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06/16/2016 12:00 AMMore and more kids are starting to play lacrosse at a younger age in North Haven as the sport’s popularity continues to grow in town. Max Sullivan stepped foot on the lacrosse field for the first time in the 3rd grade and he’s continuously improved his overall game ever since. This spring, Max used his skills to have a great junior season for the Indians in which he earned All-SCC First Team and All-State Second Team honors.
“It’s definitely helped me gain experience through a lot of practice and watching the game over the past several years,” says Max, who was All-SCC Second Team last year. “It’s really helped build my lacrosse IQ and skill level.”
Max played defense and the long stick midfielder position for North Haven and Head Coach Eric Bailey feels he did an excellent job of covering the opposing team’s best player. Max also showed his versatility by scoring eight goals for a club won 10 games, including a 12-2 blowout of East Lyme in the Class M State Tournament.
“He has an elevated lacrosse IQ because he understands the game extremely well and is a year-round lacrosse kid. He can see what’s going to happen before it happens,” Coach Bailey says. “He has great stick skills, so we put him on the wing on face-offs, which allows for him to push the ball in transition, so he’s scoring a little bit, too. That’s something we’ve never had.”
Bailey’s level of trust has infused confidence in Max, who enjoys hounding the opposition’s top offensive threat game after game.
“He definitely trusts me. He knows I’ve been playing for a long time and I have a lot of athletic ability and mental ability to cover the top guy,” Max says. “I believe that my athleticism and knowledge of the game can help me match up. I’m confident in my approach.”
Max has also been known to jump into the rush and find the back of the net on occasion. Still, as much as he likes pushing in transition, Max’s primary focus remains on North Haven’s defensive scheme.
“You definitely need to be focused at all times on defense,” says Max. “With a pick-and-roll game and off-ball cuts, it’s hard to keep track of the offensive players, so you always have to be alert and focused.”
Max also plays for the North Haven football team as a fullback, safety, and kicker. Last fall, Max helped the Indians post an undefeated regular season and reach their first state final as a starting safety. Max finished with the season with 59 tackles and three interceptions and will be one of North Haven’s senior captains in 2017.
“Offensively, I didn’t touch the ball a lot, but I started on defense at safety, so I got a lot of time there,” says Max. “I enjoy running the ball and I like offense a lot, so I’m definitely looking forward to [next season]. I’m going to get a lot more carries after we lost a lot of our backs [to graduation], so it should be a lot of fun.”
Although North Haven didn’t emerge victorious from the Class L championship game, Max enjoyed the journey and appreciates how much the town supported the Indians throughout the season.
“That was awesome,” says Max. “We had a great senior class that led the way, which helped us get there. It was a great experience and we definitely have a lot of talent and the ability to get back there. If we put our work in during the offseason, we can have just as successful as a season.”
Now that he’s tasted the thrill of a state final on the gridiron, Max wants to lead the lacrosse squad even deeper in the postseason as a senior captain next year.
“I’m definitely looking forward to the opportunity to help lead the team,” says Max. “I want to work in the offseason, hit the weight room, and work on my speed. We have a ton of young guys with potential.”