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05/18/2017 12:00 AMThe date was May 8, and the Branford boys’ lacrosse team was cruising to a 19-2 victory at Jonathan Law. Everything was going as planned for senior captain defender Brennan Beauton. However, when he went to apply a hit like he normally would, something out of the ordinary happened.
“The ball was coming into the defensive zone and the opposing midfielder just caught it. I had a clean look. I wasn’t looking to kill the kid, but I lowered my shoulder, and gave him a pop. We both stopped for a second, but my arm didn’t feel right. I got off the field right away because I knew something wasn’t right. I couldn’t even hold my stick with my right hand,” says Brennan. “Initially, I thought it was a dislocation of my shoulder. The athletic trainer at Law sent me to the hospital to make sure I didn’t chip a bone or anything. I was in pain and figured once they popped it back in, I’d be fine. However, I found out my shoulder was in the joint and it wasn’t a dislocation, but I had in fact torn the ligament.”
Brennan is still waiting to hear the final verdict from his specialist, but in all likelihood, he has played his last game for Branford. However, Brennan’s job as one of the Hornets’ leaders is far from finished.
“It’s definitely going to be tough if the doctor says I’m done. I started varsity ever since my sophomore year and never missed a game, so this just came at the worst time,” Brennan says. “If it does, I’ll continue to help my team from the sidelines. I want to lead them and coach them as much as I can. I’ll do anything for the team. They’re my brothers and I’ll always have their back.”
While the Hornets are certainly going to miss Brennan’s skills on the field, they’re also going to miss his leadership abilities during games. Head Coach Jim May says that he could tell Brennan was an excellent leader from the very first time they met.
“The first thing I’d like to talk about is, when I first met him when he was in 8th grade, I knew he was a leader amongst boys. When I went up to him and said, ‘How are you doing? I’m Coach May,’ he looked me right in the eye, gave me a firm handshake and said, ‘Hi coach. How are you?’ Ever since, he’s been the same way,” Coach May says. “He’s a man of amazing character. He’s been solid for us on and off the field. It definitely has shown why he was out there and why he’s a leader. Brennan was like a coach on the field and directing traffic.”
Brennan patrolled the defensive zone for the Hornets as the squad’s long-pole defender. Brennan was known to give opponents fits with his mastery of that specialized piece of equipment.
“My length gives me a big advantage, especially with the six-foot pole on top of it,” says Brennan. “Eighth grade is when I started using the full length. It’s a big part of my game. The six-foot pole forces opponents to dodge sooner than later. They’re greeted with the six-foot pole quicker and I became very fluent and more comfortable with it.”
Brennan is a year-round lacrosse player who suits up for the Connecticut Cardinals during the high school offseason. As an athlete who lives and breathes lacrosse virtually every day, Brennan was a logical choice to become one of Branford’s captains, and he loves owning that role.
“It meant everything to me,” Brennan says. “Going through the program, I looked up to our captains and respected them. I wanted to do it to the best of my ability and I was very honored. It allowed me to show my leadership, especially on the defensive end. Having the opportunity to lead them was great. I think I’ve earned their respect.”
Brennan isn’t shutting the door on lacrosse, although he isn’t going to pursue the sport in college. Instead, Brennan is planning on enlisting in the United States Marine Corps.
“I plan to play later on in life, but not for the time being,” says Brennan. “Ever since I was little, serving in the military has always been an option for me. After going to school for years, I wanted to change it up. I don’t feel like college is the right thing at this time, and I had two uncles that served, so I’m going to give it a go.”