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They're rebuilding the team and rewinding the times.
It's fair to categorize the Hull High boys lacrosse program's new chapter as a sequel, except the main characters of yesteryear are no longer the ones wielding the sticks. They are, however, still wearing the all-too-familiar blue and yellow while pitching in on the family business.
Chris Weber founded the Pirates' lacrosse team nearly two decades ago. It gained varsity status in 2008 and rose to local prominence until he stepped aside in 2019 to follow his four sons' collegiate playing careers.
The year is 2025. Weber & Co. is now back in commission.
Weber returned to coaching at Hull at the outset of last season due to a late coaching vacancy, and this year brought on two of his sons, Shane and Bode, to be assistants on staff. Paul Zaylor, the former longtime coach at Hanover, is also on board.
“Wherever I go, I’m around lacrosse. So, being back home, what else would I do?," said Shane Weber, a 2016 grad and former defender. "If I were to pick a team (to coach), I’m going to pick the one I played for.”
“It’s in my blood," Chris Weber said. "It was my program. The culture changed. I had my four boys play over an 8-, 10-year period. Their buddies were over our house. We had goals in the backyard, sticks everywhere. That was the culture. Now, it's different. We’re trying to develop it.”
Shane Weber, prior to playing at Alfred University in New York, received South Shore League Player of the Year and second team All-American honors for a 37-goal, 38-assist senior year. Chris Weber was named the league's Coach of the Year that season as Hull continued a streak of trips to the Division 3 South Sectional, which capped at seven berths in eight years at the time of his departure in 2019.
More: Born to run (and jump): South Shore High School Girls Indoor Track All-Scholastic Team
Shane, Tucker (also a defender) and Bode Weber (a goalie) all played together on that 2016 team. Their brother Ryan and sister Molly also played lacrosse at Hull High.
“From ever since I can remember, we were going to lacrosse tournaments and practices, all of us," Shane Weber said. "It’s all I’ve known.”
This season, the Pirates opened with consecutive road victories over Taunton (8-4 win) and Middleboro (11-10 win) to nearly match last year's win total (3-14) in the first week of the season. That occurred before falling to a pair of tried-and-true local powers, Norwell (17-4 loss) and Cohasset (18-6 loss).
It was quite the confidence boost for a team that rosters just one senior.
“Monumental," Chris Weber said of the fast start. "It’s big. Real big. They’re learning. They’re putting the pieces together.”
The Pirates have had one winning season in the past five since Weber initially stepped aside. The outlier was a 10-7 campaign in 2023 that concluded with a Division 4 tournament appearance and first-round exit as the No. 25 seed.
This year's team features a new starter in net, sophomore Jack McDowell, who assumes the spot from current Providence College freshman goalie Sean Walsh in the offseason. Midfielders Matt Thomas and Max Lofgren, plus attack Henry Buchlietner, headline a productive junior class. Midfielder John Truglia is the team's lone senior.
Truglia and most of his teammates picked up a stick for the first time in seventh and eighth grade, he said: "We're all pretty new to the sport."
“You can tell (Weber) really knows what he’s talking about because he’s been around the game for a super long time," Buchlietner said. "It can be tough love sometimes, but at the end of the day, he’s a really good coach. I like him.”
“I like how Coach Weber pushes us to do more," Lofgren said.
As part of his plan to reintroduce a winning culture, Weber brought in ex-Hanover coach Paul Zaylor to be on his staff. Zaylor - who led Hanover to consecutive Division 3 South Sectional crowns in 2016 and '17 before stepping down in 2018 - moved to Hull in August and had no intention of coaching again.
That was until Weber and Zaylor bumped into each other in passing while at a coffee shop in town.
Their teams had a long history of competing against each other and the two have had a relationship that dates back 10-15 years, Zaylor said. Conversation lingered and Weber mentioned he had a vacancy on his staff. So, he pitched the reclamation project.
“Not a tough choice for me," Zaylor said. “If it wasn’t for Chris, I wouldn’t do it. ... I just think the world of him."
“The only reason I scheduled (games against) Hull is because of Chris," Zaylor said. "They gave us some tough battles back in the day. Especially when his sons were playing, they had some really outstanding teams back then. Our games were always competitive. Chris coached his kids the right way. I’d like to think I coached my kids the right way.”
Chris Weber described the Zaylor addition as "a gift."
As is the opportunity to turn the program he founded back into a winner.
"It's moving in the right direction and I think (the players) are getting a little bit of confidence," Chris Weber said.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Chris Weber back coaching and rebuilding Hull High boys lacrosse
Continue reading...
