Spring Sports Previews: New Coach Looks to Lead Chatham Boys' Lacrosse

With a new head coach on board, the Chatham High School boys' lacrosse team looks to continue its tradition of being one of the top programs in the state.

The Cougars ended last season as the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Group 1 runners-up as they fell to Kinnelon 11-9 in the championship game. The team finished with a 13-6 record and ranked No. 9 in the Star-Ledger Top 20 and No. 3 in Group 1.

Head Coach Anthony Calandra, who coached for 10 years at Arthur L. Johnson Regional High School in Clark before joining Chatham this year, got to know some of his players during last year's Under Armour Underclassmen Games.

"I coached freshman football as well, so I got to be around a little bit more in the fall," Calandra said. "The kids have been great, they really have. They've been very receptive and working very hard, so it's been a really good transition."

Calandra said the team will return about 10 players from last year's team including senior goalie Mac Nestler, senior midfielder Kyle McDonough, senior attackman Rob Guida and junior attackman Nick Guida, all of whom played in the Under Armour Underclassmen Games last season.

"Basically, the whole defense is back, and the whole attack is returning as well and the first midfield is returning," Calandra said.

Both Guidas were named second-team all-Morris. Rob Guida was named first-team all-junior and Nick Guida was named first-team all-sophomore and sophomore player of the year last season.

Even though they have a solid core of returning players, the Cougars also suffered a handful of losses as well. Midfielders Cam Wood and Brett Johnson, who were named to the first- and second-team all-state last season, both graduated last spring. Both players are now in Division I programs, as Wood is at the University of North Carolina and Johnson is at the University of Delaware.

The team also brings in new additions in sophomores Thomas Stephan, Matt Proto, Quinn Frenzel and Kyle Howard-Johnson.

Unlike many other sports that Chatham offers, the boys' lacrosse team will not switch New Jersey Athletic Conference. Last year, they finished 8-2 in the Fitch-Pitt Division—just behind Summit, which went 11-0 in conference—and will look to overtake their rivals this year.

"Summit's a real big rival," Calandra said. "They won the state championship last year and it's a neighboring community."

The Cougars take on Summit at 3 p.m. on May 3 and the game will be telecast on MSG Varsity as the network's High School Lacrosse Game of the Week.

Correction: A previous version of this article misspelled Matt Proto's name.