ITEM PHOTO BY KATIE MORRISON
Fenwick’s Chris Napolitano rushes past Beverly’s Ryan Garrity during the Agganis All-Star boys lacrosse game on Wednesday.
By MIKE ALONGI
LYNN — Melrose attacker Jack Siebert dominated in Wednesday’s fifth annual Agganis All-Star boys lacrosse game, scoring six goals to lead the South team over the North, 13-6, at Manning Field.
The six goals earned the Lehigh University commit MVP honors for the South team, while Bishop Fenwick attacker Chris Napolitano (Endicott) won MVP for the North team with two goals.
“Chris was definitely one of those special kids for me this year,” said North coach Stephen Driscoll, who just finished his first season coaching at Fenwick. “He’s someone who really helped me a lot in my first year, and to get to coach him one more time and see him win the MVP, it’s definitely something I’ll remember.”
Also for the South team, Central Catholic attacker Alex Parent (Bryant) had four goals. Beverly midfielder John Loreti (Roger Williams), Salem attacker Eamon Williamson (UMass Amherst) and Governor’s Academy midfielder Rob Driscoll (Wooster) each had one goal. Beverly’s Jacob Lopez (Gordon) and North Reading’s Nick Ponte (Merrimack) split time in net, each recording five saves.
“This was a great back-and-forth game, and we played really well,” said South coach Anthony O’Donnell, who coaches at Peabody High. “Some of these guys, like Jack Siebert and Alex Parent, they play on a club team together, and then I’ve coached against a lot of these guys so I know how good they are. So I figured when you put that many good players together, good things will happen.”
For the North, Andover midfielder Andy Soucy (Endicott), Northeast Regional attacker Max Trifone (Salem State), Bishop Fenwick midfielder Dan Hannon (East Carolina) and Billerica goalie Tyler Canto (UMass Lowell) each scored one goal. Canto also had six saves in net, while Lynnfield goalie Jack Ganter (Bridgton Academy) had seven saves.
“There’s definitely some talented players on both squads,” said Driscoll. “There’s a lot of guys here who are going to play in college and I think this is a great way not only for them to showcase themselves, but also to take part in a great event like Agganis Week.”
It was a close game at the half, with the South leading 6-4 thanks in part to Siebert already netting a hat trick by that time. It was two late goals by the North, from Trifone and Napolitano, that kept it in the game to start the second half.
The South was, however, able to pull away in the second half. Three straight goals within the first 10 minutes of the half stretched the lead out to 9-4 before the North got an emotional boost.
With 30 seconds left in the third quarter, Canto picked the ball up next to his own net and raced all the way up the field, weaving through several defenders along the way. He weaved all the way into the box, where he ripped a shot past his South counterpart to make the score 9-5 and sent the crowd into a small frenzy.
However, after Hannon scored to cut the deficit to three, the South rattled off the final four goals of the game to pull away for good.
“It’s always fun being at this game, and it’s always an honor to coach in it,” said O’Donnell. “And to be able to coach one of my own seniors, Pat McCarthy, it’s truly an honor.”
