2016 Shore Sports Network All-Shore Boys Lacrosse Teams
Shore Sports Network is proud to unveil its 2016 All-Shore teams and season-ending award winners featuring the top performers from the 2016 Shore Conference boys lacrosse season.
The All-Shore teams, along with the player and coach of the year, were selected by Lacrosse Editor Bob Badders based on his account of dozens of games this season, input from coaches and also factoring in the Shore Conference Lacrosse Coaches Association's All-Shore and All-Division teams.
Scroll down for bios and pictures of all the first-team All-Shore selections as well as write-ups on the second- and third-team selections.
FIRST TEAM
ATT — Jarrett Birch, Jr., Manasquan
The Class B South Player of the Year, Birch scored 75 goals and added 28 assists to finish as the Shore Conference’s leading scorer with 103 points. He led the conference in goals to help Manasquan capture the NJSIAA South Group II sectional title, its first in program history. He also helped the Warriors claim their second straight Class B South division title and reach the Shore Conference Tournament championship game for the first time since 2005. Birch had three or more goals in 15 of Manasquan’s 24 games and recorded five or more points eight times. He scored a conference-high 10 goals during a Shore Conference Tournament win over Lacey, had nine points in a season-opening win over Freehold Township and tallied eight points in a victory over Barnegat. Had one goal and two assists when Manasquan beat Rumson-Fair Haven to win the state sectional title and scored both the Warriors’ goals in a 4-2 loss to Chatham in the Group II final. A first-team All-Shore selection by the Shore Conference Lacrosse Coaches Association and a third-team All-State selection by The Star-Ledger.
ATT — Nick Casner, Jr., Christian Brothers Academy
A dynamic all-around offensive threat, Casner led CBA in scoring with 37 goals and 36 assists for 73 points, helping the Colts capture the Class A North division title and reach the semifinals of the Shore Conference Tournament. A first-team Class A North and first-team All-Shore selection by the coaches association, Casner is committed to Siena College.
ATT — Robbie Garavente, Sr., Rumson-Fair Haven
The SCLCA Shore Conference and Class B North Player of the Year, Garavante led the Shore Conference Tournament champion Bulldogs in scoring with 85 points on 54 goals and 31 assists. He was also fourth on the team with 36 ground balls. Garavente had seven games recording five or more points, including a career-high seven goals in a key divisional win over Ocean. In Rumson’s run to its sixth SCT title and fifth in the last six years, Garavente recorded 17 points in four games, including hat tricks in a semifinal win over Christian Brothers Academy and in the championship game, an 8-5 win over Manasquan. He finished his career as Rumson’s all-time leading scorer with 132 goals and 91 assists for 223 points. A two-time All-Shore selection and this year’s SSN Player of the Year, as well as a third-team All-State pick by The Star-Ledger, Garavente will continue his lacrosse career at Lafayette College.
ATT — Nick Simonelli, Sr., Southern
A true dual-threat attackman, Simonelli scored 49 goals and added 48 assists for 97 points en route to being named the Class A South Player of the Year. Simonelli had some monster games this season, led by a 12-point game against Brick Memorial where he scored seven goals and added five assists. He had a 10-point game with five goals and five assists versus Lacey and also had two nine-point games and two eight-point efforts. He had a season-high seven assists in a win over Freehold Township in the Shore Conference Tournament quarterfinals. Simonelli helped the Rams win the Class A South division title for the fourth straight year and reach the SCT semifinals. He finished his career with 106 goals and 108 assists for 214 points. A first-team All-Shore selection by the coaches association.
MID — John Salcedo, Sr., Christian Brothers Academy
The Class A North Player of the Year, Salcedo scored 27 goals and added 23 assists for 50 points to lead the Colts to the Class A North division title and to the semifinals of the Shore Conference Tournament. He finished his career with 63 goals and 44 assists for 107 points, putting him second all-time among midfielders at CBA. A first-team All-Shore selection by the coaches association, Salcedo will attend the Hun School for a postgraduate year in the fall.
