FAIRHAVEN — As a guard, Cam Burke is always looking for the open player on the basketball court.
He has a similar role on Fairhaven’s boys lacrosse team as a junior midfielder.
“I’m more of a disher than a scorer,” Burke said. “I’d rather get an assist than a goal and I’m like that in basketball too.”
With so many offensive weapons, Burke has got a fun job.
“They can’t game plan on us because everyone on our offense can score,” said Burke, who leads Fairhaven with 24 assists this season. “We can keep going at the defense.”
Burke had a hand in seven of Fairhaven’s goals in a 13-4 win over GNB Voc-Tech on Tuesday afternoon at Alumni Stadium.
Burke had a season-high six assists and one goal as six different Blue Devils got on the scoreboard for a balanced offensive attack.
“It makes us a lot more dangerous because we’re a lot more spread out,” said Fairhaven senior Owen Centeio, who finished with two goals. “There is not just one guy the defense has to guard. It’s all of us.”
Senior Barrett Becotte leads Fairhaven's offense with a team-high 37 goals and nine assists. Junior Jarrod Frates is second with 24 goals and 11 assists while junior Justin Marques has 21 goals and 15 assists.
“Our stat book is very even and balanced which is what you want to see as a coach," said Fairhaven first-year head coach John Ricciardi. "I love having that.”
The Blue Devils are in the midst of their best season since 2013 when Fairhaven finished the regular season 15-3 and won it's last South Coast Conference title. Fairhaven recently wrapped up its first South Coast Conference Gold Division crown with last Friday’s win over Somerset Berkley and have one game left against Pembroke on May 23 before the MIAA Div. 4 playoffs begin.
“They’re exceeding my expectations,” Ricciardi said. “I’ve been really excited about this group. It’s been an awesome year. They’re so bought in. These kids are focused and locked in. They’re buying in, they’re being coachable and they’re listening.”
Some of Fairhaven’s big wins this season have come against Bishop Stang, Dartmouth, Old Rochester, Oliver Ames and Plymouth North.
Fairhaven senior defender Will Foster said he knew the team had potential to do something special this year.
“I think it’s our bond. Everyone is staying together and everyone is trusting each other,” he said. "Everyone knows that we can get it done if we work together as a team.
“It’s been great. I love this team. We really bought in. It’s really great seeing it all come together with the record.”
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Blue Devils scored the game’s first nine goals to take a 9-0 lead into halftime. GNB Voc-Tech, which was led by Nathan Pearson, scored three in the third quarter to pull within 12-3 entering the fourth.
Pearson, the school’s all-time career goal leader, finished the game with three goals.
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“We have a group of guys that are passionate about this sport,” said GNB Voc-Tech head coach Justyn Walker. “As the games play out, the score doesn’t represent how hard they fight.
“It’s a learning curve for us. It’s a very young team. We have maybe four seniors and only a handful of juniors so a lot of these guys are still learning the basics of the game where you go up against teams that have been playing since they were kids.”
WHAT IT MEANS
The win was the third straight for Fairhaven (13-4). GNB Voc-Tech, which fell to 2-12, hosts Sturgis East on Monday for Senior Night.
STATS
Frates added two goals and one assist for Fairhaven while Jack Finn had a pair of goals. ... Kevin O'Brian had Voc-Tech's other goal.
NOTES
Becotte has been out the past two games with an injury, but is expected to return soon.
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