considering how upbeat Devers seemed about a new core that included rookies Anthony, Mayer and Kristian Campbell. 'We're playing good baseball and even more when the young kids are here and learning how to play winning baseball,' Devers said. 'That's very good for us.' Advertisement The final question that was posed to Devers was whether or not the drama and distractions that had defined the early part of his 2025 season were behind him. 'That has passed,' Devers said. It sure has. More Red Sox coverage Read the original article on MassLive.

Rutgers' Harper headlines a bevy of 1-and-done guards set to go high in the NBA draft

time16 hours ago

Rutgers' Harper headlines a bevy of 1-and-done guards set to go high in the NBA draft

There's a deep set of high-end guard prospects in the upcoming NBA draft. Rutgers point guard Dylan Harper is positioned to be the first name called after projected No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, while Baylor's VJ Edgecombe, Texas' Tre Johnson, Oklahoma's Jeremiah Fears and Illinois' Kasparas Jakucionis are possible top-10 picks as one-and-done prospects. Here's a look at the guards entering Wednesday's first round: STRENGTHS: The 6-foot-5, 213-pound son of former NBA guard Ron Harper has size at the point and two-way potential. The lefty thrived as a scorer (19.4 points) with athleticism to finish at the rim, score on stepbacks and hit catch-and-shoot looks. Notably, he went for 36 points in an overtime win against Notre Dame, then 37 more a day later in a loss to then-No. 9 Alabama during the Players Era Festival in November. Harper is a playmaker with good court vision, averaging 4.0 assists. He also averaged 1.4 steals, including six against Southern California and four more against a ranked Illinois team in February. CONCERNS: He shot 33.3% on 3-pointers while launching 5.2 per game, though shot selection against contested looks didn't always help. There's also the optics of being the NBA-bound floor leader on a team that finished with a losing record despite featuring a second one-and-done talent in forward Ace Bailey. STRENGTHS: Explosive athleticism stands out at both ends, notably as an above-the-rim finisher who creates highlight-reel moments. The 6-4, 193-pound Edgecombe finished in the combine's top 10 with a 38.5-inch max vertical leap, had seven games with at least three made 3s and 11 games with three-plus steals. 'I think for freshmen, the universal (issue) is just being able to sustain the level of intensity required as long as they're on the court,' Baylor coach Scott Drew said recently. 'The size, length, speed is one thing, but just to be able to compete each and every play, it's a different level. And VJ has that.' CONCERNS: Edgecombe shot just 34% on 3s, though Drew said Edgecombe could see gains after refining his shot mechanics. He could also improve in shot creation, such making just 25% (13 of 59) in off-dribble jumpers, according to Synergy's analytics rankings. STRENGTHS: The 6-5, 190-pound Johnson averaged 19.9 points to lead all Division I freshmen, as well as being the Southeastern Conference's overall scoring leader. The highlight was Johnson going for 39 points against Arkansas in February to break Kevin Durant's Longhorns freshman single-game record. He thrived off screens (shot 52.1% in those scenarios to rate in the 91st percentile in Synergy) and shot 39.7% from 3-point range, including 12 games with at least four made 3s. He also shot 