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06/29/2016 12:00 AMFor the second year in a row, the Valley Regional boys’ lacrosse team posted a regular season record of 8-8 and qualified for the Class S State Tournament in 2016. The season was and up-and-down battle for the Warriors, who couldn’t seem to get hot in the competitive Shoreline Conference. Valley only lost consecutive games twice, but only won back-to-back games twice, which had Head Coach George Hudson’s club fighting for a playoff berth late in the campaign.
“We wanted to get further in states, but were knocked out in the first round,” Hudson said. “We were not as consistent as I’d have liked to be throughout the year. We would play well for moments and then fall back after a good performance.”
Two of the Warriors’ biggest wins came against North Branford, which Valley defeated 11-8 at home in its season opener and 12-8 on the road a month later. Valley clinched its spot in states by prevailing at Fitch 14-3 in its third-to-last regular season game. The Warriors’ season ended with a 12-7 loss to Haddam-Killingworth in the Class S bracket.
“Besides the two wins over a good North Branford team, the Fitch game was really the high point of the year,” Coach Hudson said. “We needed that game to get into states against a team we didn’t know much about. We played great lacrosse and controlled the game. I think that was one of our best efforts of the season.”
Despite the early exit in the playoffs, Valley still received huge contributions from several athletes this spring, including freshman Bradley Rider, who led the Warriors with 51 goals, 30 assists, and 81 points to go along with a team-high shooting percentage of 46.8. Junior Jonathan Brophy was named to the All-Shoreline Conference First Team from his midfielder’s position and had 28 goals with 21 assists for 49 points, which tied him for second on the squad with sophomore Charlie Ferrucci, who finished with 30 goals and 19 helpers. Senior captain Jonathan Lacoske initiated the offense as an attacker and posted 25 goals and 22 assists for third on the team in points with 47. Junior Rocky Harpin scored 19 times and had 17 assists for 36 points, fellow junior Ryan Davis was next with 13 goals and 18 assists for 31 points, and sophomore Soren Frantz reached double figures with 11 scores.
In goal, junior Jacob Azzinaro finished with 199 saves on 350 shots for a save percentage of 60. Azzinaro’s performance earned him the team’s Most Valuable Player Award that was handed out in mid-June. Other award winners were Brophy, who took home the Warrior Award; junior Hunter LaPlace, who received the Defensive Player of the Year Award; and Rider, who collected Offensive Player of the Year honors.
“Jake stood on his head all year and did a great job for us. We put a lot on his shoulders and he won a bunch of games for us,” Hudson said. “Brophy was a great two-way middy for us and a leader. Rider is a good player, very skilled, and has a high lacrosse IQ, and Hunter was solid in the back end all year.”
The Warriors’ future looks bright as they are losing just two seniors off this year’s team. Lacoske and Will Doane will be missed both as players and leaders as the two captains move on after graduation, but the good news is that the Warriors have a strong crop of underclassmen to fill in the voids that those two are leaving behind.
“John and Will were both great leaders on the field and by example. Lacoske was a real spark plug for us and a feeder on ‘O,’ while Will was a calming influence for us on the defensive end. Unfortunately, he lost some time this season with an injury, which was hard for us as a team and for him as a player,” said Hudson, who was in his second year as head coach. “For next year, our goal is to make the Shoreline Conference championship and to go further in states and I think we can achieve that. The guys will have another year under their belt to mature and they bought into the system as the year went on. We have a lot of talent and they have to work hard and play hard game in and game out.”
Next season, Valley will look to Azzinaro, Brophy, Davis, and LaPlace to lead the team as its quad-captains. The quartet will be counted on to set a tone for a club that’s returning nine starters.
“Brophy and Davis I put out there and don’t have to worry about them doing their job, which is why they are captains. I expect Hunter to be elite on ‘D’ and Jake is tremendous in goal,” Hudson said. “We also expect Rider to be bigger and stronger, Ferrucci will be a key for us initiating the offense, Rocky will be better, as well. Shaun Cole was a freshman who saw varsity time, so he will be more comfortable helping us on ‘D’ and Soren Frantz is a sophomore who was 50 percent on face-offs and we will be looking for more growth from him.”
From the Sidelines
Valley’s wins this season came against North Branford (11-8), Cromwell (13-3), Haddam-Killingworth (7-6), Old Saybrook (20-5), North Branford (12-8), Cromwell (19-8), Fitch (14-3), and Old Saybrook (11-6).
The Warriors’ losses were versus Morgan (10-9), Old Lyme (20-8), Immaculate (11-10 in overtime), Haddam-Killingworth (14-9), Morgan (9-5), Waterford (14-3), Old Lyme (13-8), Ellington (14-6), and Haddam-Killingworth (12-7)