Jack Fish is a versatile lacrosse player who is willing to do whatever is asked. And no matter what role he’s assigned, Fish performs at a high level and gets the job done.
As a freshman, Fish was told his only chance to make the Severna Park varsity was as a faceoff specialist. He won a bunch of draws during tryouts and earned a spot.
As a sophomore, Fish was moved to offensive midfield and enjoyed a solid season. However, just prior to the playoffs, Severna Park lost its leading goal scorer. Fish was chosen as the replacement and responded in impressive fashion, scoring 27 of his 35 goals in four playoff games to earn first team All-County honors.
“Jack is such a smart lacrosse player and a really good shooter. It was kind of a no-brainer,” said former coach Dave Earl, conceding the coaching staff probably should have used Fish in more of a scoring role all along.
Earl resigned following the 2023 season and was replaced by Bob Zichelli, whose first order of business was to get to know the players. He immediately hit it off with Fish.
“When this coaching staff first came onboard, I reached out to some of the top returning players and was attracted to Jack from day one,” Zichelli said. “We spent a lot of time talking about Severna Park lacrosse and it was so obvious we needed this guy to be a captain. He showed so much maturity and took charge from the get-go.”
Zichelli had several in-depth conversations with Fish about what the new coaching staff wanted to do offensively. He was amazed at how quickly the youngster picked it up.
“Jack learned the offense inside and out then taught it to other players,” Zichelli said. “There was never a question that we needed Jack to be our offensive quarterback.”
So it was that Fish took on his fourth different role in the span of three seasons, serving as playmaker operating behind the cage. The 5-foot-7, 165-pound junior responded by leading the Falcons in scoring with 67 points on 50 goals and 17 assists.
Fish, the offensive catalyst for the Class 3A state champions, is the 2024 Capital Gazette boys lacrosse Player of the Year.
“Jack is a great lacrosse player but more than anything he’s a great teammate. He’s a tremendous mentor to all the players and just cares so much about the program,” Zichelli said.
Fish’s offensive leadership and product was a big reason why Severna Park (19-1) captured its eighth straight state championship and 13th overall, both of which are Maryland records. He scored four goals and assisted another to spark a 10-7 victory over Marriotts Ridge in the state semifinals then totaled two goals and an assist during an 8-6 win against Towson in the final.
“It’s always special to win a state championship. It’s just an awesome feeling,” Fish said. “I think the best part is doing it with your closest friends. I’ve played with a lot of the guys on this team since third grade.”
Fish played attack and midfield with the Severna Park Green Hornets from kindergarten through fifth grade. He joined the Annapolis Hawks 2025 squad in sixth grade and was moved to short stick defensive midfield since there was so much talent on offense.
Last spring’s prolific postseason effort was a real coming out party for Fish, who showed he could be a lethal finisher. In the offensive system employed by Earl, the right side attackman was the designated shooter.
“It was great to get the opportunity to be the focal point of the offense. That was the most glorious position and you were set up for success,” said Fish, who believes that playoff production helped transform him into a team leader. “Being able to perform on varsity as a sophomore gave me credibility with my teammates.”
Fish had to learn how to play the X attack position and that process started with becoming a more effective dodger. He worked one-on-one against first team All-County defender Upton Young to refine the question mark move and inside roll that he learned from club coach Joe Matassa.
Fish had his worst game of the season in Severna Park’s lone loss, which came to South River during the regular season. He amassed five goals and two assists in the rematch as the Falcons routed the Seahawks, 15-5, on the way to claiming the county championship.
Fish ran the offense to perfection and played the role of setup man as Severna Park dismantled South River again, 14-5, in the Class 3A East Region I semifinals. He loved watching running mate and close friend Timmy Sullivan score five goals in that game.
“I love being the quarterback who is creating for my teammates to score,” Fish said. “I love drawing slides and dishing to the open man, but if I don’t beat my defender dodging then I just spin the ball to the backside.”
Zichelli noted that Fish was routinely responsible for setting up goals by moving the ball quickly to the open man and would have amassed a ton of hockey assists if such a statistic was used in lacrosse.
“It all starts with Jack dodging from X and forcing the defense to rotate, which opens up the whole offense for everyone else,” Sullivan said. “Jack is never going to force things. He’s always going to make the right decision, the right pass, the right play.”
Fish, a UMBC commit, was named first team Public School All-State by the Maryland State Lacrosse Coaches Association. He plans to spend the offseason improving his left-handed shooting and stickwork, while preparing for the shot clock used in the college game.
“I want to be able to read the game better and see things quicker, so I can play at a faster pace,” Fish said.
