LYNNFIELD — After helping the St. John’s Prep football team win back-to-back Division 1 Super Bowl championships, Lynnfield native and Eagles senior Anthony Fagan will be continuing his career on the gridiron at Stonehill College.
Fagan, who played tight end and defensive end for the Eagles, weighed a few options, including Division III and New England Small College Athletic Conference member Bates College, before finding the right fit at Stonehill.
“My recruiting process was pretty interesting actually,” Fagan said. “My older brother (James) went to the Prep too and went on to play at Bates. I always really wanted to play in the NESCAC and Division III. But my grades could’ve been better and that turned into a main factor. If my GPA was two points higher I could’ve been able to play at (Bates).”
But Division II Stonehill fit the bill for Fagan. While it may not have been the landing spot he initially thought of, he thinks it’s the right one.
“I didn’t really think I had a chance to play at a Division II school until I went on my visit and loved it,” Fagan said. “Right as I got on the campus I started to think it was a blessing in disguise and it seemed like a perfect fit as soon as I stepped on to it.”
The Skyhawks football program also looks like a great fit, with some connections through some old Catholic Conference rivals helping Fagan feel welcome.
“Cam Boes played for Central (Catholic) and goes to Stonehill now,” Fagan said. “He’s a really good guy and that’s a great connection. Overall, all the coaches and players made me feel welcome when I wasn’t even on the team yet.”
The Fagan family left its mark on St. John’s Prep football throughout the past decade. James was a captain on the Eagles 2012 Super Bowl winning team before Anthony followed in his footsteps.
“It means everything to me,” Fagan said. “My brother and his team were the last ones to win one in 2012. Going into my freshman year, that group knew we were a special class. We knew the future was bright. I don’t want to say we predicted that kind of success but we knew we had our chance. It’s really a blessing.”
That chance came when Fagan started to get more playing time his junior year. Then, coming off that championship season, Fagan was named one of four Eagles co-captains as a two-way starter.
“I didn’t really play much until my junior year and we had an amazing five captains,” Fagan said. “This past year we had a much smaller team and tons of seniors graduated. No one really thought we would have a chance. But we worked all offseason and did morning lifts winter and summer. It was the ultimate release when the clock hit zero.
“It was obviously one of my biggest responsibilities,” Fagan said of being a captain. “My brother was a captain as well so seeing that I wanted to do that same. Growing up and watching that really inspired me. Now I have two (Super Bowl wins) and he only has one.”
That hard work put in over the years with the Eagles is something Fagan, who will major in marketing, will carry over to the next level where he hopes to become a reliable pass catcher and blocker at tight end for Stonehill.
“I’m pretty sure they’re returning a good amount of players and a number of tight ends,” Fagan said. “You have to earn it, nothing is easy. My mindset is to go in and compete but I also know I only got in until my junior year in high school. You have to be patient. I just want to try to get better every day on and off. I know it’ll be a big step adjusting to college life and the team but I think I’m ready for it.”
