Senior Max Forestier running the field. Photo by David Cartledge.
This season, the Malden High Boys Lacrosse team played a good, hardfought season, currently having a record of 6-10 with another two games to play. Unfortunately, the team missed the mark for States this season, losing to Winthrop on Monday. This was a hard season for the team, not only having to deal with the loss of half their team, but also repositioning depending on those losses. Coach Jonathan Copithorne mentioned how this was a “learning season” for the team, needing to figure out new positions for both returning players and new players. The loss of seniors last season made it so the team needed to compensate for them, losing their entire defense including the goalie and much of the midfield. The team managed to figure it out though, even if it was too late to make states.
Copithorne described this season as a “semi-successful roller coaster,” feeling that while the team managed to play a few great games, where they really showed what they were capable of, playing like “world beaters.” He also described though how some games were disappointing, showing how “inconsistent” the season was, with players losing interest in the game because they were down a few goals, and then losing the game as a result. Sophomore Jason Ashworth, who Coach Copithorne described as the “quarterback of the defense”, and a player that was a really huge part of the defense, mentioned how “[they] have to just work on the small things for next season”, saying how coach Copithorne “always tells [them] to hit a wall and if [they] do that [they] will greatly improve in seasons to come.”
This season, despite missing the mark for States, was an eventful one for the team, showing major improvement and proving to them that they are able to make something of themselves now. Coach Copithorne mentioned that up until last year, the Malden Lacrosse team has never really done well, with their best seasons having six wins. Coach Copithorne described how “having six wins is disappointing to [them] now, which speaks volumes. It really shows how [they] have improved, and that [they] are able to fight at the tournament level.” Ashworth also mentioned how the team has “seemed to work well together and flow together,” which is a great thing to have as a team.
Unfortunately, during the game against Winthrop on Monday, Sophomore Max Forestier took a ball to the jaw, breaking it. He is going to be out for the rest of the season, but that will not stop him from going to games and supporting his team, and being involved. Forestier was a major part of the defense this season, with Copithorne calling him “the heart” of the team. Copithorne described how he put so much into the team, saying that “there are few people, if any, that put more into this team than him.” Copithorne also described how even after getting injured Forestier was trying to encourage his team to get back in and fight even though they were losing. Forestier was also one of the key parts of the defense, being one of the starters and playing for a majority of the game.
With last season being the success that it was, it can be difficult for a team to get to the same level, especially after facing a large loss of players like the lacrosse team did. However, they managed to overcome and play a few great games, showing that they are still able to play to the tournament level. This season and for the past few years, the team has played in the NEC, but next season will be changing back to the GBL, hopefully managing to pull in a tournament appearance and potentially making it out on top. This would give the team title appearances in both the GBL and the NEC, something that they had never been able to do until a few years ago.
