Marshfield four hope to guide MMA lax to new heights

April 25, 2016

By Lanny Larason, Marshfield Mariner

Given the consistent success of Marshfield High boys lacrosse team under coach Jake Jones, it's common and even expected that each year a few of his boys will go on to play the game at the collegiate level. Many have.

In fact, Trevor Scollins, the goalie who graduated with the class of 2015, is currently the backup goalie for the nationally ranked Penn State Nittany Lions. There are others at Boston University, Bentley, RPI, Bowdoin, Sacred Heart and Norwich.

However, for four members of the MHS Class of '15 to go from high school lacrosse to the college game at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy this year is most unusual. They are: Ken Parnell, Ted Powers, Eli DiTullio and Jake O'Riordan. They were all impact players for the Rams last year and now transplanted to the MMA campus in Bourne are "all contributing significantly" according to head coach Rory Deegan.

On the Buccaneers' opening day on March 8, Powers, who starts on attack and is usually MMA's left side attack man, jumped directly into collegiate lacrosse with a five-goal, two-assist effort in a 16-7 win over St. Joseph's (Maine). He has since matched that against Emerson on April 2 and more recently put up a four-goal, two-assist game in a loss to UMass Dartmouth.

DiTullio is a starter who Deegan says has made "an easy transition" to the college game. O'Riordan's a midfielder "doing a great job.” And Parnell "starts the game by facing off and he's a lock down short stick defender.”

O'Riordan, Powers and Parnell started playing lacrosse in grade school and DiTullio joined as a freshman at MHS. They've lived in the same neighborhood their entire lives.

“The bond between the four of us is huge,” said O’Riordan.

Nonetheless, each of the four made what was a purely personal decision to attend MMA. "The four of us made our choice individually,” according to O'Riordan, "and then became increasingly excited to continue our academic and athletic careers together.”

Given Marshfield's proximity to the sea, they'd all grown up with nautical interests and influences.

"I knew since about sophomore year that I wanted to attend MMA because I've been on boats my entire life,” said Parnell.

“I grew up on the water,” said Powers.

DiTullio seems to speak for the group, saying, "Athletics were not a big factor while choosing the school I wanted to attend.”

Still, make no mistake, lacrosse is important in their lives. That it's a sport they appreciate and enjoy is apparent,

“(Lacrosse is) one of the best things in my life,” said Powers. “To play makes the time here a lot more fun.”

“(We) have a very good chance of doing something other teams (at MMA) haven't been able to accomplish,” said O’Riordan.

This year's MMA squad was 5-10 at the start of the week with two games still to be played.

“If we set things up right and work to everyone's strengths, our future is what we make it,” said Powers.

Nor is the Marshfield foursome alone among Marshfield residents enrolled at MMA. Of the approximate 1400 undergraduate cadets, 34 are from the 02050 zip code.

Robert Keuther, principal at Marshfield High School sees a direct connection to the community's proximity, historical, cultural and economic connection to the sea.

“When you live, play and work in our setting, I think it articulates into career paths in marine sciences/industries and environmental sciences,” said Kuether.

Apparently so. The four long time buddies/teammates are where they are, at least in part because of the opportunity they see to work all over the world, to help others and for possible employment in the fields of law enforcement and homeland security. On the way there it gives the four 2015 MHS graduates, as Ted Powers expressed it: "A chance to play fur more years together, which is an unreal opportunity.”