Severna Park is fielding an entry in the National High School Lacrosse Showcase and Fish has done the lion’s share of organizational work leading up to the tournament. As a leader, Fish has focused on always putting the team first and making sure players are always doing the right things on and off the field.
Sullivan has been Fish’s teammate for a decade with the Green Hornets, Hawks and Falcons. Sullivan called his friend a “certified leader in everything he does” and mentioned how Fish spearheads the Best Buddies program at Severna Park High.
“If the attack has a bad possession, Jack will bring us in and talk about what we need to do better. It’s all constructive criticism and he’s always pushing everyone to improve,” Sullivan said.
Coach of the Year
Evan Hockel, Archbishop Spalding
Hockel directed a dramatic turnaround during his first season on the sidelines, leading a Spalding program that missed the playoffs last season back into the top tier of the MIAA A Conference. The Cavaliers (13-5, 8-2) got hot down the stretch and closed the regular season with seven straight conference victories to secure the second seed for the playoffs.
“We had a really young team in 2023 and I think the improvement was largely the byproduct of being more experienced,” Hockel said. “I thought the team really came together. We played for one another and not with one another.”
Hockel, a 2008 Spalding graduate who played lacrosse at Salisbury, returned to his alma mater as junior varsity coach in 2015. After being promoted to head varsity coach, he organized several offseason team activities such as participation in the Polar Bear Plunge, military-style workouts with former Navy SEAL Stew Smith and countless team dinners.
“I think our team chemistry and cohesion across the board was outstanding. Players stepped up at every position and did their job,” Hockel said. “One of Spalding’s greatest strengths this season was that we didn’t have one or two superstars. We were really balanced
All-County first team
Brady Mollot, Spalding, sophomore, attack
Mollot led Spalding in scoring with 64 points on 37 goals and 27 assists. He served as the offensive quarterback and was very adept at finding the open man. “I love the way Brady competes on a daily basis. Every practice drill is a competition and it pays off on game days,” Hockel said.
Trevor Phipps, South River, junior, attack
Phipps was the C. Markland Kelly Award winner for Class 3A after totaling 75 points on the strength of 60 goals and was voted a USA Lacrosse All-American by the Anne Arundel County Public School coaches. “Trevor has one of the hardest, most accurate shots I’ve ever seen in a high school player,” coach Colin Campbell said.
Ben Adams, South River, junior, midfielder
Adams was the stronger dodger among the team’s midfielders and created for others by drawing slides. The honorable mention Public School All-State selection scored 28 goals and gobbled up 40 ground balls. “Ben is the most well-rounded player we have and truly a Swiss army knife,” Campbell said. “We could use Ben in any role on the field and he would perform extremely well.”
Andrew Beard, Severn, senior, midfielder
Beard is a four-year varsity starter and repeat first team All-County pick. The Penn State signee led Severn in scoring with 37 points on 24 goals and 13 assists, while also totaling 58 ground balls. “Andrew has dynamic athleticism and playmaking ability,” coach Joe Christie said. “In a game that is turning to specialization, Andrew was a true two-way midfielder.”
John Burkhardt, Severna Park, senior, midfielder
Burkhardt used his 100-plus MPH crank shot to score 41 goals, second-most for the Class 3A state champions. He also dished off 13 assists on the way to being named first team Public School All-State. “John had the willingness and ability to take over a game,” coach Bob Zichelli said. “He really developed as a passer and evolved into a more complete lacrosse player this season.”
Connor Wilbur, Spalding, senior, midfielder
Wilbur led Spalding with 39 goals and also dished off 19 assists, while committing only nine turnovers all season. He was named All-MIAA A Conference and second team All-State by MSLCA. “Connor used great stickwork and a high lacrosse IQ to consistently put up points,” Hockel said. “I will tell stories about his work ethic for years to come.”
Braden McCassie, Broadneck, senior, midfielder
McCassie rarely came off the field — playing the wings on faceoffs, taking short stick defensive midfield shifts and always drawing the long pole on offense. The Jacksonville signee scored 18 goals and dished off 11 assists. “Braden was an old-school, two-way midfielder and an absolute manchild,” coach Jeff McGuire said. “He did all the dirty work between the lines and scored some big-time goals.”
Greyson Dunn, Spalding, junior, defenseman
Dunn covered the top attackmen in the MIAA A Conference and consistently won his matchups. The Delaware commit was credited with 17 caused turnovers and scooped 30 ground balls. “Greyson wasn’t flashy, but rarely beat one-on-one thanks to great positioning and footwork. He did an excellent job of communicating and sliding when necessary,” Hockel said.
