Inaugural flights
Contenders become champs
Many of the teams that regularly contend but rarely win it all on the lacrosse field seemed to experience breakthroughs and took the next steps in 2018.
BC High got its hands on the hardware for the first time after falling in the Division 1 state final the past two seasons. The Eagles outscored their opponents 81-23 in the postseason, capped with a decisive 16-3 victory over Acton-Boxboro for the elusive state crown.
Maverick Woods sparked BC High with scoring in big moments, including four goals in the title-clinching win, while Aidan Carroll and Chi Chi Price helped ignite the offense as well. North Carolina-bound Will Bowen anchored the suffocating defense.
“We came up short before, but it isn’t about all the wins and losses for us,” said coach Steve Lydon after the state title win. “It’s about how these guys come together and it was a culmination of a lot of hard work by a lot of people. It’s great to enjoy it.”
Reading became a first-time state champion in Div. 2 via the comeback road. The Rockets trailed Concord-Carlisle by three goals after the first quarter, but dynamic duo Jack Geiger and Michael Tobin combined to score nine goals in a 13-9 victory.
Cohasset held serve as the favorite in Div. 3, using dominant performances to get to the state final and securing a third state championship this decade with a 10-6 win over Dover-Sherborn.
Mason Fitzgerald was a brick wall in net for the Skippers, making 14 saves against the Raiders, while brothers Will and Gray Thomas provided three goals each.
There was no shortage of drama in the postseason, with four overtime games in the Div. 2 Central/East bracket alone. Concord-Carlisle survived the loaded section with a triple overtime thriller against Wayland before edging Westwood in an extra frame for a title.
Hingham jumped up to Div. 1 this year and showed it belonged with an impressive run to a sectional final. It had one of the marquee wins of the season in April, ending Lincoln-Sudbury’s 58-game in-state winning streak.
The Wellesley girls took the reins in Div. 1 after three straight years of sectional semifinal defeats. The Raiders went through the iron of the commonwealth to capture their first state title, taking down undefeated Walpole in the final, 7-5.
Wellesley’s stellar and unselfish attack featured Caitlin Chicoski, Grace Ahonen and Maddy Balter, and its defense held all of its postseason opponents — including Notre Dame-Hingham and Needham — to single digits.
It wasn’t supposed to be a title year for Norwell, but the Clippers used a team approach and an underdog mentality to obtain a third Div. 2 state championship in four years, defeating Bromfield, 12-10.
Murphy McDonough led the way, with Maddie McDonough, Allison Connerty and Annie Hilsinger among others playing a big role.
“In the attacking end, (it was) just more versatile and that’s been the theme of our program this year, which has (led to) our success and why we were able to move through tournament,” said coach Kara Connerty after the win.
Norwell went through a talented Cohasset squad in the South final, which marked the end of Elle Hansen’s illustrious career. Her sister Jane will look to carry the torch without her next season.
Newburyport put together a second straight undefeated regular season, ultimately falling to Norwell, while Div. 1 North champion Chelmsford continued its upward trajectory to create more parity.