Two Local Students Athletic Awards at Lawrence Academy

Students from Lynn and Swampscott earned recognition for their athletic accomplishments during the fall trimester at Lawrence Academy in Groton, Massachusetts.

Lynn junior Amadu Kunateh  was named All-ISL for a third year by the Independent School League following his performance on a record-breaking Lawrence Academy soccer team. The undefeated  Spartans (13-0-4 overall, 12-0-3 league) claimed the 2013 ISL championship, earning the Gummere Cup for the first time since 1988. Their record earned the team a first seed in the Class B New England championships,  in which they beat Cushing 5–1 and Kimball Union 3–0 to reach the finals, ultimately losing to South Kent in an exciting 0–0 game that was determined by penalty kicks after two scoreless overtime periods.

With 13 goals and 15 assists, Kunateh was the leading scorer for the Spartans, contributing to 28 of LA’s 57 goals during the season. Coach Colin Igoe emphasizes, “He’s incredibly dangerous on the ball, as dangerous as any player I’ve ever coached. He can do things that can sometimes make you shake your head and say, ‘Wow’.” The forward was also named to the All-State Team and is a member of the United States U-17 Men’s National Team. The son of Ruth Blayee, Amadu also earned academic honors for the fall term.

Swampscott sophomore Jake Cassidy, a member of the Spartans’ football team, earned ISL Honorable Mention. “Jake had an excellent year at cornerback on defense,” reports Coach Paul Zukauskas. “He had 27 tackles and 2 interceptions. He also threw a ‘dynamic’ TD pass on a trick play, improvising after the blocking scheme broke down. Jake has a bright future at LA where he will be the team’s starting QB next fall.” He is the son of Brenda and Timothy Cassidy.

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