Bacon Academy's Ethan LoVetere has earned bragging rights ... but you won't hear him bragging

Colchester — Ethan LoVetere is tuned into the pulse of the Bacon Academy boys' lacrosse team. He knows what the Bobcats need, whether it's scoring a timely goal or encouraging a struggling teammate. He's a positive presence on and off the field. "After playing for 10-12 years and being captain of both of my teams (lacrosse and hockey), I definitely earned a sense of what's going on, not just with the starting players but also the background guys and JV guys" LoVetere said. There's nothing more important to the Bacon Academy senior than being a good teammate. LoVetere is that and much more. A stellar student-athlete, LoVetere has earned a long list of accolades, including being selected as the school's CIAC Scholar-Athlete award winner and named valedictorian. A four-year starter, LoVetere is the lacrosse team's leading scorer, adding to his season totals on Tuesday by contributing seven goals and three assists in Bacon Academy's 17-6 win over Woodstock Academy. He also had six ground balls. Junior Troy Johnson added five goals and four assists and junior Talan Ladyga had two goals and two assists. On the season, LoVetere has 46 goals and 28 assists, both team highs. He has a deadly accurate shot and soft hands. "He's awesome," coach Brian Martin said. "He's one of the best leaders that we've had in awhile. He just does everything. He's like a Swiss Army knife. He leads by example, says things when he needs to say things and motivates the team. "As you see on the field, he just does what he needs to do. He has the pulse of the team and individual players." With LoVetere leading the charge, the Bobcats are 9-3 overall, 4-0 in Eastern Connecticut Conference Division II. Talent isn't the only reason why they're enjoying a successful season. "Just over the past four years I've been playing, it's been a great experience," LoVetere said. "We've just come together as a team, especially my class. We've had four or five starters since our freshmen year. We definitely have good chemistry. "And the drive is definitely there, especially after we had a tough loss in the ECC final against East Lyme. We're looking to get revenge this year." The drive also is definitely there for LoVetere. With three older brothers, he had to battle for every inch growing up. He followed in his siblings' footsteps and started playing lacrosse at an early age. His brothers also are a source of inspiration for him. "I've had to work hard to earn my place because they were pretty accomplished, too," LoVetere said. "I saw them having fun and just went into it. It's been a long ride, too. I started playing in about second grade. And 12 years later, here we are." LoVetere's Bacon Academy days are winding down. He has some lofty team goals, like winning the program's first Eastern Connecticut Conference tournament championship and advancing deep into the Class S tournament. The Bobcats already have clinched the ECC Division II regular-season title. "I think we can definitely make it pretty far," LoVetere said. LoVetere will graduate this June with quite a resume. He belongs to the National Honor Society. He has served as treasurer for the Class of 2025 for four years. He's the president of DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America), which is for students interested in business-related fields. "He's a quiet kid," Martin said. "He's one of the brightest kids we have in the school. You might not know it when you talk to him, because he won't brag about it. He doesn't say enough about himself. He just does what he does and then lets everybody else talk about him." He plans to attend UConn, enter the school's actuarial science program and play club lacrosse. He may attend law school one day. When he looks back on his Bacon Academy career, some of his best memories will come from being part of the lacrosse team. "I'm just proud of mainly the chemistry and the team that we've built over the past four years," LoVetere said. "Obviously, there's the accolades. It's just that there's nothing that can physically show the chemistry and culture that we have." g.keefe@theday.com