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# Deneen, Craig come up big in 1st starts for Portsmouth boys lacrosse
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/deneen-craig-come-up-big-in-1st-starts-for-portsmouth-boys-lacrosse/
- Published: 2026-04-14T20:30:47.000Z
- Updated: 2026-04-14T20:30:47.000Z
- Description: PORTSMOUTH - Max Deneen and AJ Craig went into Monday night's game for the Portsmouth High School boys lacrosse team each making their first varsity start, but in different stages of their athletic careers.
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division II, boys lacrosse, NH High School Sports Insider, Portsmouth, slider, Winnacunnet, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

PORTSMOUTH - Max Deneen and AJ Craig went into Monday night's game for the Portsmouth High School boys lacrosse team each making their first varsity start, but in different stages of their athletic careers.

Craig, who started in goal for the Clippers in their 6-5 win over Winnacunnet, is a senior who had been playing behind a multi-year starter before this year, and also played football and wrestled, winning the 138-pound weight class in Division II this winter.

He's been around the lacrosse program, knows what it's all about, and hopes to serve as a leader for Portsmouth this season. Against the Warriors he was, making 14 saves, a handful of which came at key moments.

At the other end of the field was Deneen, a freshman who was a standout at the youth level before starting high school and was now getting his first taste of varsity lacrosse.

After battling nerves early on, Deneen stepped up with three goals for Portsmouth, including the game-winner with 2:09 left in regulation, on a manup play that left him open for the winning shot.

“I think it’s awesome that he was able do that,” Portsmouth coach Chad Vischer said. “When you’re playing guys that are physically larger, we were kind of coaching him up. I thought he did a good job of dodging when it was appropriate and trying to move the ball.”

That's something Vischer and the coaching staff worked with Deneen all throughout the preseason, something that was tough for a player who was used to scoring a lot of goals to do.

“He came out very confident (in March),” Vischer said. “When you’re 15 years old, playing with 15-year-olds, it’s great. (But in high school) you’ve got to move the ball. Our youth team was so reliant on him, but then he comes to high school where, we’re reliant on him, but we have other people that can shoot.

“It took a bit. I think his confidence went down, and we were trying to chat him up. I thought he did a good job of that, dodging when it was appropriate.”

Deneen took notice of what the coaches were telling him during the preseason.

“The coaching staff and seniors helped me a lot,” he said. “I was definitely nervous. First game, but you know, the nerve-wracking energy kind of helps you get fuel to win the game.”

Craig felt a little bit of that nervousness early on as well, doubly so after Winnacunnet's Liam McNally scored on the first shot of the game for the Warriors.

“It was literally right there,” Craig said. “I was like ‘all right, I’m here, I’m good.’ I knew they were going to score on me. It was just how I mentally got past those goals. They scored a couple of times and it hit my stick and bounced in or it hit my chest. I’m moving on.”

The senior moved on to make a save on Winnacunnet's only manup opportunity in the second quarter, and with the game tied late in the third, came up with a point-blank stop that kept it a 4-4 game going into the final quarter.

“That kid is legit,” Winnacunnet coach Pat Snow said of Craig. “The one he made down here on that manup, that was a ridiculous save. He had some really good ones and he clearly tracks the ball.”

While the win could be big for Portsmouth in the later stages of the regular season, it's just the start of what the Clippers are hoping can be another great year.

“We don’t have to be the best team in the state in (April),” Craig said. “We have to be the best team come June.”