Update after press time: Lynnfield falls to Melrose 11-7 (March 28)
KELAN CARDINAL and the LHS boys’ lacrosse team start their season on Friday in Melrose. Their CAL opener will be on Sunday against Hamilton-Wenham at Gordon College. Cardinal, a CAL First Team All-Star last year, is one of four senior captains this year. (File Photo)
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
LYNNFIELD — Pat Lamusta is back for his fifth season as the head coach of the Lynnfield High boys’ lacrosse team this spring. Last year, the Pioneers were edged by visiting Swampscott, 9-7, in the MIAA Division 4 Round of 16.
With that defeat, Lynnfield finished at 16-4 overall. In the Cape Ann League, they were 11-2 as they captured the CAL Baker Division title.
Eight seniors from that team graduated but nine veterans returned when spring practice opened on March 17.
Four of the players back are this year’s senior captains. Kelan Cardinal will be a captain for the second year in a row. Mike Murphy (midfielder), Owen Considine (attacker) and Ben Pimentel (goalie) are the three other captains.
Cardinal, a midfielder, was a CAL First-Team All-Star last season as he had 99 points with 37 goals and a team-high 62 assists. He has 233 career points.
Murphy was also a CAL First-Team All-Star last year while Pimentel and Considine were CAL Second-Team All-Stars.
“It will be exciting to see Murphy and Cardinal step up and be two-way midfielders in addition to their leadership roles,” said Lamusta. “They did a great job last year and I’m eager to see them take it to another level.”
Lamusta feels that Considine can take his game to the next level.
“Owen will continue to be a huge contributor on offense,” said Lamusta. “His shooting skill just gets better every year.”
Pimentel has been a starter in net since his freshman year.
“Ben will have to step up a little bit more in net with a new defense in front of him,” admitted Lamusta. “But he has the experience to do that.”
The other senior back is midfielder Owen Doherty.
Anthony Calla (attacker), Brendan Driscoll (defenseman) and Gabe Schumacher (defenseman) are the three 11th-graders back.
Attacker John Powers is the lone sophomore returning.
Three players that Lamusta is high on are Paul Daley (senior-attacker) and sophomore midfielders, Lucas Deraps and Josh Bernabei.
The Pioneers will open the 2025 campaign on Friday as they visit Melrose in a non-league game. That contest will start at 4:15 p.m.
The CAL opener is on Sunday as they visit Hamilton-Wenham at 4 p.m.