87.1% at the foul line. CONCERNS: The 19-year-old could use some bulk on a slender frame to help him hold up against bigger and stronger opponents at both ends. STRENGTHS: The combo guard pressures defenders with his ball-handling and space creation, averaging 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists. He got to the line 6.3 times per game and ranked tied for 11th among all Division I players by making 183 free throws. Fears also had a knack for clutch plays, including a four-point play to beat a ranked Michigan team along with a tough late scoring drive for the lead in the SEC Tournament loss to Kentucky. CONCERNS: He needs to get stronger (6-3, 180) and improve his outside shot. He made 28.4% of his 3s, including nine games of going 0 for 3 or worse. Reducing turnovers (3.4) would help, too. STRENGTHS: Jakucionis brings size (6-5, 205) and an all-around floor game to the perimeter. He averaged 15 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists with four double-digit rebounding games and eight games with at least seven assists. He was also one of the nation's best freshmen at getting to the foul line (5.1 attempts per game). CONCERNS: Jakucionis shot just 31.8% on 3s, including 5 of 22 (22.7%) in four bright-spotlight games during the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments. He averaged 3.7 turnovers — sixth-most in Division I, most among freshmen — and had 13 games with at least five turnovers. — EGOR DEMIN: The BYU freshman from Russia is a possible lottery prospect as a playmaker with size (6-8, 199), known for elite passing and vision. He averaged 5.5 assists to rank second among all Division I freshmen. — JASE RICHARDSON: The Michigan State freshman and son of former NBA guard Jason Richardson is small (6-1, 178), though the first-round prospect is a 41.2% 3-point shooter. — NOLAN TRAORE: The 6-5, 175-pounder is a scoring playmaker from France. The first-round prospect had previously drawn interest from programs like Duke, Alabama and Gonzaga. — NIQUE CLIFFORD: The 6-5, 202-pound Clifford spent three years at Colorado then two at Colorado State. The first-round prospect is older (23) but had career-best numbers last year (18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 37.7% on 3s). — BEN SARAF: The 6-6, 201-pound lefty from Israel is a scoring playmaker and first-round prospect. He averaged 12.8 points and 4.6 assists last season with Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany. — CEDRIC COWARD: The 6-5, 213-pound senior started at Division III Willamette, spent two years at Eastern Washington, had an injury-shortened season at Washington State and was set to transfer to Duke. Now he's a first-round prospect after testing well at the combine. — WALTER CLAYTON JR.: The 6-2, 199-pound combo guard was a first-team Associated Press All-American and Final Four's most outstanding player in Florida's national title run. He's a first-round prospect and gamer who thrived in pressure moments. — DRAKE POWELL: The North Carolina freshman wing has perimeter size (6-6, 195), athleticism, 3-point range and defensive potential to be a possible first-round pick. He has a 7-foot wingspan and had combine-best marks in standing and max vertical leap. — KAM JONES: The Marquette senior and potential first-rounder was a finalist for the Cousy Award presented to the nation's top point guard after averaging 19.2 points and 5.9 assists. He missed two games in his career. ___

