Lachance playing for title
Andover’s Shane Lachance and Boston University men’s hockey will face Western Michigan in the NCAA Division 1 National Title Game on Saturday (7:30 p.m.) at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis. The game will air on ESPN2.
Lachance will become the third member of his family to play in a national title game for the Terriers. His dad, Scott Lachance, played for Boston University in the 1991 title game, while his maternal grandfather Jack Parker skated for BU in the 1967 title game, then won three championships as Terriers head coach.
Martinez a Corsair
Eagle-Tribune All-Star Andover High receiver Julius Martinez will continue his football career at UMass Dartmouth, he announced this week.
The dynamic senior delivered a breakout season in the fall. He caught 54 passes for 838 yards and nine touchdowns and was named All-MVC First Team. He hadn’t caught a varsity pass heading into his senior season.
Last year’s UMass Dartmouth football roster featured five local athletes — Methuen’s Ibrahima Ba and Madosh Lahens (both defensive backs), Haverhill/Whittier Tech’s Daniel Knowlton (receiver), Lawrence’s Michael Deleon (defensive line) and former Pinkerton lineman Luke DeLangie. Eagle-Tribune All-Star Lawrence High linebacker Elijah Santell recently committed to the Corsairs.
New North Andover DC
Former Lawrence High standout Marionel Garcia has been named defensive coordinator for North Andover High football, under new head coach Matt Cerullo, it was announced this week. Garcia served as linebackers coach for the Scarlet Knights for the last three seasons, when Cerullo — who is also from Lawrence — was defensive coordinator. Before that, Garcia was the defensive line coach for Lawrence High from 2020-22.
Prior to coaching, Garcia was an MVC All-Star linebacker/defensive end for the Lancers (class of 2012), recording 75 tackles as a senior. He was also an Eagle-Tribune All-Star 182-pound wrestler, going 46-7 as a senior, and played volleyball for Lawrence. He then played football at Assumption College.
Endicott honors locals
Locals continue to make a positive impact at Endicott College spring football practice. Former North Andover High offensive lineman Shane Fitzerald took home Offensive Player of the Day and ex-Central Catholic defensive back Mason Bachry of Haverhill took Defensive Player of the Day this week.
One Final Thought
As Michael Muldoon used to say, “If you can bring a smile to someone’s face today, just do it!
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