New-look Warriors will adjust

HAMPTON — There will be changes aplenty for the Winnacunnet High School boys lacrosse team.

Twelve players graduated including six key performers across the field.

Warrior coach Jon Gozzo said his squad can handle the losses of former captains Nick Peckham and Brandon McGirl, stout defensive midfielders Seth Edwards, starting defenders Gabe Givens and Ryan Welch, and starting middie Jack Haight.

“It’s usually the same every year,” Gozzo said. “You lose a couple guys and you pick a couple guys up.”

Still, that’s a sizable chunk from a team that went 6-9 last season, losing in the first round of the Division II playoffs at St. Thomas Aquinas.

A brand new schedule due to extensive realignment in the three boys lacrosse divisions might take some adjustment time.

Traditional opponents Dover, Merrimack and Bedford have moved to Division I and several former Division III teams are now in Division II, including Kingswood and Milford which are on the Warriors’ schedule. Defending Division III champion Hollis-Brookline and Derryfield, two schools that combined to win five of the past seven Division III championships, have also moved into the Division II ranks.

“In Division II anyone can beat anyone at any time,” Gozzo said. “It’s probably more even across the division than the other two."

Winnacunnet is scheduled to open its season Tuesday, April 14, at St. Thomas Aquinas.

“I don’t know if our field is going to be ready by then and if our field isn’t, then St. Thomas’ won’t be,” Gozzo said.

One change Gozzo welcomes completely is the return of his predecessor to the sideline.

Chuck Robie, who started the Winnacunnet boys lacrosse program and was the team’s varsity coach for its first 15 seasons, has returned as an assistant coach.

“We’re lucky,” said Gozzo, who started at Winnacunnet as one of Robie’s assistants. “He’s obviously got so much knowledge. I was psyched that he was even interested in coming back.”

Matt Pongrace (assistant varsity) and Pat Snow (JV coach) are back on the staff which has also added Dylan MacDonald, a former Winnacunnet player, as the reserve team coach.

“My intention is to keep practices shorter and a lot more intense, have the boys constantly moving and no downtime,” Gozzo said. “It’s my fourth year as head coach. I’ve changed a lot. I want to keep the high tempo. I think it keeps the kids alert.”

Like all of the field teams at Winnacunnet, the boys lacrosse program has had to get inventive and be willing to go off-campus for some of its preseason practices.

This week they spent some indoor time at Seacoast United and were scheduled to have some much-needed practice time on the artificial surface at Seacoast United’s outdoor facility in Epping on Thursday and Friday.

The team is scheduled to play a scrimmage at Exeter on Saturday.

For all the changes there are some constants.

The most notable is the return of senior captain Ben Cranford, a four-year starter and junior captain, to the midfield.

“He’s faster than he was last year if that’s possible,” Gozzo said. “He’s quick, he’s a good player, a great athlete, and has a really good lacrosse IQ.”

Cranford’s ability to be both an offensive threat and a defensive presence is something Gozzo believes he can count on from a number of midfielders.

In the past, like many high school teams, Winnacunnet has deployed defensive midfielders who switch onto the field once an opponent has gained possession and crossed midfield.

“We’re not having specific guys that play offense and specific guys to play defense," Gozzo said. "That’s different than what we’ve done in past years."

Among those expected to join Cranford in the midfield will be juniors Morgan McGirl, Brian Auffant and Liam McNamara and sophomore Jack Rademacher.

“We’ll have lines but what’s nice is that they can all play with each other,” Gozzo said.

Winnacunnet will have a bunch of big but somewhat untested targets at attack for the midfielders to get the ball, too. Seniors Kyle Day, Preston Reusch and Jack Healy are all 6-foot-3 or taller. Senior Jake Mann is not as tall but has an offensive lineman’s build (Mann was the starting center and captain on the football team).

The defense returns Sean Cotter. Mike Lewis and Henri Coleman are expected to be in the starting lineup.

Sophomore Matt Cooney and freshman Ollie Wilcox are vying for the goalie position.