SJP headed to state final
Beats L-S in rematch of last Div. 1 North title game
DANVERS — The St. John’s Prep boys lacrosse team waited two years for this chance.
In a rematch of the last MIAA Div. 1 North championship game, played in 2019, the Eagles settled the score with Lincoln-Sudbury, defeating the Warriors 12-6 on Saturday at Glatz Field.
“I was on the scout team then,” said St. John’s junior Tommy Sarni, who scored three goals for the Eagles on Saturday. “Still, I was there, with the team. We had this circled on our calendars.”
St. John’s Prep (16-1) will play the winner of Sunday’s South final between Franklin and BC High for the Div. 1 state title on Wednesday.
L-S, the 2019 state champion, finished its season at 12-3. In the 2019 meeting with the Eagles, the Warriors prevailed, 10-6.
“Lincoln-Sudbury has been the class of Massachusetts lacrosse for the last 15 years,” said St. John’s coach John Pynchon. “Brian (Vonna, the Lincoln-Sudbury coach) does an incredible job. We talked a lot about what happened two years ago. “
The Eagles got off to a strong start, scoring the first five goals before L-S got on the board with 8:49 left in the second quarter on a goal from David Herlihy. Luke Surrette scored twice in the first quarter, while Patrick Atkins and Jimmy Ayers also scored, giving the Eagles a 4-0 advantage at the end of the quarter.
Surrette’s second goal, which he scored with 5:20 left in the quarter, came after the Warriors almost scored their first goal. Lincoln-Sudbury’s Hayden Donley gained possession of the ball in the L-S defensive end and raced downfield. About 10 yards in front of the Eagles’ goal, he shot and the ball went off the crossbar. Michael Ayers got the rebound and passed to Sarni, who set up Surrette’s goal.
“That was a big momentum play,” Pynchon said. “We had a four-on-three and we were able to get the ball downfield.
“L-S plays very aggressively. Those kids just all go 100 mph. They’re big and athletic. We just had to be sure that their aggressiveness didn’t take us out of what we do. It was like Bruce Lee saying, ‘Be like water.’ If they were going to play fast, we’d be ready for it. If they were going to slow down, we’d be ready.”
By halftime, the Eagles held a 6-2 advantage with goals from Jimmy Ayers and Sarni. Donley scored the Warriors’ second goal with 6:37 left in the half.
Sarni and Jimmy Ayers each scored twice in the third quarter, allowing St. John’s to hold a 10-3 lead going into the third. Herlihy scored for L-S on a man-up goal with 5:39 left in the quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Charlie Wilmot scored for St. John’s. Van Tanguary scored the last two L-S goals, his second one coming as time expired in the game.
Kaden Quirk made 10 saves for the Eagles. Nolan O’Brien made 15 saves for L-S.