2025 Northwest Herald Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year: Huntley’s Bobby Pupich

Huntley senior Bobby Pupich needed to become more selective this spring. After holding a shoot-first mentality, Pupich felt he had to learn how to move the ball around more in order for the Red Raiders to succeed.

Pupich made the adjustment, and Huntley enjoyed the benefits. The Raiders started the season 10-1, and their offense clicked thanks to Pupich becoming the team’s top facilitator.

But just because Pupich passed the ball more didn’t mean his scoring went down. Pupich knew when to shoot and finished with 104 goals to go along with 30 assists.

“He has scored most of his goals in our biggest games,” Huntley coach Dom Saccomanno said, “against the top teams in the state.”

That high productivity helped the Raiders go undefeated in Fox Valley Conference action once again, winning their fifth straight conference championship. Huntley also advanced to the Marian Central Sectional championship, where it lost 18-17 to Barrington. Pupich earned All-FVC honors for his season.

For his adjustments to help the Raiders succeed, Pupich was named the 2025 Northwest Herald Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year, as voted by the sports staff with input from area coaches. Cary-Grove senior Michael Dunkin and Crystal Lake South junior Drake Lenckus also were considered for the honor.

Pupich recently talked with sports reporter Michal Dwojak about making adjustments to his game, what he’ll remember the most about this season’s team and what he would change about the sport.

What were your goals for your senior season?

Pupich: I wanted to take the team to the [IHSA] supersectionals, which we came up short. But as a player, I wanted to beat my [scoring] record last year, which I ended up tying. I just wanted to be the best team player I could be.

Did you change anything heading into the year?

Pupich: I put on probably 35 pounds from my junior year, so I was really working on size and speed. I feel like last year, my shot was already there, I was good on that. I felt if I added more speed and size, I’d be able to just be an overall better player.

What was it like adjusting to sharing the ball more instead of looking to shoot it at all times?

Pupich: It wasn’t really that hard to adjust. Having Cameron Abordo and S.J. Engmann around me on the field, they would be open a lot of the time and most of the time it would end up being a goal. So that worked out pretty nicely.

How much do you feel that helped you guys succeed this year?

Pupich: I feel like it helped me. They helped me out a lot to succeed.

What did it mean to the team to win a fifth straight FVC title?

Pupich: It’s just a part of what goes on at Huntley. I feel like they’re going to remain at the top. I don’t see them coming off anytime soon. [Saccomanno] does a really good job with getting his coaching right, and it shows on the field.

Which teammate did you find the most inspiring this season?

Pupich: I feel like Abordo or Kelley Gassner. Both of them from last season came in and really stepped up on the offensive part in many games. They put in many big-time goals. Then on the defense, Gassner, which we really had a young defense this year, he really put them all together. At first I was a little worried about how is it going to be, but he did a really good job, and they ended up being a really solid defensive group.

If you could change one thing about lacrosse, what would you change?

Pupich: For high school lacrosse, that you’d be able to do crease dive shots. I found myself getting close to the crease a lot. Unless I get pushed, I can’t go into it. So I feel like if that was a rule, I’d be sprinting in full speed and kind of just jumping in.

What do you feel like is the biggest thing that people maybe don’t understand about lacrosse?

Pupich: It’s a tough sport. It gets pretty physical.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Pupich: Probably Japan, because it’s across the world. I feel like the cities are all really cool. The food’s pretty cool. I like it a lot.

If you could play any other sport, what sport would it be?

Pupich: I’m going to say golf, because I wish I played it more.

If you had five dollars and could only buy one thing at Walgreens, what would you get?

Pupich: An energy drink. Probably like a sugar-free Red Bull.

What do you think you’ll remember the most about this year’s team and this season?

Pupich: How everyone stepped up and just the team bond that we had this year.