The ‘D’ in Dakota: Freehold Twp. Junior Is a Weapon as a Lockdown Defender

TOMS RIVER – On the football field, Freehold Township junior Dakota Lasater is all about lighting up the scoreboard as the Patriots’ quarterback in their high-octane, Air Raid passing attack. 

On the basketball court, it’s the opposite. 

The junior guard prides himself on his defense, where he relishes his role as the Patriots’ stopper. 

“That’s one of my goals,” he said. “I just want to be known as one of the best defenders in the Shore, if not the best. And that’s a team goal as well. We want to be known as the best defensive team. We want teams to fear our defense and be scared when they have the ball. We take pride in how we play defense.” 

Lasater’s signature performance in the young season came on Sunday night in Freehold Township’s 60-36 rout of previously unbeaten Jackson Township in the semifinals of the Jim Ruhnke bracket of the Kevin Williams Christmas Classic at RWJBarnabas Health Arena. 

The junior served as the primary defender against Jackson star guard George Boley, one of the Shore Conference’s top returning players. The 5-foot-10 junior limited the 6-foot-3 Boley to a season-low two points on 1-for-13 shooting from the field, while the Patriots held the Jaguars to a season low in points. 

“I thought he did outstanding considering the height disadvantage, the weight disadvantage, the athletic disadvantage,” Freehold Township head coach Todd Smith said. “I think he just stuck his nose in there and fought every single play.” 

Boley only attempted four shots in the first half as he tried to keep teammates involved. Freehold Township rallied from a 12-4 hole after the first quarter to take a 19-15 lead at the break that they never relinquished. 

“He didn’t really want the ball that much in the first half,” Lasater said. 

Boley is a quality shooter, but Lasater’s concern was one thing in particular. 

“His speed,” Lasater said. “He did beat me a couple times off the dribble and that was one of the biggest things that my coach emphasized was just keeping him in front and not having our guys come and help. He told us to stay on our feet and don’t jump for shots. (Boley) is going to pump fake and step through, he’ll do everything. He did take a lot of contested shots.” 

Lasater’s ability to keep Boley in front of him and contest anything in the lane changed the entire flow of the game. It allowed Freehold Township’s help defenders to stay on Jackson’s outside shooters on any drive-and-kick passes by Boley. The Jaguars’ long-range shooting threat and second-leading scorer, senior Jimmy Pappalardo, was held to six points, three of which came on the first basket of the game. Jackson only made three 3-pointers in the entire game, and two of them came in the first quarter. 

“It was a huge thing,” Smith said. “It was a big part of our gameplan so that they can’t get their shooters free and we didn’t have to help too early, so we could stay attached. He did an awesome job keeping him in front.” 

“That’s our guy,” junior guard Cole Gerigk said. “He’s locking down every single No. 1 option every night, and we feed off his energy.” 

Freehold Township was able to contest almost every 3-point attempt by the Jaguars in the game while also forcing 17 turnovers that fueled their offense. Jackson had been averaging 57.6 points per game and Boley entered at 17.8 points per game before Lasater and the Patriots stifled them. 

Next up for Lasater is most likely Wall senior Brian McKenna, another All-Shore-caliber talent, in the final of the Jim Ruhnke bracket against the Crimson Knights on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at RWJBarnabas Health Arena. 

“He’s an animal on defense,” said junior Jake Schultzel, who led Freehold Township with 17 points and also had a school-record 1,090 yards receiving in the fall while catching passes from Lasater at wide receiver. 

“That’s his thing. That’s his one job, and he does it.” 

At a program that prides itself on relentless, full-court defense, Lasater has a chance to separate himself as one of the best in Patriots history. 

“It’s possible,” Smith said before smiling. “Again, it’s still early, but his competitive spirit is certainly up there with some of the guys we’ve had, and he just doesn’t back down, and he doesn’t give an inch. He’s a tough, tough kid. He’s our quarterback in football, he’s a winner, and he’s just a kid I love watching.” 

Scott Stump is the football editor and a reporter for Shore Sports Insider. He first started covering Shore Conference sports in 1999 and also contributes to the basketball coverage. 

Email: scottstump25@gmail.com