DANVERS — During its run to a Div. 1 boys lacrosse championship last spring, St. John’s Prep was dominant in just about every sense of the word. The team coasted throughout the season, ultimately going 22-1.
The Eagles’ lone blemish? A loss to Acton-Boxboro nearly one calendar year ago on April 16, 2022.
On Saturday, they were able to earn some payback after a stellar performance from senior captain Jimmy Ayers. The Johns Hopkins commit registered a game-high six goals to go with a pair of assists, as St. John’s Prep (2-0) pulled away in the second half to win a statement game, 12-8.
“That was a pivotal turning point for us last year,” coach John Pynchon said. “Because they came out, and they got right after us. That was a big (moment) last year. I don’t think we’ve beaten Acton-Boxboro since I’ve been at St. John’s. We played at Beverly a lot, pretty sure we lost to them in the playoffs in the North semis I think, and then we lost last year. I think this is the first win over A-B in six years. It’s nice.”
With the programs tied at 3-all in the closing seconds of the first, Ayers gained a bit of separation, then fired a bullet into the cage to give St. John’s Prep a 4-3 advantage.
After the Eagles took a 5-4 lead at intermission off a goal from Matt Morrow, play opened up in the second half.
Acton-Boxboro senior Ryan Cho buried his third goal of the game to complete the hat trick with 5:21 left in the third quarter, tying things back up at 6-6.
However, St. John’s Prep is always capable of an onslaught and the levee finally collapsed for the Revolution in the waning moments of the stanza.
During the final 4:27 of the third quarter, the Eagles netted four unanswered goals, three in the last 53 seconds. Cam McCarthy and Luke Kelly got the scoring started, before Ayers capped the frame with a pair of tallies. In a flash, St. John’s Prep had a commanding 10-6 lead.
While Acton-Boxboro (2-1) managed to cut it as close as 10-8 following a goal by senior Tyler Clayton with 4:38 left in regulation, the deficit was too steep to erase. Ayers would bury another pair of goals in the final two minutes, icing the victory for St. John’s Prep.
Kelly, Nate Jones and Rowan Mondello each finished with a goal and an assist for the Eagles.
In addition to Cho’s efforts, Clayton also recorded a hat trick to power Acton-Boxboro.
“We had a string of three or four in a row there when we were playing fast at the end of the third quarter,” Pynchon said. “I think we shot the ball a little bit better there in the third. Chris (Esposito) did great on the faceoffs, I think it was three there to help us gain some separation. (Acton-Boxboro is) a really, really good team, so I think getting out of here with a win was a good start for us this season.”
Aiden Cardoza pitched a complete game, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out 14 as Bishop Stang blanked Apponequet, 4-0, in nonleague action. … Danny Powers pitched four scoreless innings and added an RBI and a run at the plate as Xaverian topped Holliston, 6-1. … Zach Gilmore picked up his second win and Jake Thompson earned the save as Georgetown (3-0) defeated Whittier, 5-2. … An Angel Baez single in the 12th drove in the game-winning run for Leominster as it defeated Central Catholic, 2-1. … Will Gindel threw a no-hitter as Winchester dropped Somerville, 6-0. … Owen McHugh and Sean McDougal each drove in a pair as Milton (3-0) defeated Boston Latin 8-2.
Katherine Taylor and Molly Berinato both tallied four goals for Wakefield in its 14-6 victory over Middlesex League foe Arlington. … In a nonleague matchup, Ryann Cobban scored seven goals and Sophia Visceglio added five assists to lift Sandwich to a 16-1 win over Martha’s Vineyard.
Maggie Schlossberg struck out 13 and homered at bat as East Bridgewater defeated Southeastern, 8-4, in nonleague play. … Katie Melendy tallied nine strikeouts and provided the game-winning RBI as Oliver Ames beat Whitman-Hanson, 1-0, in 10 innings.
In the Independent School League, sophomore Nia Phillips tossed a two-hitter with 12 K’s as Milton Academy outslugged Rivers 14-1 in a five-inning affair.
Senior Caitlin Conroy had a double and two RBI and Senior Maya Tuolozzo was 2-for-2 with a homer as Newton North edged Framingham 6-5 in Bay State Conference play.
