By Jimmy Allinder
A quick history lesson is required to truly appreciate what’s going on with the Monroe Township High School boys’ lacrosse team this season.
With the advent of the new millennium, lacrosse was among the fast-growing high school sports, so naturally Monroe jumped on the bandwagon in 2007 to begin its own program. As the Falcons added skilled players through the township recreation team, they became more and more competitive in the Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC).
The last two seasons, the Falcons finished 16-4 and 17-4, are defending conference tournament champions, have qualified for the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) South Jersey, Group IV sectional the last seven years and made the finals in 2015.
As this season commenced, Monroe was faced with replacing every starter due to graduation. However, what was thought to be a rebuilding year could turn out to be a very special season. In matches against GMC opponents, the average margin of victory is 15 goals, and the Falcons have already dispensed perennial GMC power Saint Joseph High School of Metuchen by an eye-opening 11-3 score.
Outside the GMC, they have defeated West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North, 13-0, and Wayne Valley High School, 7-3, and suffered their only loss to Don Bosco Preparatory High School — one of the state powers the Falcons aspire to become — by a 9-2 score.
A key GMC matchup took place April 25 when the Falcons met East Brunswick High School (8-2 overall). Both are 6-0 in the conference, and the winner will have a clear path toward capturing the title.
It’s been an impressive season, but coach Joe Yannone knows his club still has to keep winning once the postseason begins.
“It’s an understatement to say we lost a lot from last season,” he said. “Of 16 seniors who graduated, 15 are playing in college on the varsity or club team level (including all-state selections Sean Gillies and Cole Marini).”
Replacing them has not turned out to be a problem. The starting lineup is loaded with production at all positions. At attack are seniors Nick Parente and Mike Chaves (25 goals each) and Dan Fortunato, juniors Ty Hibbits and Anthony Abreu (10 goals) and sophomores Ryan Wood and Mike Cavello (33 points). In the middle are seniors Chad O’Neil, Austin Aitken and Nick Wasniewski and juniors Jack Cusanelli and Christian Giannola (29 points). On defense are senior Hank Haligoski, juniors Jordan Perry (47 ground balls) and Jon Cerbie and sophomore Isaac Hernandez.
Senior Chris Nelson has 54 saves in goal.
Newcomers include juniors Ken Fernandez, Mike Favalaro, Matt Ternten and Ethan Biscone; sophomores Robert Dorian, Matt Ulrich, Connor White, Matt Mekhail, Sal Fama, Dylan Warren, Sean Sosnak, Christian O’Hare and Jon Louro; and freshmen Mason Grossman, Brandon Scott, Josh Estavilla and Kevin McCauley.
“We purposely scheduled out-of-conference matches with quality opponents because those are the ones we’ll meet in the states,” Yannone said. “We already met Don Bosco and Wayne Valley and have a match against Notre Dame [High School April 29] and Moorestown [High School May 4].”