Football and lacrosse. Two of the most physically demanding high school sports. These two sports have come to dominate Staples, with one student dominating both. Patrick Lesch ’14 was named the Male Athlete of the Year, a captain and star on both the football and lacrosse teams.

“Being athlete of the year means a lot to me. Staples has so many great athletes who are deserving of this award so it is an honor to be chosen for this,” Lesch said.

In the fall, Lesch,is #25, a powerful running back with pure speed and agility. In his junior year, Lesch rushed for 716 yards on 46 carries and scored 9 touchdowns.

However, in early May 2013, Lesch was hurt and had surgery on his hip for a torn labrum (cartilage that protects the hip joint). He was out for all of his junior lacrosse season, but, according to Coach Marce Petroccio, “he worked his tail off to get himself back in shape.”

After only four and a half months, Lesch was back on the football field, stronger than ever. Now, an astounding 1011 yards and 14 touchdowns later, Lesch has finished his last season with Staples football.

In the spring, Lesch is #14, a fearsome foe with the ability to play both short-stick defensive middle, as well as a vicious attacker. As a sophomore, Lesch had 46 ground ball pick-ups, the second most on the team. Varsity coach Paul McNulty often gave Lesch, then a sophomore, the task of guarding the opposition’s best player, and, as McNulty put it, “He’d beat the kid and get the ball. It happened all the time.”

Although prominent in both football and lacrosse, Lesch committed to Dartmouth in the spring of his junior year to play lacrosse. His younger sister, Kate Lesch ’16 couldn’t be prouder. “I am excited to see what Patrick accomplishes both on and off the field at Dartmouth.

One aspect of his athleticism that is impossible to miss is his blinding speed. Michael Reale ’16 could only describe Lesch as being “way too fast.” Petroccio even went as far to say that Lesch has “another gear when it comes to running.”

“[During] his junior year against Warde,” Petroccio recalled, “he made seven guys miss and ended up scoring a seventy-yard touchdown.”

Another part of Lesch’s game that can’t be overlooked is his pure determination. When asked to describe Lesch in three words, McNulty chose “Leader, perseverance, and loyalty.” Going on, McNulty said, “Through two seasons of injuries and rehab, he never missed a practice, a team event, a team meeting or a game.”

This trait came up in a conversation with Petroccio, who was impressed with Lesch’s “one-hundred percent commitment to everything he does.”

“He just epitomizes what the meaning of student-athlete really is,” Petroccio said. “He was a pleasure to coach and watch.”