Magical run continues for St. John’s Prep

DIV. 1 BOYS LACROSSE

OT goal on BC High nets 5th straight title

St. John’s Prep’s Luke Kelly throws off his gear in celebration after scoring the game-winning goal to defeat BC High in overtime to win the MIAA Division 1 title game Saturday in Buzzards Bay. It was the fifth consecutive state title for the Danvers school. PHOTO BY PAUL CONNORS/MEDIA NEWS GROUP/BOSTON HERALD

BC High’s Joseph Leach, left, is guarded by St. John’s Prep’s Charlie Angall, right, during the first quarter of the MIAA Division 1 championship game Saturday in Buzzards Bay. St. John’s Prep has now won five straight state titles. PHOTO BY PAUL CONNORS/MEDIA NEWS GROUP/BOSTON HERALD

Image

By Brendan Connelly

Correspondent

BUZZARDS BAY >> Since he first set foot on campus as a youngster, Luke Kelly has been contributing to St. John’s Prep’s success.

Now, he will forever be remembered in Danvers. The Michigan commit

Luke Kelly saved his best highlight for last, sniping the game-clinching goal in overtime as second-seeded St. John’s Prep stunned No. 1 BC High to capture its fifth consecutive Div. 1 boys lacrosse title in an 8-7 thriller.

“It’s about time someone other than a one-seed won,” chuckled St. John’s Prep coach John Pynchon. “That was an outstanding game. They battled. Every kid who was out on that field absolutely gave it all. Ton of respect to Marcus (Craigwell) and his guys, because of how hard they play. We talked all week, we knew it was going to be like this. All the preparation, we talked about, everything we did. We knew it was going to be a battle like this. Really proud of our guys to get it done.”

In the initial stages at Mass Maritime, it appeared St. John’s Prep (22-2) might see its reign come to a halt, as BC High opened with three tallies. Nick Emsing potted a pair of goals, while Jackson Ketchen sniped one himself to make it a 3-0 contest with 8:00 to go in the opening quarter.

Then, St. John’s Prep came to life with six straight goals of its own, all coming from different players. Cam McCarthy netted a goal to end the first, before Ryan McCarthy, Madden McGowan, Kevin Correa, Joshua Haarmann and Mac Crawford each found twine in the second quarter as the Eagles took a 6-3 lead into the half.

BC High finally got back on the board midway through the third, as Emsing completed the hat trick with 5:29 left in the frame. Then, St. John’s Prep responded as sophomore Beckett Lee sniped a shot to make it a 7-4 contest.

After BC High cut it to a 7-5 game at the end of the third off a shot from Jacob Adams, St. John’s Prep attempted to bleed clock in the final stanza.

Then in stunning fashion, BC High struck for a pair of goals in the game’s final 1:06, as Belvin buried a shot, before Emsing sniped the equalizer with 28 seconds to play. In a twist, the state championship was bound for overtime.

“We were just trying to stay calm, stay relaxed,” Kelly said afterward. “We know they’re a very good team. They have very good players, but we just had to get it back. It’s a game of runs. We went on ours, they went on theirs. So, we just had to get the last run, and get the win.”

St. John’s Prep won a faceoff, and had a series of chances to win the game with under two minutes to play. Two separate shots rattled off the post, before the latter rolled to the feet of McGowan. The senior fed a pass over to Kelly, who immediately turned his attention toward the cage and fired away.

The attempt whistled into the back of the net, and the senior sprinted up the field in celebration. Once again, the Eagles were state champions. In four of those instances, St. John’s Prep has knocked off their Catholic Conference nemesis to claim the hardware.

“I started as a waterboy in this program seven years ago,” said Kelly. “I love this team. Coach Pynchon has made me the man I am today. I just love St. John’s so much. To end it like this is magical.”