Season Preview: Big Things In Store for Medford Lax Program

Last season was a big turning point for the Medford High boys and girls lacrosse teams. Both squads won the Greater Boston League title and made it into the MIAA tournament. But while the boys team lost in the preliminary round and the girls in the first round, this season, both teams are looking to take things even further. 

Head coach Mike Engel and the boys lacrosse team will be returning 12 starters from last year’s team, including three GBL all-stars in senior midfielders Jack Forcier and Patrick Trainer and senior goalie Cam Howard. 

“It’s going to be great year,” said Engle. “It was another good year for Medford lacrosse. We’re looking to make a return to the Div. 1 MIAA state tournament and we’re looking forward to working with a great group of guys this season.”

The Mustangs will face a tough schedule this season, with games against top-notch non-league opponents like Brookline, Framingham, Malden Catholic and Wakefield. But Engel remains optimistic and says his team already has a taste for the 2011 tournament. 

“I think being (in the tournament) once helped us,” said Engel. “We were 10-6 last year and I think the experience of being there will take some of the nerves away this time when we get there, granted we ran into Malden Catholic, who is clearly a couple steps ahead of where our program is at, but that’s OK. I think that gap is going to be shortened this year.”

Much like the boys team, the Lady Mustangs also welcome back a slew of returners. With nine seniors in all, Medford should be poised to go far in this year’s tournament. 

GBL all-stars Madie Forcier (senior captain) and Olivia Timmins (junior) will be back to lead the Mustangs along with seniors Katie O’Brien (captain), Deanna Cavallaro (captain), Kathleen Harding, Ericka Silva, Talyor Mason, Michaela Botticelli and Leigh Williams and junior goalie Rachel Keen.

“They’re going to be called upon to pretty much play the whole game and lead us,” said head coach Matt Galusi of his captains. “Deanna and Madie last year contributed tremendously as juniors and Katie O’Brien’s work ethic... I’ve never met a high school girl that works as hard as her.”

“They have the potential to really help us out and score a bunch of goals,” added Galusi, who helped start the girls lacrosse program in 1998. “We’re trying to adopt a new style of play. We started last year a lot of fast-paced, fast break style of offense. Hopefully they can step up and help us out and I’m confident they can.”

Medford is coming off its best season to date with a 13-5 mark and a trip to the Div. 1 North sectional. Despite a loss to second-seeded Lincoln-Sudbury in the first round, Galusi is expecting big things this year, especially from Timmins, who may be Galusi’s biggest scoring threat this year. 

“I expect nothing less out of Olivia than at least 50 goals,” said Galusi. “She has the ability to take over a game. My biggest problem with Olivia is that she’s so unselfish. Olivia can probably score eight or 10 goals in a game, but she would rather score two and then try to get three or four girls on the team get a few goals each. I try to tell her, ‘It’s OK to drop in all those goals, nobody us going to be mad at you.’”

The girl will also be facing a tough schedule this season, with games against, Shawsheen, Andover and Central Catholic.

The girls season kicks off with a home game on Wednesday, April 6 against Essex Agricultural while the boys will host Wakefield on Friday, April 1 at 4 p.m.