It’s that time of year when Duxbury lacrosse fans wonder if their team can do it again.

Spoiled by six consecutive state titles and seven in the last eight years, there is always talk of the players Coach Chris Sweet lost and how he’ll replace them. Somehow he does and the team keeps winning, but every year it seems that the emphasis is on a different phase of the game.

No longer is there the Max Quinzani scoring machine or the accurate passing of Derek Sweet that brought oohs and aahs from the crowd. This year’s squad is counting on an experienced defense to bring title number eight, and the underclassmen-laden team to get some experience under its belt while maintaining Duxbury’s winning tradition.

The 2010 squad won’t be an offensively explosive team like in past years, but the key will be to keep opponents in check with an array of game-tested defenders.

“We’re a very talented team from the goalie on out,” said Sweet. “Senior captain Mickey Zaverucha started most of the games last year and I can’t see him giving that spot up. The luxury is that we have sophomore Henry Buonagurio backing him up, and he is so good we’re going to try and get him some significant minutes this season because he is our future in net.”

While both netminders could start for just about any team in the state, it certainly helps to have a defense in front of them that brings size and experience to the table.

Senior captain JB Marston returns, along with sophomore Max Randall, who started every game as a freshman and plays at a level beyond his years. Joining the veteran duo will be junior Peter Willauer, who has been one of the biggest surprises in the preseason.

“His progression from last year has been remarkable,” said Sweet.

Marston made the switch from an attack in youth lacrosse to defense at the high school level and everyone seems to be happy about it.

“He has made so much progress since switching that I now consider him one of the premier defenseman in the state,” said Sweet. “While Randall may not have the flash, he is as solid a player as you are going to find back there.”

Complementing the starting three is a trio of players that has Sweet’s confidence that they too can continue to play aggressive defense when they come in the game.

Sophomores Jay McDermott and Matt O’Keefe, along with senior Jake Kearney, will rotate in and out among the starters.

“I don’t think you’ll see much of a drop-off when they come into the game,” said Sweet. “We have depth back there and have six really strong players in front of the net.”

Juniors Christian Connolly and Clark Demos round out the defensive corps.

After a couple of years of strong midfield play, Sweet thinks this year’s offense may be coming more from his attacks. Despite that shift in thinking, it doesn’t mean the midfield is taking a back seat to anyone.

Senior captain John Ricciardi, junior Brian Barry, and senior Nick Woodgate will be the Dragons’ first line, while senior Lance O’Donovan, senior Rick Armstrong, and sophomore Chris Williams have landed the number two spot.

“Ricciardi is a good two-way player and may be the fastest kid on the team, while Barry has shown to be a strong on the ball with the ability to get off his shot. I guess you could say Woodgate is the lunch pail type of player who isn’t afraid to do the dirty work out there,” said the Duxbury coach.

The second unit could surprise offensively, as they all have speed and are athletic.

The third line of juniors Matt Hallisey and Stephan Krall, along with sophomore Jon Gomer, is another group Sweet says show potential and hopes they can get it going early.

“Hallisey had a good year on the football field and I’m hoping that enthusiasm comes along with him. I really think he can develop into a scorer, while Krall has made big strides from last season and is proving to be very athletic. Gomer comes from a family of lacrosse players and has been one of the pleasant surprises of camp. He has some good moves when he has the ball.”

Sophomores Mitch Barrington, Tim Harrison, and Cam Mullins will also see some playing time, as Mullins has shown some good passing skills in the team’s two first preseason wins.

Senior Sam Reinhart and sophomore Adam Fitzgerald are also expected to get a shot at some playing time in the midfield.

With the offensive emphasis shifting up front, the pressure will be on the seven attacks to put points on the board.

Junior Kane Haffey is the team’s leading scorer, who returns for 2010, while sophomore Seamus Connolley and classmate Paul Hellar round out the starting three.

“Haffey is smart, has a good shot and is quick around the net, while Hellar is loaded with raw talent and has all the potential to be a big-time scorer,” said Sweet. “Connolly is really big for an attack. It’s something we rarely have on our team and its makes him dangerous up front.”

Sophomores Sam Sweet and Will Siefert will get plenty of scoring chances early in their high school careers, with junior Tim Matthews joining the duo up front.

“Sam has good distributing skills, while Siefert is a solid all-around attack with good dodging ability. Matthews has been a complete surprise and has shown he looks like he’ll be a good addition to our front line,” say Sweet.

Senior Dan Blackwell also looks like he’ll get some playing time up front.

Despite having so many underclassmen on the team, Sweet doesn’t think it will be a problem when he goes up against teams that have more junior/senior-oriented teams.

“I’ve found that despite having a lot of these kids around for the past couple of years, they still have a lot to learn. But they are fast learners too.”

Having had their consecutive win streak against Massachusetts schools end at 99, the pressure is off for this year’s squad and makes life a little easier for Sweet.

“It did become a distraction as we went along, but we are proud of what we did. We’ll just have to try and start another one,” said the Dragons’ coach.

This Saturday the team will travel to Connecticut for the annual Daniel Hand Preseason Tournament.