Boys lacrosse attackmen to watch for the 2019 season

Attackmen to Watch

Pete Abbes, Jr., Middletown North

Abbes scored 35 goals and added 19 assists to total 54 points as a sophomore. He was a Second Team All-Class A North selection by the coaches.

Ryan Anderson, Sr., Manasquan  

With linemate Canyon Birch garnering the lion’s share of defenses’ attention and headlines, Anderson quietly had an excellent season with 48 goals and 57 assists (tied for the Shore Conference high) and was one of just four players in the Shore to eclipse the 100-point plateau.  He was a Second Team All-Shore pick last season and should again be one of the top point producers in the area.

Conor Ard, Jr., Middletown South 

Ard’s 36 goals as a sophomore were tops for Middletown South. He added seven assists and was a Second Team All-Class A North selection by the coaches.

Canyon Birch, Sr., Manasquan 

The reigning Shore Sports Network Player of the Year and First Team All-State selection is ready to continue his assault on the record book and lead Manasquan’s quest for a Group 1 title. Birch set a state record with 175 points last season, including a Shore Conference-record 123 goals plus 52 assists in a season for the ages. Birch, who is committed to Penn State, is tied with Southern’s Dylan Jinks for the most career goals in Shore Conference history and needs just 43 points to break the career points record of 431 held by CBA’s Tommy Duerr. He is also within striking distance of the state career records of 362 goals and 468 points held by legendary A.L. Johnson midfielder Matt Poskay.

Brendan Doel, Jr., Freehold Township

After two years as an understudy, Doel takes over as the top attackman for the Patriots. He deposited 22 goals last season while adding a team-high 32 assists for 54 total points. He was a Second Team All-Class A North selection by the coaches.

Ethan Doyle, Jr., Wall

Doyle scored nine goals with three assists in limited action last season on a veteran Wall squad. He’ll step to the forefront this season and is expected to be a top playmaker for a high-high-scoring Crimson Knights offense.

Andrew Gosse, Sr., St. John Vianney 

Gosse netted 41 goals last season to lead the attack for the Lancers.

Cade Johnson, Jr., Southern 

Johnson scored 28 goals with seven assists and was a Second Team All-Class A South pick as a sophomore last season.

Sean Laverty, Jr., Jackson Memorial

Laverty led the Jaguars in scoring as a sophomore with 29 goals and 12 assists for 41 points. At 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, he brings a unique physical presence and will be a tough matchup for opposing defensemen.

Holden Lowe, Sr., Ocean

Lowe was 13th in the Shore in points last season with 65 on 40 goals and 25 assists and returns to lead the Spartans’ offense under new head coach Kevin Preston. He was a Second Team All-Class B North pick last year.

Connor Macrae, Sr., CBA 

Although it seems like CBA lost its entire team to graduation, the cupboard is far from bare for head coach Dave Santos. Macrae leads the way after pacing the Colts with 39 goals last season while adding 15 assists. He was a Second Team All-Shore pick last season.

Dan Martin, So., CBA

Martin was a second-line attackman for the Colts as a freshman but still found a way to post 27 goals and 14 assists. CBA lost 19 seniors to graduation so its incumbent on players like Martin to produce with increased playing time. A big season could be on the horizon.

Casey Mulligan, So., Manasquan

Mulligan joined a loaded Warriors’ team as a freshman and contributed immediately with 37 goals and 23 assists for 60 points. He was a Second Team All-Class B South pick last season and along with seniors Canyon Birch and Ryan Anderson comprise one of New Jersey’s most explosive attack lines.

Logan Peters, So., Wall 

Expectations are very high for Peters, who had six goals, six assists and 19 ground balls as a complementary player during his freshman year. He’ll play midfielder and attack for Wall and could be the breakout of the year in the Shore.

Santo Porazzo, Sr., Jackson Memorial

A Second Team All-Class A South pick last season, Porazzo tallied 27 goals and nine assists

Aniello Russo, Sr., Southern

Russo was a First Team All-Class A South selection last season when he tallied 25 goals and 20 assists for 45 points.

Ryan Schellin, Sr., Red Bank Catholic

Schellin was top 20 in the Shore in scoring last season with 39 goals and 21 assists for 60 points.

Dylan Vitale, Sr., Lacey 

Vitale had a huge season for the Lions last year with 58 goals and 24 assists for 82 points, which was good for ninth in the Shore. The Second Team All-Class B South pick eclipsed the 100-goal mark last May and is committed to McDaniel College.

Dominic Waltonowski, Sr., Lacey

Waltonowski was a top-20 scorer in the Shore last season with 23 goals and 37 assists for 60 points and teams with Dylan Vitale to form one of the top scoring duos in Class B South.

Jack Zenkert, Jr., Red Bank Catholic 

Zenkert’s 64 goals were the fourth-most in the Shore Conference last season. He added 16 assists to finish with 80 points, which was 10th in the Shore.

Managing editor Bob Badders can be reached at bob.badders@townsquaremedia.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.