HOLDEN — An opening day 6-10 loss to Algonquin Regional was a bit of a bitter pill to swallow, but not for long for the 2024 Wachusett Regional High boys’ lacrosse team. The team quickly moved on, putting that one square in the rearview mirror. Next up would be rival Shepherd Hill, where this gritty band of Mountaineers made short work of the host Rams, silencing them 15-1.
“We had a winnable game against Algonquin, and I think that the next time we play them, it’ll be a good challenge,” said senior co-captain Anthony Del Negro. “To win the way we did against Shepherd Hill helped the team. We’re up and ready for some challengeable opponents.”
“We started off playing Algonquin (Regional) and lost 6-10,” fellow senior captain Greyson Doyle said. “I think our defense played pretty well in that first game, but our offense — not so much. It (the win against Shepherd Hill) was good for team morale. As we keep going forward, it’s good to know that we can put up numbers like that.”
“It was great to get that win, especially after a loss to Algonquin,” senior captain Chad Pelonzi added. “We got to run our plays on offense and worked together as a team. It was really good to get out there and execute some things we’ve been working on in practice these past few weeks.
“Our defense is playing strong, and our offense is getting the hang of it. They’re going full swing now. I think we’re going to pull some kids up from JV, and I think they’ll be good additions to our team. Everyone’s getting along well. The team chemistry is amazing.”
While the season remains in its infancy, there are good vibes all around from players to coaches to team supporters. Head coach Derek Vanoudenhove likes what he sees so far in terms of sound work ethic and compatibility.
“This year we have a solid group of seniors, a lot more than in past years. But we have strong leadership from our captains,” said Vanoudenhove. “Any time you can get a big win like that, it’s always going to motivate your team. I think with this group, that’s what we’re capable of. I think we’re going to see a lot of wins this season.
“The work ethic on this team is terrific. They are an extremely hard-working young athletes who work really well together, and they’re very coachable. We have to be consistent and show a good work ethic. We need to look at some of our weak areas and look ahead to our next opponent and how we’re going to handle them.”
“Every year at tryouts, our coach tells us that we want to set the standards early by going out and playing strong right away,” said Doyle. “Every year we want to be a playoff team. We did it last year, and we want to do it again.
“Fundamentals are going to be our biggest thing. We started off struggling a bit, and now we’re just catching up. Everyone’s dusting off the rust and getting back into it. We do a lot of conditioning here, so if we can outwork most teams on the field by running hard and hustling on the field, I think we can beat every matchup we have this season.”
“We have a good sense of discipline here. Our heads are screwed on right, and we have a clear goal set in place,” said Del Negro. “As a captain, I like to hold people accountable in practice, and we want to improve on last season (7-12, first round playoff loss).
“One of the things we have to do is to make sure we’re consistent with everything we’re doing, like passing and catching,” said Pelonzi with confidence. “We have a lot of strong players on our team. I think we’ll be able to outwork any team we play.”
Both head coach and players are not reticent to admit that they set individual and team goals at the beginning of the season. It should come as no surprise to many that Vanoudenhove’s goals go beyond fundamentals, emphasizing good sportsmanship and respect for opponents as well.
“I’ll set team goals every year and goals for myself, and that includes good sportsmanship and work ethic. We have a lot of people who come to watch our games, and so that’s become one of my goals this year,” he said. “A lot of guys have played together for a lot of years, and that makes it more fun. They get along so well. We’re all in this because we all love the game of lacrosse.”
Members of the 2024 Wachusett Regional High boys’ varsity lacrosse team are Joe Raeke, Cam Fontaine, Jake Norton, Anthony Del Negro, Ethan Reando, Nick Brousseau, Chad Pelonzi, Greyson Doyle, Jack MacDonald, Seamus Hartnett, William Whalen, Daniel Greaney, Max Gaffney, Troy Greaney, Thomas Cooney, Finnagar Puize, Austin Fiske, Lucas Plouffe, Owen Powers, Rohan Paquette and Connor Ford.
