As winter sports come to a close, spring sports quickly take center stage, and with their arrival, lacrosse is officially in full swing at Winthrop High School. The boys and girls lacrosse programs have already plunged into their season, following a series of weeks filled with practices and games. The girls team is guided by a new face this year, as Vermont native Zoe Lang takes the helm, supported by Andrea Martucci. Meanwhile, the boys team is led by returning coach Brian Donnelly.
So far the girls season is off to a good start with a record of 4-4 after weeks packed with games. I was able to reach out to head coach Zoe Lang to get some of her thoughts and opinions on the girls season so far. She was quick to praise the girls team for “keeping their heads up even after some tough losses” while stating that a record of 4-4 was not a bad spot to be in. Zoe highlighted the senior captains Talia Martucci, Gabby Buonopane and Izzy Rice and their immense presence on the field. Talia and Gabby have been dominating in the midfield throughout the whole season, starting with the draw. While Izzy Rice has been a huge leader on the defense both vocally and skillfully. Zoe shared how all three girls have been living up to her expectations and are great examples for all the younger girls on the team. She points out how the team is on the younger side saying “we still have a lot to learn but we’re doing a great job”. Zoe went along to shoutout Juniors Teagan Pereira “who has been a force with her shot” and Reese Ferrara who has been “has been key for us in the midfield and on attack”. She also shouted out Sophomore goalie Anabel Bettano who “has been doing a wonderful job in net”. The girls have a lot of their season left and are looking forward to taking it on and working on improving their skill and teamwork.
I was able to reach out and ask some questions to senior captains Talia Martucci, Gabby Buonopane and Izzy Rice to hear their thoughts about the upcoming season.
Holly Nimblett: How long have you been playing lacrosse?
Gabby Buonopane: I have been playing lacrosse since eighth grade.
Talia Martucci: Five years.
Izzy Rice: I have been playing lacrosse since freshman year!
HN:What position do you play?
GB: Mid/Attack.
TM:Mid/Attack.
IR: I play defense.
HN: Why do you play lacrosse?
GB: I play lacrosse because it is such a fun sports and I get to play with my best friends and form so many new connections and memories!
TM: I play lacrosse because I love the sport and my sister had a big influence on me playing!
IR: I play lacrosse because I’ve never done a sports that involves being on a field or wearing cleats, only sports like cheer and gymnastics, so when I heard we had a lacrosse team at Winthrop I joined to try something new and I fell in love with it!
HN: What is your favorite part about playing lacrosse?
GB: My favorite part about playing lacrosse is the fact that I get to play a sport I love with the people I love. I have so much fun during practices, games and everything in between!
TM: Making so many memories with my teammates and all the team bonding activities!
IR: My favorite part about playing lacrosse is the games because I’m a very competitive person, and I love working together as a team and seeing everyone be cohesive.
HN: What are some of your goals for the upcoming season?
GB: Some goals for this upcoming season is to win a lot of games and make a good run in the playoffs.
TM: My goal for this season are to just have a lot of fun together as a team for my last season!
IR: My goals for the upcoming season is to score at least one goal, being on defense is very hard and you never have a chance to score, but I want to try to make it happen!
*On April 16th, Izzy completed this goal by scoring a goal against Gloucester.*
When asked about their favorite lacrosse memories all three captains talked about the fun experience of getting to go on a ferry to Nantucket for a playoff game and how that will always be a core memory.
Talia, Gabby, and Izzy have all shown great leadership as captains, helping out the underclassman with anything they need and staying encouraging throughout games and practices. The three treat everyone on the team with respect and kindness which really creates a great, friendly team environment. The girls are excited to venture further into their season and are hoping to secure a couple more wins as they move through their schedule.
The boys team is having a great start to their season having started off with a 6-0 record and big wins against their rival teams Beverly and Swampscott. When asking the boys head coach Mr. Donnelly he shared his thoughts on the team’s early success, highlighting the impact of both standout players and strong team chemistry. At the heart of the team Donnelly gave praise to the core leadership of the team captains Michael Holgorsen, Seth Sacco, and Sean Dolan. The goalie, Nicholas Romano “has been playing lights out in net” as he averages 10 saves in almost every game, only letting in 6.8 goals per game, which is a testament to his consistency. Seth Sacco has been given the title of an offensive weapon, delivering impressive stats in each game. While sophomore CJ Cifuni averages a hat trick each game and is an excellent feeder for his teammates. Luke Githinji has also been making a big impact on the team, playing excellently on attack during the teams ride proving himself in big moments by finding the back of the net. Mr. Donnelly also shouted out sophomores Matthew Madalone and Charlie Ferrara for stepping up massively, with Matt “taking faceoffs and being great”, and Charlie at attack “really coming into his own as a player”. Their defense is strong and works as a great unit with Paul Ferrara and Sean Dolan at the helm, while Stephen Lindinger and Declan Howard are stepping up as first year starters to shut down teams in major moments. With a strong core, depth across all positions, and a great record so far, the boys team are proving to be exciting and strong as the season progresses.
The boys next home game is friday May 2nd against Shawsheen at 4:30 on Miller Field, while the girls next home game is tuesday April 29th against Peabody at 4:00 on Miller Field make sure to show up and support these amazing teams!
