LYNN — Chris Kirby’s career as a student-athlete at St. Mary’s includes no lack of success. A three-sport athlete, Kirby keeps a busy schedule with golf in the fall, hockey in the winter and lacrosse in the spring.
Kirby helped the Spartans boys hockey team to a Division 1 state championship last year as a junior. He started his senior year this past fall with another banner to celebrate when the school’s golf team won the Division 3 state championship in October.
Now the lone missing piece for Kirby at St. Mary’s is a state championship in lacrosse.
“It’s pretty much everything I’ve been working toward since my freshman year,” Kirby, a four-year varsity lacrosse player, said. “To finish my last year at St. Mary’s with a long playoff run and winning our last game would mean a lot to me. I’ve already won a state championship in hockey and golf. Now I’m hoping we’ll win our last game, a state championship, in lacrosse.”
The Spartans quest for a state title begins this afternoon (4) when No. 12 St. Mary’s visits No. 5 Bishop Fenwick in the first round of the Division 3 North state tournament. The Crusaders are an opponent St. Mary’s knows plenty about as the two have built a Catholic Central League rivalry with a handful of close games over recent seasons.
“We haven’t been very successful with Fenwick in the past,” Kirby, a Swampscott native, said. “It’s going to take a lot to pull out a victory from them. We’ve had personnel changes throughout the season. Kaden Quirk has played great in goal and he’ll need another great game. Our defense has been great. When our offense gels together nobody can stop us. It’s going to take a full effort from our team.”
The regular season wasn’t a smooth road for St. Mary’s, but the Spartans answered the bell when they needed to in order to qualify for states for the second consecutive year. It took a 6-5 overtime victory over Newburyport on April 26 for St. Mary’s to seal its tournament bid. The Spartans finished the regular season at 10-8.
“Our program is on the uprise,” Kirby said. “We had a tough go my freshman year. Coach Josh Field came in my sophomore year. He set the new foundation. We improved a ton that season. Our program used to be about athletes taking on another sport. Now it’s a program where kids come to St. Mary’s to play lacrosse. We’re becoming a team to be reckoned with.”
From the sidelines, Field has seen Kirby, a defenseman, grow into a player St. Mary’s can look to for leadership both on and off the field. Kirby was named a team captain during the offseason.
“Chris is our vocal leader,” Field said. “In lacrosse you have to communicate and he’s always been our leader in communication. He’s also been our inspirational leader. He’s been a great leader for our team.
Field added, “Chris was a big part of last season’s success. He’s been a big part of this season’s success. We have a lot of young players this year. He’s had to play a big part in his game but also helping bring the young guys along as well. He plays a big part in helping younger players improve.”
In addition to leadership, Kirby tackles a key role in the St. Mary’s defense. More often than not, Kirby draws the task of defending the opposing team’s best offensive player. While some might view that as an intimidating assignment, Kirby embraces it and does his best to help the Spartans win.
“He’s one of the best defenders on our team,” Field said. “We typically have Chris shut down the opposing team’s best offensive player. He leads the team in ground balls, averaging eight per game. He has great stick skills. Our offense starts as soon as the defense gets possession of the ball. Chris is a great player to have initiate the offense from the defensive side of the ball.
“He’s very committed to the game,” Field said. “That’s the type of player we look forward to having at St. Mary’s. We’re very lucky to have him.”
When it’s all said and done for Kirby at St. Mary’s, he’ll continue his lacrosse career at Division II St. Michael’s College in Vermont. He’s the first St. Mary’s lacrosse player to commit to a Division II program.
“St. Michael’s is a thriving college in a great city,” Kirby said. “It was a perfect fit with a competitive lacrosse team that I’m excited to be a part of.”
Although his future plans are official, Kirby’s fully focused on helping the Spartans earn a win at Fenwick. With two teams that know each other well, St. Mary’s will come into today’s game prepared for a battle.
“We’ve watched film, we know who their most talented players are and what they run,” Kirby said. “We’ve played them twice and it’s really hard to beat a team three times in a season. We’ll come into this game extremely prepared. We know what they’re all about.”
