2026 Shore Sports Insider Boys Lacrosse Specialist of the Year: John Little, CBA

Every lacrosse game begins with a battle for possession.

Far more often than not, John Little made sure Christian Brothers Academy won it.

After becoming eligible midway through the season after sitting out due to transferring back to CBA from Culver Academy, the junior faceoff specialist quickly established himself as one of the most dominant players in the Shore Conference. Whether he was winning face-offs, scooping up ground balls, or creating offense, Little consistently gave the Colts an advantage before opposing defenses even had a chance to settle in.

That dominance has earned Little Shore Sports Insider Specialist of the Year honors.

“John’s return to our program had a tremendous impact on our season,” CBA head coach Dave Santos said. “He won the faceoff battle in every game we played, many of them in dominant fashion. But the most impressive part of his season was his growth and maturity. As a freshman, he was an extremely talented player, but he sometimes allowed adversity to affect him. He returned this year as a much more mature athlete who was able to stay composed and focused in difficult moments. That growth helped elevate every aspect of his game.”

Little’s statistics reflected just how overwhelming he was at the faceoff X.

The Villanova commit won 203 of his 257 faceoff attempts, good for a remarkable 79 percent success rate. Equally as impressive, no opponent was able to finish with more faceoff wins than Little in any of the 13 games he played after becoming eligible.

His dominance at the X helped fuel a CBA team that finished 15-7, earned a share of the American Division title, reached the Shore Conference Tournament championship game, and advanced to the Non-Public A state quarterfinals.

While his faceoff numbers alone would have made him one of the Shore Conference’s most valuable specialists, Little’s impact extended far beyond winning draws.

He finished the season with 37 ground balls, nine goals, five assists, and 14 points, production rarely seen from a faceoff specialist.

The evolution of his offensive game became one of the most important developments of his season.

“John worked incredibly hard to develop his overall game,” Santos said. “During his freshman season, we were quick to get him off the field once he won a faceoff. This year, we often left him on because he became a legitimate offensive weapon. He wasn’t just winning possessions for us anymore, he was creating offense and making plays.”

One of the best examples came against Shore when Little recorded two goals and two assists, showcasing the offensive instincts that made him far more than a traditional faceoff specialist.

He also delivered in one of CBA’s biggest games of the season.

In the Shore Conference Tournament championship game against Rumson-Fair Haven, Little scored a goal while helping keep the Colts within striking distance throughout a tightly contested 9-8 loss.

Although the season ended with a one-goal defeat in the conference championship and a 9-7 loss to St. Augustine in the Non-Public A state quarterfinals, Little’s impact on CBA’s success was undeniable.

More importantly, his story is far from finished.

Unlike many of the Shore Conference’s top award winners this season, Little still has another year remaining before heading to the collegiate level. With a Villanova commitment already secured and another season still ahead, Little enters 2027 as one of the state’s premier specialists. And if this spring was any indication, the opening possession will belong to CBA.