Nate Weitzer

As Baker, a longtime Panthers assistant, takes over for Lou Verrochi, the only head coach the program has ever known, he has built a staff that includes Tom O'Rourke, Kevin McCarthy, Will Davis, Jake Davis, Pat Morrison, Braeden Leonard, Bill Gardner, and Matt Lazzaro.

With spring season kicking off, we pick 10 of the top boys’ lacrosse players looking to lead their teams to regular season and postseason success.

St. John's Prep is No. 1 as it eyes a fifth straight Division 1 title. Patriot League powers Hingham, Marshfield, and Duxbury are the favorites in Division 2 after making up the final four last June with state champion Longmeadow. Medfield is loaded after winning the D3 title last year.

Will Crawford dominated the faceoff X and the four-time defending Division 1 champions pulled away in the second half to register their 38th straight win against an in-state opponent.

The second week of the regular season featured close wins between ranked opponents, and a couple of decisive victories from teams who move up considerably.

An aggressive defensive approach has helped both programs maintain their status as perennial state title contenders.

Impressive scoring totals litter this week's boys' lacrosse players of the week, who hail from Abington, Mansfield, Billerica, Lynnfield, North Reading, Norwell, and Winthrop.

North coach Taylor Jenkins was away for the birth of his son, but his Tigers executed a game-winning play designed at Wednesday's practice to pull out a Bay State Conference win over Natick.

BC High rises a spot to No. 2 following a Lincoln-Sudbury loss, Billerica makes jump after rolling North Andover and Andover in succession, and Reading creeps up on the heels of another dominant defensive showing.

Six players stood out this week from Newton North, Weston, Walpole, Canton, Medford, and Falmouth.