SOUTH PORTLAND — How does a lacrosse player from South Portland High get recruited by Syracuse University – one of the most storied men’s lacrosse programs in the nation?

Well, in Jack Fiorini’s case, his name helped.

“It definitely did,” said the South Portland senior midfielder. “Fiorini is pretty well known in lacrosse circles.”

In the late 1960s and 1970s, four Fiorini brothers from Baldwinsville, New York, went on to play college lacrosse. John, the eldest, at SUNY Cortland; Pete and David at SUNY Geneseo; and Tom, the youngest and Jack’s father, at Herkimer County Community College.

Tom Fiorini notes with pride that when his brothers played together, Geneseo beat Syracuse.

Pete Fiorini went on to win 405 games in 35 seasons as a high school lacrosse coach at C.W. Baker High in Baldwinsville, located less than 15 miles from the Carrier Dome where Syracuse plays its home games.

His son, Peter, a high school sophomore, already has verbally committed to Syracuse.

“People know the name and when I showed up at their camps that first time, I’m sure it got the coaches to turn their heads and had their eyes on me a little more,” Jack Fiorini said.

What they saw was a sturdy 6-foot-5 athlete with a natural left-handed shot and strong stick skills. Fiorini was coming off a 50-goal sophomore season that ended with South Portland winning the Class A state championship.

But Syracuse’s 2016 recruiting class was already full.

“They were very honest with Jack,” said Tom Fiorini, who is South Portland’s coach. “They said, ‘We like you but our class is full. Maybe something will happen. You’re in our system. We’ll keep you in mind.'”

Jack Fiorini has been a Syracuse sports fan for as long as he can remember. He has harbored a “life-long dream” to play for the Orange. For a year he heard nothing from the Syracuse coaches.

“You start thinking in reality that’s probably not going to happen and I accept it. I’m OK with it,” he said. “I had a bunch of recruiting trips and a bunch of other schools lined up that I really liked.”

He talked with UMass. He had a trip planned to Sienna. Four-time Division II national champion Le Moyne in Syracuse was becoming a front-runner. Fiorini liked Le Moyne’s winning tradition and its proximity to his extended family.

“Then all of a sudden Syracuse calls back,” Jack Fiorini said.

There had been some movement on the recruiting board. A spot had opened. Jack Fiorini had first dibs.

“I thought about it. I slept on it and I felt, it’s my dream,” he said.

Fiorini will join the 11-time NCAA champs as a preferred walk-on.

That’s not unusual. NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse programs are allowed 12.6 scholarships per team. This season Syracuse has 51 players on its roster. Fiorini said from what he understands, about six players from each class split roughly three scholarships.

“There’s about 12 to 15 kids in each class so that means the rest are preferred walk-ons. You’re going to make the team but you’re not getting athletic aid,” Fiorini said.

In Maine high school ranks, Fiorini is a dominant force. He’s scored 92 goals with 68 assists the past two seasons. He was the only non-senior among Maine’s nine 2015 All-America selections. He enters his senior season as the state’s consensus top player.

“Jack’s not afraid to own that at all,” Scarborough Coach Joe Hezlep said. “Jack’s not afraid to be flashy. Last year he got an 18-yard behind-the-back assist against us that was as pretty as could be. He was on the run and passed it from one hash mark to the other. The pass was perfect.”

But can Fiorini actually contribute at Syracuse?

“He’ll have work to do but you can’t teach 6-5, 215 (pounds),” Tom Fiorini said. “Yes. I think he can play there.”

More importantly, Jack Fiorini believes he can.

“Will I ever play there? I think about that a lot,” Fiorini said. “I think since I’ve been recruited there, I’ve worked a lot harder than I ever did before. The hardest worker is going to become the best. That’s what I want to do. I want to be an impact player. I mean, countless guys have done it before me, so why can’t I?”

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