Best season in Hightstown history ends in semis
MOORESTOWN » Moments before coach Mike Zapicchi embraced his seniors with heartfelt hugs, the Hightstown boys lacrosse team leaned into a circle and reminisced about how far the program has come.
The Rams won a school-record 17 games this season — more than any Mercer County school in six years. They made their first-ever appearance in the Mercer County Tournament final. They improved their win total for three consecutive campaigns.
Despite losing Wednesday to state powerhouse Moorestown, 9-2, in the South Jersey Group III semifinals for the second straight year, Hightstown’s graduating players forged an indelible legacy.
“The senior leadership that we have this year has been here since I took over as head coach, and they bought into this system that we brought in from the very beginning,” said Zapicchi, a 2008 Robbinsville graduate who completed his fourth year as Hightstown’s coach. “As an assistant coach we were 4-12 my first year, and we built it to being upset that we lost in the sectional semifinal.
“The confidence in our seniors from where they started as freshmen coming in and some of these guys — JV players or just newbie varsity players — to where they are today, ripping the ball from 11 yards. Sean (Haddock) and Matt (DeCristofaro) and Luke (Nagy) and Ryan (Daunt) ... these guys have come so far over the course of their four years. It’s just so fun to watch them grow up, and for some of them to continue playing in college next year.”
Hightstown treated local fans to the area’s most prolific offense this season. The Rams averaged a county-best 11.2 goals per game, with five players compiling at least 30 goals.
The team displayed tightknit chemistry that developed over the years. Hightstown took a spring break bonding trip to Florida in early April, and many of the Rams began playing together in elementary school.
“We played summer ball with each other, so we kind of all just grew up together playing the game. Kind of made each other better, challenged each other growing up,” Daunt said. “It was fun. It’s a grind. We’re working hard out here. We want to be as good as we can be, but it’s fun being with your friends the whole time. Being able to spend all this time with my friends is great.”
Fourth-seeded Hightstown performed significantly better against top-seeded Moorestown than a year ago, trailing only 2-0 at halftime and keeping the Quakers’ potent offense at bay.
“We showed up today with a different attitude,” Zapicchi said. “Last year we went down to Clearview (in the quarterfinals), we upset them, we were just happy to be here. And this year we were ready to work. We were ready to compete this year. We didn’t come here just to play.”
The main problem for Hightstown was Moorestown’s defensive pressure and physicality. The Rams had several chances to score in the second quarter, but every possession was a grind. When they dodged downhill, shots and cross passes were often just a tad off the mark.
Defensively, Hightstown played a largely successful zone but struggled to clear the ball and initiate transition opportunities.
“A couple inches here or there, a couple too many off the pipes in the first half,” Zapicchi said. “If we stick a couple of those and we’re able to even it up at the break, we might’ve seen something different. But sometimes those things just don’t end up our way. Defensively our guys played great. Luke really just kept us alive in goal today. That’s all we can ask for from our goalie.”
Moorestown scored 13 seconds after the opening second-half face-off, then again 29 seconds later to seize control. Shane Knobloch and Connor McDonough each netted a hat trick.
Daunt cut Hightstown’s deficit to 6-1 with 6:22 remaining when he found a seam and finished a pass from DeCristofaro, who also grabbed a gamebest five ground balls. Hightstown scored again at the final buzzer on an assist by Daunt to Liam Connolly.
Daunt, who will play next year Stevenson University, ends his high school career as Hightstown’s all-time leading scorer (131 goals, 104 assists).
“It was an honor,” Daunt said. “The coaches have been great, the boys have been great. It’s been fun. We grow every year, trying to get better and better. It’s something I’ll remember forever.”
Hightstown (17-4) 0 Moorestown (15-5)1 Goals —
Daunt, Connolly (H), Knobloch 3, McDonough 3, Cantwell 2, Furz (M). Daunt, DeCristofaro (H), Jones 2, Cantwell, Colman, McDonough, Pozaga (M).
21 (H), 28 (M).
Nagy 4 (H), Martin 8 (M).w
Assists — Shots — Saves — 0 1 0 4 2 — 3 — 2 9