Bobby Dattilo did not pick up a lacrosse stick for the first time until his freshman year at Pinkerton Academy.

Eight years later, the Derry resident has a diploma from Hobart College and the distinction of being a Division I men’s lacrosse All-American.

“I was a little disappointed I didn’t get (the All-American honor) last year. I was hoping to go out with something this year,” Dattilo, a fourth-round draft pick of Major League Lacrosse’s Rochester Rattlers, said Saturday from Logan Airport.

Dominance at the faceoff X earned Dattilo recognition as one of the nation’s top talents. He was named to the U.S. Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) All-America third team shortly before Memorial Day.

As a result, Dattilo joined exclusive close-to-home company. He is one of 10 former Pinkerton products named an All-American at any level of men’s college lacrosse. He is the sixth to score the honor at the Division I level.

He joins Ed Richardson (UNH, 1977, attack), Kevin MacGibbon (West Point, 1979-80, goalie), Paul Cino (West Point, 1981-83, attack), Greg McCarthy (Hobart, 2004-05, defense) and Steve Boyle (Johns Hopkins, 2007 and 2009-10, attack).

“He’s a self-made faceoff guy,” said Brian O’Reilly, Pinkerton’s lacrosse coach since 1983. “He is the epitome of hard work, what you preach to kids all the time, that you can make yourself a player if you put in the time and hard work.”

An All-America snub after a sensational junior season left Dattilo to wonder whether he’d again be overlooked this spring. He figured a five-game absence may hurt his cause, too.

“I wasn’t sure if I was going to get it,” said Dattilo, whose .649 faceoff winning percentage as a junior led the ECAC.

His reason for missing those games? Right and left shoulder separations sustained in a matter of weeks.

Such an injury can certainly sabotage the season for a faceoff midfielder, who relies on strength in the upper body and wrists.

Yet Dattilo — the 2008 Union Leader Player of the Year in NHIAA boys’ lacrosse — ranked second nationally in faceoff winning percentage.

The former Pinkerton standout won possession at a 64.8-percent clip (162-for-250). Dattilo also averaged 7.75 ground balls per game, placing him No. 2 nationally in another category critical to possession.

Dattilo matched his career-high with 21 faceoff wins against Siena and Robert Morris. He set a Hobart record with 16 ground balls against Robert Morris.

In a sense, though, Dattilo’s faceoff dominance worked against him.

His athleticism enabled him to play the midfield. But, O’Reilly said, Hobart coaches didn’t want to take the chance that Dattilo would fatigue.

So, he was used as a specialist, a “FOGO.” It’s an acronym for “faceoff, get off.”

“He came to understand it,” O’Reilly said of the role Dattilo served. “But it was unfair to Bobby.”

Rather than dwell, Dattilo focused on his craft and his studies. He was also named a USILA North-South All-Star and member of the USILA Scholar All-America team.

At Hobart, Dattilo tops the list in three statistical categories for career marks: faceoffs won (590), faceoff percentage (.603) and ground balls (284). He owns the single-season records for faceoffs won (192) and faceoff percentage (.649).

“I feel like I just picked up a stick. It’s gone by incredibly fast,” said Dattilo, considering graduate school for physical therapy. “I wish I could relive it. But playing in the MLL, nothing is better than that. I’m really excited for what’s to come.”