Boys' Lacrosse Team Brings Young Players to the Field

Nearly 85 percent of the boys' lacrosse team is underclassmen this season.

But first year head coach and former assistant Vinny Carangelo is optimistic that despite their youth, the Pioneers will be competitive and even turn some heads.

"We’re young, but we have a lot of skill and are very enthusiastic," Carangelo said. "Everyone has a lot of energy and they are working hard. I think we are going to surprise some people."

The Pioneers have 18 freshmen, 15 sophomores, four juniors, and just two seniors.

Last year, New Providence finished with a 7-13 record and reached the Group I State Tournament. The Pioneers were the No. 24 seed in the tournament and lost in the first round to ninth seeded Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School. Rumson advanced to the quarterfinal where they were eliminated by top-seeded Summit, which claimed the group championship.

Carangelo’s top priority this season is that his players perform as a cohesive unit on the field. As a young team, Carangelo believes the way to succeed is through effective teamwork.

"There are more experienced teams out there, and playing as a single unit is how we are going to be able to overcome some of our opponents," he said.

Through four preseason scrimmages, Carangelo credits his players for displaying unwavering work ethic. This has not only resulted in overall improvement talent wise, but also better endurance and conditioning.

"They have all worked really hard in practice, and I don’t think this team has ever been conditioned as it is now," Carangelo said. "That conditioning is going to pay off for us late in some games."

On the flip side, the Pioneers need to improve on some basic areas including passing and catching. Carangelo said during practice, they occasionally deliver errant passes that break up otherwise solid offensive sets in front of the net. He is optimistic that the passing and catching will get better as the younger players gain more on-field experience.

Although the Pioneers are predominantly underclassmen, there are a few veterans Carangelo will look to for leadership.

Senior attacker Richard Nelson scored 54 goals and notched a team-high 25 assists last year. He was also named to the All-Union County Third Team. With those achievements in 2010, Nelson is expected to have a terrific final season with the Pioneers.

"Nelson has been up near the top in the state for points the last two years so we expect a lot out of him," Carangelo said. "We’re hoping he will be a leader on and off the field by example and with his stats."

Another valuable upperclassman is junior midfielder . Last year Barletta collected a team best 149 ground balls, and won more than 60 percent of the faceoffs he took. Barletta also scored 11 goals last year, and Carangelo is hoping to develop him into more of a scoring threat.

Of the 18 freshmen, Carangelo said three will potentially begin the season in the starting lineup: midfielder/attacker James Burke, attacker Jon Ebert, and defenseman Mimmo Coppola.

Between the pipes, New Providence will rely on sophomore goalie Brian Valerio. He played in just four games last year as the backup for senior Ben Carroll.

"Valerio has looked really sharp in the preseason," Carengelo said. "His save percentage has been excellent, and we’re hoping it only continues to get better because he’s still young."

The Pioneers are scheduled to play 18 regular season games, but none will be as contentious as when they travel to nearby Berkeley Heights to face Governor Livingston High School on May 11. It has always been somewhat of a rivalry, but it’s made even more so this year because Carangelo graduated from Governor Livingston and coached there prior to joining New Providence.

"There is a lot intertwined in that match up, so it will be an interesting game for us," Carangelo said. "The guys always want to take it to Governor Livingston, and they really care about it, too."

While that game is a little over a month away, the season begins for New Providence today at 4 p.m. at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School.

"I expect a tough test and a very physical game," Carangelo said.

The Pioneers' first home game is on Tuesday, April 5 versus Newark Academy at 5:30 p.m.

Note: Today's game at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School could be canceled due to the weather. Check New Providence Patch for further updates.