Mars’ Fuller tabbed as 2A Player of the Year
ADAMS TWP — The Mars boys lacrosse team’s name rings on the other side of the state. Their players are recognized as some of the best that their own region has to offer.
For the third straight campaign, the Planets boast the WPIAL Class 2A Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year, this time in the form of senior defender Quinn Fuller, who has spent a good deal of the spring quieting the opponents’ toughest assignments.
He joins teammate Wes Scurci — last year’s recipient — and 2019 standout Mike Doyle as recent awardees. Blake Thompson also took the honor home in 2016.
“I’m pumped up about it,” Fuller said. “That was my goal coming into the year, was to be the guy. I couldn’t do it without my teammates and all the help I get from them.”
In four postseason tilts, the Planets (20-1) have only given up nine goals, most of them coming when the contest is well in hand. None of those challengers have netted more than three in a game during that stretch.
The unit has revolved around Fuller, who has caused a team-high 28 turnovers.
“He’s by far the leader of that defense,” said Mars coach Bob Marcoux, who was selected as the WPIAL Class 2A Coach of the Year. “He’s one of the best high school lacrosse players I’ve ever seen.”
With junior Jonathan Grieco dealing with an injury early in the schedule, Mars fielded a freshman goalie in Luke Spreng. Fuller’s leadership was instrumental.
“Not only is he the best player, he’s the most vocal,” Marcoux said. “He gets these guys inspired. He’s the oldest guy back there, so he’s really directing traffic.
“Other guys look to him for inspiration, but also to help put the defenders in the right place.”
Fuller has typically been tasked with making things difficult for the other team’s most effective scorer, a role he embraces.
“There’s got to be a guy to do it,” Fuller said. “There’s got to be a leader. I feel like our team defense is great, but sometimes we need that guy to be able to tell people where to go and what to do ... That’s when we’re at our best.”
The award won’t mean quite as much to Fuller if he and his teammates can’t accomplish what they set out to do. After becoming the first WPIAL program — boys or girls — to reach the state title game a season ago, the Planets seek to capture the crown this time around.
Their next step in doing so will be a quarterfinal tilt with Susquehannock (21-1), which gets underway Saturday at noon.
“We’ve always been a team that’s less (about the) individual,” Fuller said. “We went last year and went through the whole process. We went undefeated just to get blown out in the state championship.
“Now, that’s all we want ... is to bring home gold.”
