The sport shouldn’t come to Mikey Curtin as easily as it has.
You’d never know he first starting playing lacrosse a little over two years ago as Salem High freshman. The 5-foot-9, 154-pound midfielder has natural instincts, plenty of athleticism, and plenty of scoring acumen.
With four goals and four assists in a win over Lynn Tuesday, Curtin has 28 goals and 34 points in eight games. He’s tops on the North Shore in beating goaltenders and is tied with Bishop Fenwick’s Joey Marshall for the most points (34). Safe to say, he’s been the offensive spark that a still-young and ever-improving Witches’ squad needs.
Curtin scored eight goals as a freshman and a team-leading 18 last spring, but Salem won just one game over those two seasons. They already have three victories this year, and their standout attack is a big reason why.
“Mikey has taken a huge step forward in his game. He’s really putting our program on the map,” second-year head coach Joey Merullo said. “He competes — that’s what we love about him most.”
“I think I’ve been able to produce more goals this season because me and my team have gotten a lot better at moving the ball, playing offense and actually running plays,” Curtin stated. “I worked all last summer and winter for this season.”
With 54 career goals heading into Thursday’s game against Marblehead and still a season-and-a-half of high school lacrosse for him to add to those totals, Curtin is aware of his scoring exploits. Both those take a back seat to what he views as the big picture.
“I love my team even though we’ve been through some rough games. I’d fight all day and all night for this group of guys,” said Curtin. “That’s what I love about lacrosse; playing with my team and working together to win.”
The Witches appear to be doing just that. In April alone, they have more wins (3) than they had from 2019 to 2023 combined (2).
Junior attack A.J. Alessi and freshman first line midfielder Jake Lister have provided a nice boost for Salem offensively with nine and five goals, respectively, and 13 points apiece. Alessi had a monster 4-goal, 6-assist, 10-point showing in a 16-7 win over Lynn Tuesday. Andreas Bernal (6 goals), like Curtin a junior middie, has also added to the attack.
Freshman goaltender Vincent Milano has shown great improvement from a year ago, when he went through a baptism by fire as an eighth grade varsity netminder. Senior captain Alfred Ferrioli has been his usual rock-like presence on defense, a physical presence with stick skills and the ability to turn a game with a key ground ball or caused turnover.
Defenseman Jayden Benson, a junior, has excelled both in his own end and on faceoffs (as has sophomore FOGO Matt Rosa). Senior long pole Roman Steine and eighth grade LSM Max Levine Stein have also shined for Salem early on.
But winning teams need a go-to goal scorer, and the 17-year-old Curtin fits that role with a laser-like focus.
“He’s a soft-spoken kid; between the lines of play he’s very locked in,” said Merullo. “But it also helps because we get the same Mikey regardless of the situation, whether it’s a close game or down 10 in the fourth quarter.
“His teammates love rallying around him. Mikey’s a favorite in the locker room; the smile and personality come out when the helmets are off).”
Curtin, who was first introduced to the game by his uncle (and former SHS lax player) Scotty Kugel, knows how good winning feels. He was on Salem High’s Division 6 Super Bowl team for head coach Matt Bouchard last fall, and wrestled for Cliff Exilhomme’s successful Witches’ wrestling program in the winter.
“It was great being a part of the Super Bowl experience, and I love that team to death,” said Curtin, who has two older sisters and two younger brothers (including 12—year-old Mason, a middle school player) between his father Cory, mom Melissa Field and stepdad Derek. “And winning with my lacrosse team is one of the best feelings. The past few seasons we’ve had a lot of losses, but this year we’re turning it around.”
Lacrosse is definitely at the top of his sports-loving list. “He’s work on his game year-round,” Merullo stated. “My text chain with him in the summertime was a constant, ‘Are the nets unlocked?’”
There are two lacrosse dreams that Curtin has: he wants to set the record for most goals in a season by a Salem High player (held by Mark Maitland, who netted 94 in 2000), and he’d love to play Division 1 college lacrosse at UMass Amherst.
He has time to achieve both of those. In the here and now, Curtin is focused on helping the Witches continue their recent winning ways.
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In an area with a lot of elite faceoff guys, Danvers’ Evan Roach has been one of the best early on. The sophomore FOGO has won close to 70 percent of his draws, continually giving the Falcons the ball by using his lower body strength and powerful work with his stick. He can clamp, scoop, push forward and use his body to shield an opponent while he gains possession.
Senior captain and midfielder Sean Rivard is coming off of a 5-assist game against Peabody and has been a consistent go-to offensively. Lucas Goulet, a junior defender (and like Roach, a transfer from Essex Tech) has been asked to go all over the field, from close D to LSM on the wing for faceoffs, and excelled no matter where he’s been for Danvers.
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Masconomet is working on becoming more consistent offensively, but in terms of their own end of the field there have been few, if any, qualms.
“Our defense has been excellent all year,” head coach Chris Roach stated, “especially considering we have two inexperienced goalies (Tyller Goncalves and Jack Wheadon) in net. Both of them have definitely been improving as the season progresses.”
Senior captain Madden Bernier has been exceptional defensively for the Chieftains. “He marks up on opposing teams’ top attackmen and consistently holds guys in check,” said Roach. “Madden is super vocal, quarterbacking our defense, creates turnovers and pushes transition. He plays the game the right way and makes very few mistakes.”
Another senior captain, Robbie Engel, has also been dynamic at LSM. Roach said he’s a game changer between the boxes despite the fact it’s only his third season playing lacrosse.
“He’s an athletic freak who gets up and down and holds opposing teams’ top midfielders in check,” he noted. “Robbie has been much more aggressive with his checks and pushing transition. He sets the tone for us with his passion, intensity and effort.”
Add to that mix junior Will Carey heating up at the faceoff X, maximizing possessions for Masconomet while also contributing offensively (3 goals, 6 assists) by pushing transition after winning the draw or creating his own opportunities in 6-on-6 play.
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St. John’s Prep may not be tested on an every game basis, but that’ll change over its next five games, all of which could put the three-time defending state champions’ current unbeaten mark in jeopardy.
It starts Thursday at home with Xaverian (5:30 p.m.), whom head coach John Pynchon calls “the best 4-4 team in the state”. A Saturday night road tilt at always dangerous Billerica follows.
Next week, it gets even tougher. St. John’s Prep travels to Dorchester to face BC High for the first time this season. They’ve defeated their fellow Eagles for the state title three consecutive seasons.
From there, it’s a rematch with Catholic Memorial Thursday at home; the Knights were better than expected in their first meeting in a 14-9 Prep win.
Finally, the Prepmobile will be gassed up and pointed south towards Connecticut Saturday when the Eagles face perennial power Staples High. Last season, when they met in an endowment game (with the MIAA no longer allows), the Eagles pulled out an exciting 12-11 overtime win.
Lax Lowdown, a column on North Shore high school lacrosse, appears each Thursday during the spring sports season. Contact Phil Stacey at pstacey@salemnews.com and follow him on X @PhilStacey_SN.