Jed Pellicano, Broadneck, senior, defenseman
Pellicano was voted the top close defenseman by the Anne Arundel County Public School coaches after harassing opponents into 35 caused turnovers. He was selected first team Public School All-State. “Jed worked very hard this offseason on his fitness and came back ready to become a lockdown defender,” coach Jeff McGuire said.
Nick Sweeney, South River, senior, defenseman
Sweeney was the team’s unquestioned leader on and off the field. He was the defensive field general with a high lacrosse IQ and strong communication skills. “Nick never got caught out of position and was incredibly precise with his checks,” Campbell said. “His knowledge and understanding of the game made him a coach on the field.”
Upton Young, Severna Park, senior, defenseman
Young moved to close defense this season after playing long stick midfield in 2023 and made a seamless transition. He always covered the opponent’s top offensive threat, whether an attackman or midfielder. “Upton is an outstanding athlete who can run like a deer and has tremendous stickwork,” Zichelli said. “He watched film twice a week and was a real student of the game.”
Connor Campbell, South River, junior, goalkeeper
Campbell had the ability to demoralize opponents with spectacular saves that stole sure goals. He averaged 11.3 saves and six goals allowed per game. “Connor has the ability to make the incredible saves look easy. He has incredibly quick hands and reaction time,” coach Campbell said of his son.
Robby Hopper, Spalding, junior, long stick midfield
The rangy 6-foot-5, 190-pound Virginia commit gobbled up 55 ground balls, amassed 36 caused turnovers and was an offensive weapon in transition, scoring three goals and dishing off five assists. “The first thing you notice with Robby is his size and athleticism, but his ground ball play and stickwork are equally impressive,” Hockel said. “He’s a real playmaker who does things on the field I’ve never seen before.”
Eli Harris, Broadneck, senior, short stick defenseman
Harris was very active and workmanlike between the lines, totaling 50 ground balls and 30 caused turnovers. He was dangerous in transition, scoring five goals and dishing off five assists. “Eli was our lone captain and was like having a coach on the field and sidelines. The fact he stayed with the lacrosse team for one last run speaks volumes to the type of person he is,” McGuire said.
Jameson Coffman, Spalding, senior, short stick defenseman
Coffman served as team captain and emotional leader for the Cavaliers. He was a force in the clearing game and an offensive threat in transition, totaling five goals and five assists and will continue career at UMBC. “Jameson is an aggressive defender whose physicality made midfielders think twice about dodging. He was like a second long pole on our defensive midfield,” Hockel said.
Reid Gills, Severn, senior, faceoff specialist
The Penn State signee and four-time first team All-County selection enjoyed a superb senior season, winning 68% of faceoffs (212 of 312). His career winning percentage is similar, capturing 636 of 960 draws. “It has been a pleasure to watch Reid grow and mature over the years. As a senior, he learned to communicate more with teammates and dove deeper into film study. He’s a humble kid who led with kindness,” Christie said.
All-County second team
Joey Matassa, Spalding, junior, attackman
Than Souza, St. Mary’s, junior, attackman
Timmy Sullivan, Severna Park, junior, attackman
Gordie Bennett, Spalding, junior, midfielder
Ganon Cope, St. Mary’s, senior midfielder
Aidan Evans, Indian Creek, senior, midfielder
Chase Hallam, Severn, senior, midfielder
Tanner Huber, Severn, junior, midfielder
Tyler Stewart, Broadneck, senior, midfielder
Austin Combs, Broadneck, senior, long stick midfield
William Mazko, Severna Park, sophomore, long stick midfield
Kyle Harrison, St. Mary’s, defenseman
Jake Polucha, Arundel, senior, defenseman
Ryan Criswell, Spalding, junior, faceoff specialist
Graham Hartman, Broadneck, senior, faceoff specialist
Jacob Neuman, Spalding, junior, goalkeeper
Calvin Winship, Severna Park, goalkeeper
Honorable mention
Talan Behler, Chesapeake, senior, attackman
Gavin Raspa, AACS, senior, attackman
Tyler Hicks, Broadneck, senior, attackman
Jordan Fanzo, Southern, senior, attackman
Tanner Boone, Broadneck, senior, attackman
Matthew Martel, North County, junior, midfielder
Charley Haley, Southern, junior, midfielder
Tyler Stroble, Indian Creek, senior, midfielder
Nolan Grizzle, Severna Park, senior, midfielder
Landon Williams, Severna Park, sophomore, short stick defensive midfielder
Jameson Macdonald, Key, senior, defenseman
Brock LaRochelle, Spalding, junior, defenseman
Casey Gattie, Severn, junior, defenseman
Aidan Roerick, Crofton, senior, defenseman
Jack Read, Severn, senior, goalkeeper
John Gallizzo, Crofton, junior, goalkeeper