It meant a lot for the Manchester Essex boys lacrosse team to earn a tournament berth and make a run in the playoffs in 2022. It might even be more meaningful for the 2023 squad.
“Just making the playoffs this year was a huge deal for us,” explains Manchester Essex boys lacrosse coach Jon Siderewicz. “This is the first time making a playoff appearance since 2018 I believe, and it is another healthy step in the right direction for this program.
The Hornets won four of their last six regular season games to qualify for the Div. 4 tournament, earned the 19th seed and a bye in the first round and picked up a 14-9 win over Abington on June 8 in the Round of 32. The team was knocked out of contention with an 18-5 loss to Wahconah on June 11 in the Sweet Sixteen.
“Getting a playoff win under our belt gives these players lots of confidence and playoff experience, which most if not all did not have before this spring,” says Siderewicz. “Heading into next season, this will be a huge momentum boost and we look to bounce back twice as hard in 2023.”
Manchester Essex loses four players to graduation now that this season is complete: starting goalie and captain Hayden Brady, attackman Ben Difluri and defenders Andrew Amigo (also a team captain) and Jacob Brown.
“These guys all played huge roles in our season's success in their own ways and were big leaders for our team both on and off the field,” explains Siderewicz. “They will all be missed, especially Andrew Amigo and Hayden Brady back boning our defense all season long. We have lots of guys to step up and fill roles next season, and high expectations will be held for all the returners. The standard going forward is to be a solid contender in the CAL, as well as making the playoffs every year.”
Another thing that should help the Hornets in 2023 is that Siderewicz will return to coach the team after earning CAL Baker League Coach of the Year Honors in only his second season at the helm.
“It's hard to take credit for this award since it was really all the players doing,” says Siderewicz. “These players and families are great to have, and they make my job very easy and fun. They come to practice every day willing to compete against each other, and are always striving to get better. It is truly an honor winning any coach of the year award, but most of the credit goes to my players and athletic department for always doing their part.”
Those players certainly did their part in the win over Abington, with Manchester Essex coming out with a purpose and building an early 7-1 lead after only one quarter. Quinn Brady scored 4 goals, while Cam Hubbard and Jesse Oliver had three goals apiece.
“Abington scored a few early in the third quarter to make it a closer game, but we pulled away with some strong offensive possessions and very good transition play between the lines,” says Siderewicz.
The Hornets ran into a buzzsaw in Wahconah a few days later, however. An early goal from Chase Dickson was a highlight, but it wasn’t enough to get Manchester Essex back into this one.
“Wahconah was good and dominated most of the game, if not all,” explains Siderewicz. “They had a couple key players that could do it all for them.”
In the end, it was less about the loss, and more about the lessons learned in this and the other games the Hornets played in 2022.
“These student athletes have really bought in on what we are trying to accomplish at Manchester Essex Regional and are eagerly looking forward to prep for next spring,” says Siderewicz. “Don't sleep on us in 2023; we will be ready to compete at an even higher level.”
The ME girls tennis team lost to Wareham by a 4-1 score at Medway High School on June 15, ending what was a memorable postseason run in the Final Four of Div. 4. This was a young team – each regular singles player is an underclassman usually playing against the top upperclassmen in the state – that improved rapidly over the course of the season and came up with a winning formula, make it all the way to the doorstep of the state finals.
The good news? Those underclassmen will be back in 2023 and will have loads of postseason experience under their belts. The Hornets should retain their top three of Sophie Zalosh, Emory Webber-Provost and Vanessa Gregory, while much of the opposition will lose their top players to graduation. Gregory is a crucial component as she often provided the winning point for Manchester Essex throughout the season and the postseason.
