FILE PHOTO
Jake DeStefano, Peabody’s starting goalie and a team captain, is averaging 19 saves per contest.
By HAROLD RIVERA
When Jake DeStefano joined the lacrosse team at Peabody High as a sophomore, he didn’t see a lot of playing time. DeStefano served as the backup goalie to starter Matt Cloutman, and his limited size and experience kept him off the field for a large part of the season.
Two years later, DeStefano, now a senior, is among the best goalies in the Northeastern Conference as he was named an NEC second-team All-Star. Not only is he Peabody’s starting netminder, but he’s also a team captain.
His positive attitude has been key this season, as the Tanners have seen their share of ups and downs. Peabody got off to a sour start but the team picked things up in the second half of the season and now stands at 5-11, a turnaround that’s much to the liking of Tanners coach Tony O’Donnell.
Along the way, DeStefano’s positive demeanor has allowed the younger players on the team to find their confidence and rhythm in games.
“The best thing about Jake is that he’s always positive,” O’Donnell said. “If he lets in a goal, he forgets about it and he doesn’t blame his defense. The summer between his sophomore and junior year he really improved and became a great goalie. He has really proven himself as a leader and that’s why he was unanimously voted a captain this year.”
Aside from keeping the team loose and upbeat as a captain, DeStefano also keeps the Tanners in games at goalie. The senior is averaging 19 saves per game and has been a stalwart in each of Peabody’s five wins this season.
“I haven’t had a better ball-stopper than Jake,” O’Donnell said. “He has great hand-eye coordination, his positioning is great and he’s always in the perfect place. His position is flawless and that allows him to make saves.”
None of DeStefano’s success would’ve been possible without his dedication to the weight room throughout the offseasons.
“One big thing for me is my weight,” DeStefano said. “I started at 138 pounds (as a sophomore) and now I’m at 200. I bought a speed ladder after my sophomore season and that’s helped me with my footwork. My goal every offseason is to make sure my body’s 100 percent ready for the season and I feel the weight room was a big contributor.”
After starting the season on the wrong foot, the Tanners realized they had to make changes. The talent was always there, but DeStefano noted that he and his teammates weren’t communicating effectively. Once they got that fixed, the team started to move in the right direction.
“At the start of the season we weren’t working with each other,” DeStefano said. “We were rushing on offense and we weren’t communicating on defense. We have some stars on our team that I’m honored to play with and as the season progressed we improved on our communication. Now, we’re always communicating to know where we are.”
Peabody’s improvements were highlighted when it notched a 9-5 victory over crosstown rival Bishop Fenwick to reclaim the Danish Cup. DeStefano, per usual, propelled the Tanners with a 22-save performance and received the game’s MVP award for Peabody.
The win over the Crusaders carried extra incentive for DeStefano as it was his first Danish Cup appearance. Last season, he was devastated that he was sidelined for the game with a concussion.
“That’s the first Danish Cup that I’ve been able to play in,” DeStefano said. “My defense played phenomenal. I didn’t see many clean shots or one-on-ones. It felt really good to make those saves and I have to give props to my defense.
“Peabody’s never lost a Danish Cup game to Fenwick, so making sure that tradition lives on is great,” he added. “Holding that Danish Cup in your hands, there’s no better feeling.”
Although his days with the Tanners are winding down, DeStefano will continue his lacrosse career as the goalie committed to play at Rivier University in New Hampshire. Rivier wasn’t high on his list initially, but a visit to the school’s campus changed DeStefano’s opinion and convinced him to join the Raiders.
“At first, Rivier was one of my later choices,” DeStefano said. “The second I got to the school for a visit, I realized that it was a great school and the guys on the team were kind to me. I wanted to pick a school where I could get a great education and win games at the same time. Rivier was a great mix of both for me.”
DeStefano, who also played football at Peabody as an offensive lineman, acknowledged that college lacrosse will bring its share of challenges.
“The shots are faster, the guys are stronger and the competition will be better but I feel that I’ll be able to make the transition pretty quickly,” DeStefano said.
When he joins the team in the upcoming fall, DeStefano will compete with a familiar face for the starting goalie position. That role is currently manned by former Tanner Cloutman, the starting netminder back when DeStefano joined the team.
“Matt was kind of Jake’s mentor at Peabody,” O’Donnell recalled. “It’ll be a good battle from day one. It’s going to be a great competition. Jake’s going to test him. He’s a competitor and he’ll certainly push Matt.”
