As far as first years go, you could hardly do worse than Wesley Chittick did during his inaugural season as head coach for the Manchester Essex boys lacrosse team.
The Hornets went 17-5 in total during Chittick’s first season coaching the team, winning postseason games against Pentucket, Weston and East Bridgewater to help them advance to the MIAA Div. 4 Final Four for the first time in the program’s history. While the 2025 squad’s season ended with a 15-6 loss to Norwell in that Final Four matchup on June 11, it did little to take away from both a memorable season and an unforgettable postseason showing.
“Despite the disappointing end, I was encouraged by our three playoff victories and our program's first trip to the final four,” explains Chittick. “I will remember us responding to a challenging second half against Pentucket and earning an overtime win. I will also remember the atmosphere and energy of the Weston game; particularly our 4-0 run in the third quarter to take the lead.”
The Hornets’ luck ran out against the Clippers in the semi-finals. Norwell jumped out to a 5-1 lead early on and never relented after that, despite the best efforts of Manchester Essex.
“Although at points we cut the deficit, Norwell handedly defeated us,” says Chittick. “Jack McCavanagh recorded two goals and two assists. He was our most consistent player on the afternoon.”
Five seniors graduate from this team, but Manchester Essex will bring back a good chunk of the core of the team in 2026.
“We are fortunate to have a large rising senior class,” says Chittick. “Many players within the class have exhibited leadership skills – including Charlie Thurlow and Connor Dickson – who served as captains last season. We will look to them among others to lead our team in the 2026 season.”
These returning players will continue the work done by the 2025, building upon the foundation that this team created for the future.
“I was fortunate to have some highly motivated and talented players,” explains Chittick. “The team bought in to the new coaching staff's vision and made progress as the season progressed. The team also fought through adversity with injuries and various setbacks. The highlights of our season were winning the CAL Baker division and each of our playoff victories. A foundation has been set and our program will look to take the next steps in the coming seasons.”
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