WOODSTOCK – The Woodstock High boys lacrosse team appears to be finally enduring a rebuilding season.

Long known for merely reloading, the Wasps fell to 3-4 on Friday with a 17-7 loss to Vermont Division I foe Essex. Woodstock, which has seven regular-season games remaining, hasn’t finished a campaign with fewer than seven victories since the VPA first sanctioned a playoff tournament in 1994.

There are explanations. Friday, the Wasps played without three injured starters. Prior to the current school year, the program lost five impact players to prep schools. And then there’s Woodstock’s tradition of remaining in Division I boys lacrosse, despite long ago becoming the smallest school to do so.

“We are a small team when it comes to numbers and having the injured guys out makes a big difference,” said 14th-year coach Brandon Little, whose side played without Owen Kross, Will Coates and Jaedon Beardsley. “We keep getting better, but things just didn’t go our way today.”

The referees assessed an eye-opening 21 penalties along with assorted other stoppages for loose-ball shoves, crease violations, etc. One of the referees showed up with a kit bag made by a company called “Blow Your Whistle,” and he and his partner seemingly did so every five or 10 seconds.

Woodstock drew fewer fouls but seemed more caught up in the contest’s hack-and-whack nature. The hosts bottomed out when senior defenseman Connor Dinn drew a two-minute, non-releasable penalty for cross-checking a Hornet in the head as he lay on the ground.

Essex (5-4) channeled its frustration into better play, scoring four fast-break goals en route to a 7-3 halftime lead. Diminutive goaltender Mason Marckres (12 saves) was an outlet-pass whiz, repeatedly firing long-distance strikes across the midline to uncovered teammates.

Without Kross, the Woodstock defense struggled, often failing to stop Essex longstick midfielder Charlie Bowen in transition. The senior, who also played quarterback on the gridiron, piled up three goals and two assists, expertly reading where and when to attack on the run.

The Wasps gave Bowen too much room, then floundered on backing each other up as the ball moved closer to goaltender Rowan Larmie, who made nine saves.

“We broke down in the middle third of the field stopping the ball and we couldn’t catch (Bowen),” Little said. “We have kids who are learning to play with each other in every part of the field. Getting comfortable with that can be slow.”

Little said his young group listens well but that quality learning takes time. Forcing rookies to drink from the proverbial fire hose just leaves everyone soaked and sour.

“It takes more time than we’re used to as coaches,” said Little, a Woodstock alum whose team entered this season 46-17 during its past four seasons. “Every year I get a little calmer, but I expect top-level lacrosse. I’m not nervous about where we’ll be when the playoffs come.”

Woodstock’s been boosted by senior transfer Trey Jones, who had two goals and two assists Friday. The attackman from the Holderness School near Plymouth, N.H., and teammate Griffin Piconi, who had a hat trick, gave the Wasps their offensive punch.

Larmie has good size and experience will presumably allow him to read shots farther in advance. Friday, the freshman surrendered several soft goals, causing Little, who played the position at the University of Vermont, to contort in distress. The coach insisted, however, that he’s firmly in Larmie’s corner.

“Rowan has learned so much so fast and he’s communicating with his defensemen at a high level for a freshman,” Little said. “There are no limits for him.”

Lumbering determinedly across the damp field’s unmowed grass was stocky Woodstock midfielder Willy Underwood. The senior is no magician with his stick, but his relish for contact and willingness to plow into pileups in search of ground balls brings old-school flavor.

“You won’t be surprised to hear he’s a fullback in football,” Little said with a chuckle.

The coach said Woodstock’s improvement on draws, in net and on special teams gives him hope the Wasps can be a dangerous postseason foe.

Tris Wykes can be reached at twykes@vnews.com.

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