MID — Doug Goldsmith, Sr., Shore
Goldsmith was healthy for the first time in his high school lacrosse career and turned in a fantastic senior season with 53 goals and 46 assists to finish tied for second in the conference with 99 points. He also picked up 124 ground balls as a do-everything player for the Blue Devils. He tallied a season-high 11 points against Point Boro and scored a season-best six goals against St. John Vianney. He had three or more goals in 10 games and had at least five ground balls in 14 games. When Shore beat Jackson Liberty in overtime to win its first Shore Conference Tournament game in program history, Goldsmith had three goals, five assists and 11 ground balls while assisting on the game-winning goal. As a four-year varsity player, Goldsmith amassed 107 goals and 95 assists for 202 points while picking up 356 ground balls. Also an All-Shore football player, Goldsmith will go down as arguably the best male athlete in school history. A first-team Class B North and first-team All-Shore selection by the coaches association, Goldsmith will continue his lacrosse career at the University of Albany.
MID — Bryan Hess, Jr., Rumson-Fair Haven
Despite playing in just 14 games and missing the Bulldogs’ final eight games with a season-ending injury, Hess still finished with 25 goals and nine assists for 34 points while also picking up 39 ground balls. An indispensable player in the midfield for Rumson, Hess’s presence was greatly missed during the postseason. Hess scored three or more goals in five games and had multiple points in 10 games. He had a season-high seven ground balls in a season-opening game against Caldwell. A first-team Class B North and first-team All-Shore selection by the coaches association, Hess is committed to Lafayette College.
MID — J.J. McKenna, Sr., Barnegat
McKenna led the Bengals in scoring with 39 goals and 11 assists for 50 points while also picking up 41 ground balls. Also Barnegat’s face-off man, McKenna won 62 percent of draws. He scored a season-high six goals and eight points against Point Boro and had a seven-point game against Donovan Catholic. McKenna had eight games scoring at least three goals. He was a perfect 5-for-5 on draws in a 6-5 win over Lacey and had seven games winning over 70 percent of the face-offs. He finished his career with 145 goals and 46 assists for 191 points, 195 ground balls and a face-off winning percentage of 61 percent. A first-team Class B South and first-team All-Shore selection by the coaches association, McKenna will continue his career at Rutgers University.
DEF — Emmett Jennings, Jr., Rumson-Fair Haven
A shutdown defenseman with great stick skills, Jennings led the Shore Conference’s top defensive unit that propelled Rumson to the Class B North division title, a record sixth straight Shore Conference Tournament crown and to the NJSIAA South Jersey Group II sectional final. Jennings had 38 takeaways and 29 ground balls for a team that allowed just four goals per game. He also finished with three assists. He had four ground balls and four takeaways in a win over Allentown and had a season-best five ground balls in a win over St. Peter’s Prep. A first-team Class B North and first-team All-Shore selection by the coaches association, Jennings is committed to Providence College.
DEF — Kyle LeBlanc, Jr., Manasquan
A force in the back end for a Warriors defense that allowed just 5.3 goals per game, LeBlanc picked up 63 ground balls and helped Manasquan capture the NJSIAA South Group II sectional title, the first in program history, while also leading the Warriors to the Class B South division title and the Shore Conference Tournament championship game for the first time since 2005. A first-team Class B South and first-team All-Shore selection by the coaches association.
DEF — Gordon Paul, Sr., Christian Brothers Academy
A sturdy defenseman and a menace on ground balls coming off the wing on face-offs, Paul was a dual threat in the back end for the Colts. His play helped CBA capture the Class A North division title and reach the semifinals of the Shore Conference Tournament. A first-team Class A North and first-team All-Shore selection by the coaches association, Paul will continue his career at the University of Scranton.
DEF — Gordie VonSchmidt, Sr., Southern
A standout defender for a Rams team that allowed just 5.6 goals per game, VonSchmidt picked up a team-high 74 ground balls while producing 27 takeaways. His play helped Southern capture the Class A South division title for the fourth straight year and reach the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals. A first-team Class A South and first-team All-Shore pick by the coaches association, VonSchmidt will continue his career at Albright College.
