LYNN — He’s been playing football nearly his entire life, but a green uniform has never seen the light of day.
Come August, that will change for Lynn’s Edwin Castro, a defensive back from St. John’s Prep who has committed to study and play football at Endicott College in Beverly (Div. 3).
“Hopefully, I look good in it,” he said.
Castro checks in at 5-foot-11, 180 pounds. He played for Lynn English (freshman, sophomore) and Lynn Tech (eighth grade) before suiting up with St. John’s Prep, which is less than eight miles from his future campus.
“It’s a good place to be,” Castro said of Endicott. “We’ve got a lot of great players coming in and I feel there will be lots of competition. As for the program itself, it has a great coaching staff and the environment is pretty cool.”
Castro strongly considered Assumption University and Framingham State University. But beyond the campus beaches – ones a chuckling Castro admitted to enjoying – Endicott just felt like home.
“With Endicott, (St. John’s Prep) Coach (Brian) St. Pierre ended up getting in contact with the head coach at Endicott, Paul McGonagle,” Castro said. “I went up for a visit and loved it over there. The coaches were hyped up to see me and we’ve had a connection from there.”
From snagging interceptions to stuffing goal-line chances, Castro caught eyes as a defensive back. But for the player who scored two touchdowns in a state tournament game against Andover, you just never know.
“I will try to play some offense depending on how it goes,” Castro said. “I feel like I’m a player who can play all over the field or where I’m needed.”
Off the field, Castro said he learned a lot about himself from playing high school football.
“I learned how much work is needed,” he said. “I’m hoping to – one day – be a pro. I want to go to a league and just see how far I can take it. I love this game.”
The Prep’s 2023 Super Bowl appearance (31-25 loss to Xaverian) wasn’t a bad memory, either.
“That was my first time at Gillette Stadium ever – a great experience,” Castro said.
The Gulls are coming off a 10-2 season, one that ended with a second-round loss to SUNY Cortland in the NCAA Tournament.
When asked how he can help, Castro jumped to a more important point.
“Hopefully, we can get a championship,” he said.
Castro arrives on campus Aug. 14, but “the work doesn’t stop” until then. Once he’s settled in, Castro looks to spend some Friday nights watching St. John’s Prep and Lynn football games.
“Of course – I’ll never forget where I came from,” he said. “Any chance I get, I’ll be over there and rooting them on.”