It's fair to categorize the Hull High boys lacrosse program's new chapter as a sequel, except the main characters of yesteryear are no longer the ones wielding the sticks. They are, however, still wearing the all-too-familiar blue and yellow while pitching in on the family business.
Chris Weber founded the Pirates' lacrosse team nearly two decades ago. It gained varsity status in 2008 and rose to local prominence until he stepped aside in 2019 to follow his four sons' collegiate playing careers.
The year is 2025. Weber & Co. is now back in commission.
Weber returned to coaching at Hull at the outset of last season due to a late coaching vacancy, and this year brought on two of his sons, Shane and Bode, to be assistants on staff. Paul Zaylor, the former longtime coach at Hanover, is also on board.
“Wherever I go, I’m around lacrosse. So, being back home, what else would I do?," said Shane Weber, a 2016 grad and former defender. "If I were to pick a team (to coach), I’m going to pick the one I played for.”
“It’s in my blood," Chris Weber said. "It was my program. The culture changed. I had my four boys play over an 8-, 10-year period. Their buddies were over our house. We had goals in the backyard, sticks everywhere. That was the culture. Now, it's different. We’re trying to develop it.”
Shane Weber, prior to playing at Alfred University in New York, received South Shore League Player of the Year and second team All-American honors for a 37-goal, 38-assist senior year. Chris Weber was named the league's Coach of the Year that season as Hull continued a streak of trips to the Division 3 South Sectional, which capped at seven berths in eight years at the time of his departure in 2019.
More: Born to run (and jump): South Shore High School Girls Indoor Track All-Scholastic Team
Shane, Tucker (also a defender) and Bode Weber (a goalie) all played together on that 2016 team. Their brother Ryan and sister Molly also played lacrosse at Hull High.
“From ever since I can remember, we were going to lacrosse tournaments and practices, all of us," Shane Weber said. "It’s all I’ve known.”
This season, the Pirates opened with consecutive road victories over Taunton (8-4 win) and Middleboro (11-10 win) to nearly match last year's win total (3-14) in the first week of the season. That occurred before falling to a pair of tried-and-true local powers, Norwell (17-4 loss) and Cohasset (18-6 loss).
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It was quite the confidence boost for a team that rosters just one senior.
“Monumental," Chris Weber said of the fast start. "It’s big. Real big. They’re learning. They’re putting the pieces together.”
The Pirates have had one winning season in the past five since Weber initially stepped aside. The outlier was a 10-7 campaign in 2023 that concluded with a Division 4 tournament appearance and first-round exit as the No. 25 seed.
This year's team features a new starter in net, sophomore Jack McDowell, who assumes the spot from current Providence College freshman goalie Sean Walsh in the offseason. Midfielders Matt Thomas and Max Lofgren, plus attack Henry Buchlietner, headline a productive junior class. Midfielder John Truglia is the team's lone senior.
Truglia and most of his teammates picked up a stick for the first time in seventh and eighth grade, he said: "We're all pretty new to the sport."
“You can tell (Weber) really knows what he’s talking about because he’s been around the game for a super long time," Buchlietner said. "It can be tough love sometimes, but at the end of the day, he’s a really good coach. I like him.”
“I like how Coach Weber pushes us to do more," Lofgren said.
You must be registered for see images
As part of his plan to reintroduce a winning culture, Weber brought in ex-Hanover coach Paul Zaylor to be on his staff. Zaylor - who led Hanover to consecutive Division 3 South Sectional crowns in 2016 and '17 before stepping down in 2018 - moved to Hull in August and had no intention of coaching again.
That was until Weber and Zaylor bumped into each other in passing while at a coffee shop in town.
Their teams had a long history of competing against each other and the two have had a relationship that dates back 10-15 years, Zaylor said. Conversation lingered and Weber mentioned he had a vacancy on his staff. So, he pitched the reclamation project.
“Not a tough choice for me," Zaylor said. “If it wasn’t for Chris, I wouldn’t do it. ... I just think the world of him."
“The only reason I scheduled (games against) Hull is because of Chris," Zaylor said. "They gave us some tough battles back in the day. Especially when his sons were playing, they had some really outstanding teams back then. Our games were always competitive. Chris coached his kids the right way. I’d like to think I coached my kids the right way.”
Chris Weber described the Zaylor addition as "a gift."
As is the opportunity to turn the program he founded back into a winner.
"It's moving in the right direction and I think (the players) are getting a little bit of confidence," Chris Weber said.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Chris Weber back coaching and rebuilding Hull High boys lacrosse
Continue reading...