FOGO — Jack Cook, Jr., Holmdel
A monster at face-off X for the Hornets and also their leading scorer, Cook won every head-to-head battle on draws against Shore Conference opponents and ended up winning more than half the face-offs in 16 of Holmdel’s 17 games. He also picked up 134 ground balls, scored 15 goals and added 25 assists. He finished the season with 228 wins on 310 attempts for a .735 winning percentage. He won more than 70 percent of draws 10 times and won over 80 percent of face-offs four times. In a head-to-head matchup with Rumson’s Butch Clark, Cook won 65 percent of the draws. He picked up more than 10 ground balls five times, including a season-high 18 against Red Bank. His top offensive game was a five-goal, three-assist effort against Howell. Cook is committed to Mount St. Mary’s University.
GOALIE — Kyle Knapp, Sr., Rumson-Fair Haven
Knapp made 145 saves with a save percentage of 70 to help the Bulldogs capture the Class B North division title and win the Shore Conference Tournament for a record sixth time and fifth time in the last six years. He played his best in Rumson’s biggest games, recording 15 saves in a 6-4 win over CBA in the SCT semifinals. He also made 13 saves in a loss to Manasquan in the NJSIAA South Group II final. He stopped a season-high 16 shots in a win over Red Bank during the regular season. Knapp also made nine saves in a shutout win over Ocean City in the state playoffs. A first-team Class B North first-team All-Shore selection by the coaches association, Knapp will continue his career at St. Leo University.
SECOND TEAM
ATT — Joey Appio, Sr., Ocean
Appio finished second in the conference in scoring with 30 goals and a conference-best 69 assists for 99 points. He concluded his career second all-time in assists in New Jersey with 221. A first-team Class B North and second-team All-Shore pick by the coaches association, Appio will continue his career at Florida Southern College.
ATT — Henry Sillen, Sr., Rumson-Fair Haven
Scored 34 goals and added 17 assists to help Rumson win the Shore Conference Tournament title and the Class B South division crown. A first-team Class and second-team All-Shore selection by the coaches association.
ATT — Mike Steppe, Sr., Wall
Scored 59 goals and added 33 assists for 92 points. A first-team Class B South and second-team All-Shore pick by the coaches association.
ATT — Shay Walczak, Sr., Christian Brothers Academy
Tallied 28 goals and 26 assists for 54 points to help the Colts capture the Class A North division title and reach the SCT semifinals. A first-team Class A North selection by the coaches association. Will continue his career at Kenyon College.
MID — Pat Felstedt, Jr., Manasquan
Scored 22 goals and added 10 assists and 54 ground balls to help the Warriors win the NJSIAA South Group II sectional title, the Class B South division title and reach the final of the Shore Conference Tournament. A first-team Class B South and second-team All-Shore selection by the coaches association.
MID — Erik Rant, Sr., Ocean
Scored 62 goals with 26 assists for 88 points. A first-team Class B North and second-team All-Shore selection by the coaches association, Rant will continue his career at Stevens Institute of Technology.
MID — Brian Fagan, Sr., Red Bank
Scored 49 goals and added 19 assists for 68 points while also picking up 36 ground balls. A first-team Class B North and second-team All-Shore pick by the coaches association, Fagan will continue his career at Pace University.
MID — Nic Rossi, Sr., Howell
Tied for the team lead in points with 63 on 31 goals and 32 assists. Also picked up 64 ground balls to lead Howell and added 12 takeaways. A first-team Class A North and second-team All-Shore pick by the coaches association. Rossi will play football in college at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
DEF — Dan Maloney, Jr., Rumson-Fair Haven
Forced 23 turnovers and picked up 24 ground balls for a defense that surrendered just four goals per game. His play helped Rumson win the Shore Conference Tournament title for a record sixth time and fifth time in six seasons. A first-team Class B North and second-team All-Shore pick by the coaches association.
DEF — Ian Clarke, Sr., Rumson-Fair Haven
Picked up 46 ground balls and had 27 takeaways on a defense that allowed just four goals per game and helped Rumson win the Class B North division title and the Shore Conference Tournament crown. A first-team Class B North and second-team All-Shore selection by the coaches association, Clarke will continue his career at Pace University.
DEF — Tom Donovan, Sr., Toms River North
Picked up 51 ground balls and forced 25 turnovers to lead the Mariners defense. A first-team Class A South and second-team All-Shore pick by the coaches association, Donovan will continue his career at Kean University.
DEF — Joe Belko, Jr., Wall
Picked up a team-high 74 ground balls and also had two assists to lead the Crimson Knights’ defense. A first-team Class B South and second-team All-Shore selection by the coaches association, Belko is committed to Monmouth University.
