We get to number two in the LILJ top 24 preseason rankings, and it’s one of the nationally renown programs the Chaminade Flyers. The Flyers are always one of the premier programs both on the island and in the country, and as they do each year they return with an immensely talented team as they look to see where they stack up against fellow nationally ranked opponents, and hope to take the CHSAA title which they have lost the last few years to rival St. Anthony’s. To get ready for the spring season the Flyers appeared in the LILJ HSWL where for the second straight season they were crowned winter league champions.
Chaminade is coached by longtime Head Coach Jack Moran, and have a prolific group of offensive players. Starting with their attack it will be ignited by the trio of Connor Kuttin (Hopkins), Gavin Lynch (Notre Dame), and Brian Reilly (Navy). Kuttin was not only on the varsity team last season as a sophomore, he was very much a part of the Flyers 10-4 season, scoring 13 goals with 23 assists for 36 points. In the winter league it was Lynch who led the Flyers in goals with 11 and points with 13 through six games.
The Flyers midfield is led by Lehigh commit Peter DeBusschere, Army bound Brian Knapp, Bucknell commit Jack Tully, and Boston University bound Sean Connolly. In the winter league DeBusschere was Chaminade’s leading scorer from the midfield with nine goals and three assists for 12 points. This trio will look to have big seasons for the Flyers, providing offense to a team that averaged over 13 goals per game last season. Getting the ball to what looks to be a high flying offense this season is junior face-off specialist Quinn Ball who is committed to Penn. Ball is a rarity as he has been on varsity since his freshman year and was their top face-off specialist last year as a sophomore. He’s arguably the top at his position regardless of class which gives Chaminade the advantage at the face-off X in virtually every game they will play this season.
On the defensive end of the field the Flyers are historically a very elite and disciplined defense, and this season looks to be the same. Their key defensemen and LSM’s include senior UNC commit Ben Fox, Gavin Fitzpatrick the Hopkins commit, Lehigh bound Peter Gerbasi, Syracuse commit Louis D’Agostino, and Holy Cross commit Matt Marchetta. In the net for the Flyers this winter was the combination of senior Sal Caputo and Alex Dircks (Tufts), replacing Hopkins freshman PJ Verdi as the Flyers look to replicate last season where they only allowed an average of fewer than five goals per game last year.