Rutgers' Harper headlines a bevy of 1-and-done guards set to go high in the NBA draft
Rutgers' Harper headlines a bevy of 1-and-done guards set to go high in the NBA draft

San Francisco Chronicle​

time16 hours ago

  • San Francisco Chronicle​

Rutgers' Harper headlines a bevy of 1-and-done guards set to go high in the NBA draft

There's a deep set of high-end guard prospects in the upcoming NBA draft. Rutgers point guard Dylan Harper is positioned to be the first name called after projected No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, while Baylor's VJ Edgecombe, Texas' Tre Johnson, Oklahoma's Jeremiah Fears and Illinois' Kasparas Jakucionis are possible top-10 picks as one-and-done prospects. Dylan Harper, Rutgers STRENGTHS: The 6-foot-5, 213-pound son of former NBA guard Ron Harper has size at the point and two-way potential. The lefty thrived as a scorer (19.4 points) with athleticism to finish at the rim, score on stepbacks and hit catch-and-shoot looks. Notably, he went for 36 points in an overtime win against Notre Dame, then 37 more a day later in a loss to then-No. 9 Alabama during the Players Era Festival in November. Harper is a playmaker with good court vision, averaging 4.0 assists. He also averaged 1.4 steals, including six against Southern California and four more against a ranked Illinois team in February. CONCERNS: He shot 33.3% on 3-pointers while launching 5.2 per game, though shot selection against contested looks didn't always help. There's also the optics of being the NBA-bound floor leader on a team that finished with a losing record despite featuring a second one-and-done talent in forward Ace Bailey. VJ Edgecombe, Baylor 'I think for freshmen, the universal (issue) is just being able to sustain the level of intensity required as long as they're on the court,' Baylor coach Scott Drew said recently. 'The size, length, speed is one thing, but just to be able to compete each and every play, it's a different level. And VJ has that.' CONCERNS: Edgecombe shot just 34% on 3s, though Drew said Edgecombe could see gains after refining his shot mechanics. He could also improve in shot creation, such making just 25% (13 of 59) in off-dribble jumpers, according to Synergy's analytics rankings. Tre Johnson, Texas STRENGTHS: The 6-5, 190-pound Johnson averaged 19.9 points to lead all Division I freshmen, as well as being the Southeastern Conference's overall scoring leader. The highlight was Johnson going for 39 points against Arkansas in February to break Kevin Durant's Longhorns freshman single-game record. He thrived off screens (shot 52.1% in those scenarios to rate in the 91st percentile in Synergy) and shot 39.7% from 3-point range, including 12 games with at least four made 3s. He also shot 87.1% at the foul line. CONCERNS: The 19-year-old could use some bulk on a slender frame to help him hold up against bigger and stronger opponents at both ends. Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma STRENGTHS: The combo guard pressures defenders with his ball-handling and space creation, averaging 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists. He got to the line 6.3 times per game and ranked tied for 11th among all Division I players by making 183 free throws. Fears also had a knack for clutch plays, including a four-point play to beat a ranked Michigan team along with a tough late scoring drive for the lead in the SEC Tournament loss to Kentucky. CONCERNS: He needs to get stronger (6-3, 180) and improve his outside shot. He made 28.4% of his 3s, including nine games of going 0 for 3 or worse. Reducing turnovers (3.4) would help, too. Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois STRENGTHS: Jakucionis brings size (6-5, 205) and an all-around floor game to the perimeter. He averaged 15 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists with four double-digit rebounding games and eight games with at least seven assists. He was also one of the nation's best freshmen at getting to the foul line (5.1 attempts per game). CONCERNS: Jakucionis shot just 31.8% on 3s, including 5 of 22 (22.7%) in four bright-spotlight games during the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments. He averaged 3.7 turnovers — sixth-most in Division I, most among freshmen — and had 13 games with at least five turnovers. Others of note: — EGOR DEMIN: The BYU freshman from Russia is a possible lottery prospect as a playmaker with size (6-8, 199), known for elite passing and vision. He averaged 5.5 assists to rank second among all Division I freshmen. — JASE RICHARDSON: The Michigan State freshman and son of former NBA guard Jason Richardson is small (6-1, 178), though the first-round prospect is a 41.2% 3-point shooter. — NOLAN TRAORE: The 6-5, 175-pounder is a scoring playmaker from France. The first-round prospect had previously drawn interest from programs like Duke, Alabama and Gonzaga. — NIQUE CLIFFORD: The 6-5, 202-pound Clifford spent three years at Colorado then two at Colorado State. The first-round prospect is older (23) but had career-best numbers last year (18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 37.7% on 3s). — BEN SARAF: The 6-6, 201-pound lefty from Israel is a scoring playmaker and first-round prospect. He averaged 12.8 points and 4.6 assists last season with Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany. — CEDRIC COWARD: The 6-5, 213-pound senior started at Division III Willamette, spent two years at Eastern Washington, had an injury-shortened season at Washington State and was set to transfer to Duke. Now he's a first-round prospect after testing well at the combine. — WALTER CLAYTON JR.: The 6-2, 199-pound combo guard was a first-team Associated Press All-American and Final Four's most outstanding player in Florida's national title run. He's a first-round prospect and gamer who thrived in pressure moments. — DRAKE POWELL: The North Carolina freshman wing has perimeter size (6-6, 195), athleticism, 3-point range and defensive potential to be a possible first-round pick. He has a 7-foot wingspan and had combine-best marks in standing and max vertical leap. — KAM JONES: The Marquette senior and potential first-rounder was a finalist for the Cousy Award presented to the nation's top point guard after averaging 19.2 points and 5.9 assists. He missed two games in his career. ___

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store