SPORTS

Yannone, Murray recognized for HNT Boys Lacrosse Coach of the Year

Lauren Knego
@laurenknego

The fourth time's the charm for Joseph Yannone and the Monroe High School boys lacrosse team.

After advancing to the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament final in 2012, 2013 and 2015, the Falcons did it again this season, but with a different outcome. This time around, Monroe won, claiming its first title in program history.

Yannone, who has been at the helm for 10 seasons, led the Falcons to a 16-4 record, the GMC title and the NJSIAA South Group IV Tournament quarterfinals.

MORE: MONROE'S GILLIES NAMED HNT PLAYER OF THE YEAR

For his efforts, Yannone is the Home News Tribune Boys Lacrosse Coach of the Year.

"He’s a good coach, he gets mad sometimes, but he’s very supportive. He’ll do anything to get his kid recruited, and that’s something you want in a coach is support," Monroe senior defenseman Cole Marini said. "Coach gave me the support and opportunity to be a better player, he put me in when it was debatable if I should be going in or not when I was a freshman, and I learned a lot from him taking those risks."

Monroe started the season 8-1, falling to eventual Tournament of Champions finalist Pingry 7-5 on April 9. The Falcons then fell to division rival St. Joseph, 9-8, losing the GMC division title which it had won last year.

The Falcons then went on another 8-1 run, holding Moorestown to only four goals on May 2. Monroe then tore through the GMC Tournament, besting St. Joseph in a rematch, 8-3, for its first title.

READ: HNT ALL-AREA BOYS LACROSSE TEAMS

"It was the first time we accomplished it, and we really just put it together this season," Monroe senior Sean Gillies said. "We had so many seniors who said this is our year, we’re not leaving Monroe without a legacy and we all bought in."

East Brunswick on the rise

After finishing 5-13 last season and losing 13 varsity-letter winners, the East Brunswick boys lacrosse team got to work. In his fifth season at the helm, Rory Murray looked to his seniors for leadership and his team responded.

Monroe wins the 2016 GMCT boys lacrosse championship

The Bears improved to 11-8 this season, going 5-3 in the GMC as well as winning their first GMC Tournament game in recent memory, advancing to the semifinals. 

"We've been working hard for the last five years to change the mentality of the program moving forward, and it looks like we're finally starting to get there," Murray said after East Brunswick defeated South Brunswick to advance to the semifinals.

The Bears fell to top-seeded St. Joseph, but the improvement in the team was evident.

"He loves to push us to our limits, really bring out all the potential that all of us have," senior attack Thomas Bahmer said. "This year he kind of changed his coaching style around a little bit, last year was stricter, harder, stick skills and the basic drills, and this year was more loose and hard working, kind of just push ourselves every practice to get better."

East Brunswick was young this season, but the experience the returning players gained should pay dividends for the Bears as they look to keep improving.

"This season we were a younger and more talented team," sophomore defender Robert Duncan said. "We were able to work hard this season, everyone worked together well and we worked well as a unit on the field."

Staff Writer Lauren Knego: lknego@gannettnj.com; on Twitter: @laurenknego