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07/08/2024 02:16 PMLed by senior captain Aiden D’Anna, Old Saybrook boys’ lacrosse did something that had never been done this spring. When the Rams defeated North Branford in the Shoreline Conference Tournament final, they secured the first conference title in the school’s history. The beating heart in the middle of that championship team was Aiden, their star midfielder and team leader.
Aiden rarely left the field for the Rams and tallied 43 goals, 24 assists, and forced 27 turnovers this season, making his impact felt on both sides of the ball from his midfield position. His performance earned him both All-Conference and All-State honors.
The conference title capped off the best single season in Old Saybrook history, but Aiden and his teammates felt this was the culmination of a foundation planted way back in his freshman season. That year, the Rams won just one game and vowed to improve together as a team. The group stuck together and upped their win total each season, including 12 wins last year, officially putting them on the radar of other teams in the conference.
“My co-captains alongside me, Will Maselli and Brayden Cody, they both were along the whole way with me, so that was special to be with them,” says Aiden. “Ever since that freshman year, we just continued to build on our team chemistry and what we needed to win. Before that junior year season, no one knew Old Saybrook lacrosse could do that.”
Building on that strong 2023 campaign, the team went into 2024 knowing they had the ability to be special. That thought was solidified when they managed to defeat Shoreline juggernaut H-K twice during the regular season, with both contests going to overtime. The initial win marked the first defeat of the Cougars since Head Coach Jon Mason took over at the helm four years ago.
The wins vs H-K provided a blueprint for what a true winning effort looks like, and it propelled Old Saybrook deep into the conference tournament. Aiden particularly notes that it took a full team effort and clicking on all cylinders to achieve championship status.
“(The) biggest strength of this team was our continuous effort,” says Aiden. “Every single practice, every single preseason thing, everyone would show up and put that effort in. That effort we continued to have through every single game brought a winners mentality to the team. We learned we had to do it for each other and put in that much effort, and build the chemistry as well.”
As an individual, Aiden embodies this effort while patrolling the midfield for Old Saybrook. Always a fearless offensive player, knowing when to unleash this was something that he fully tapped into during his senior year, understanding when to put the team on his shoulders via his goal scoring, and when to make the smart pass.
“He’s always been a fast and talented player,” says Mason. “He would get hit or get hurt and be able to run faster than everyone else for a period of time while he felt that anger. This year, he was able to tap into it without the anger component, which made him far more effective. We beat (H-K) twice in OT this year. Each was a mini championship. (Aiden) was instrumental in both of those. It was a real gut check…a shot of adrenaline to realize, hey we can probably win this whole thing.”
Aiden made a conscious effort to improve his skills and channel his emotions to improve his game during the offseason. That, along with his leadership, provided a rock solid captain for Old Saybrook, one that the team often leaned on when they needed a spark.
“Working with Coach Mason and the other coaches and working with some of the other players showed me different ways to improve, different ways to challenge myself, especially with my left hand,” Aiden says. “That was one of my weaknesses freshman and sophomore year, but when I was able to overcome that and grow that skill, I felt like I became a more well-rounded player.”
Aiden’s value to Old Saybrook also extended off the field, where he was often the voice in the locker room urging his teammates to dig deeper. Mason recalls a game in which Aiden, having hurt his ankle in the first half, hopped off the trainer’s table and rallied the team before closing out the victory in the second half.
“He was a tremendous leader on the field,” says Mason, who also called Aiden ‘the best midfielder to ever play at Old Saybrook.’ “His ability to bring everybody up and get them excited made a difference in so many games. He’s the type of kid everybody wants to play with. He’s such a tremendous teammate. He’s one of those players that everything he’s got he’s willing to put on the line for you. He doesn’t give up, he doesn’t make excuses, and when times are tough and everybody’s down, he is just that spark that brings everybody up. That is such a tremendous thing as an athlete or even just a human.”
With his high school career in the books, Aiden will attend Bryant University this fall in Rhode Island, where he will study business. He hopes to walk on to the lacrosse team and intends to continue playing in any way he can. As the next level awaits, Aiden will always look back fondly on the record-breaking 2024 Rams team.
“This was one of the most special teams I’ve ever been on,” Aiden says. “You could tell every single person on the team was important for our journey. I want to thank everyone for that and say that the season was one I’ll never forget.”