FOGO — Butch Clark, Sr.,. Rumson-Fair Haven
A standout face-off specialist who won 66 percent of draws while also picking up a team-high 82 ground balls. Won head-to-head versus 15 of the 22 opponents he faced this season. A first-team Class B North and first-team All-Shore selection by the coaches association, Clark will continue his career at Pace University.
GOALIE — Dylan Furnback, Jr., Jackson Memorial
Made 182 saves and stopped 70 percent of shots on goal. Also had one assist. A first-team Class A South and second-team All-Shore selection by the coaches association, Furnback is committed to Mount St. Mary’s University.
THIRD TEAM
ATT — Tyler Kalmowitz, Sr., Jackson Liberty
Netted 64 goals and added six assists for 70 points while also picking up 55 ground balls to help the Lions win a program-record 13 games and reach the state sectional semifinals for the first time. A first-team Class B South selection by the coaches association.
ATT — Josh Nastarowicz, Jr., Freehold Township
Led the Patriots in scoring with 49 goals and 33 assists during a breakout season. A first-team Class A North selection by the coaches association.
ATT — Cole Smolokoff, Sr., Red Bank
Scored 56 goals and added 25 assists to lead the Bucs in scoring. A first-team Class B North selection by the coaches association.
ATT — Canyon Birch, Fr., Manasquan
Set a Shore Conference freshman record with 61 goals while also dishing out 14 assists for 75 points to help Manasquan win the NJSIAA South Group II state sectional title and claim the Class B South division title. Selected as New Jersey Freshman of the Year by The Star-Ledger. A first-team Class B South selection by the coaches association.
MID — Ryan Gilmartin, Sr., Red Bank
Tallied 44 goals and 17 assists for 61 points while also collecting 38 ground balls. Will continue his career at Mount St. Mary’s University.
MID — Mike Ferdinandi, Jr., Freehold Township
Tallied 29 goals with six assists for 35 points while also picking up 35 ground balls. A first-team Class A North selection by the coaches association.
MID — Devan Carroll, Jr., Manasquan
Scored 24 goals and added 10 assists for 34 points to help the Warriors win the NJSIAA South Group II state sectional title and the Class B South division title. A second-team Class B South selection by the coaches association.
MID — Brett Habich, Sr., Red Bank Catholic
Scored 35 goals and added 33 assists for 68 points while also picking up 46 ground balls. A second-team Class B North pick by the coaches association, Habich will continue his career at Siena College.
DEF — Evan Henken, Sr., Southern
Gathered 49 ground balls and had 31 takeaways on a defense that allowed just 5.6 goals per game. Helped Southern claim the Class A South division title for the fourth straight year. A first-team Class A South selection by the coaches association, Henken will continue his career at Eastern University.
DEF — Richie Bianchi, So., Ocean
Picked up 85 ground balls and also tallied nine points on four goals and five assists. A first-team Class B North pick by the coaches association. Committed to Siena College.
DEF — Jack Mallett, Jr., Manasquan
Picked up 42 ground balls and helped Manasquan make history by winning the NJSIAA South Group II state sectional title and also taking its second straight Class B South title. A first-team Class B South selection by the coaches association.
DEF — Austin Doel, Sr., Jackson Liberty
Picked up 30 ground balls on a Lions defense that yielded 6.5 goals per game to help Liberty finish with a program-record 13 wins and reach the semifinals of the state sectional playoffs for the first time in program history. A first-team Class B South selection by the coaches association, Doel will continue his career at Bridgewater College.
FOGO — Matt Thermann, Jr., Manasquan
Won 72 percent of draws and picked up a conference-leading 174 ground balls for the NJSIAA South Group II champion Warriors. A first-team Class B South selection by the coaches association.
GOALIE — Chris Mulholland, Sr., Jackson Liberty
Made 220 saves and stopped 64 percent of shots on goal to help lead Jackson Liberty to a program-record 13 wins and the program’s first appearance in the state sectional semifinals. A first-team Class B South selection by the coaches association, Mulholland will continue his career at Georgian Court University.
Lacrosse editor Bob Badders can be reached at badders@allshoremedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Bob_Badders. Like Shore Sports Network on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel for all the latest video highlights.