MARSHFIELD – Harvard commit Rex Friedholm registered four goals, while Brendan Dooley and Tyler Deede added a pair of goals apiece as Lincoln-Sudbury’s boys lacrosse team cruised to an impressive 12-5 romp of host Marshfield.
Entering Saturday’s anticipated bout, Lincoln-Sudbury had already knocked off three powerhouse programs, two of which were ranked inside the Herald’s top 25 (Billerica, Concord-Carlisle). With another heavyweight on the docket, the Warriors wasted no time in setting the tempo. Dooley sniped a pair of tallies as the Warriors (4-0) rattled off the game’s first five goals to seize a 5-1 lead through one quarter.
“We have played so soft at the beginning of these games,” said coach Brian Vona. “It’s almost like we’re waiting for the other team to make the move. We just said: ‘Hey, we’ve got to come out flying.’ The kids really did that. They did a great job of that today.”
Play began to even out as the second quarter panned out, with the programs trading goals over the first three minutes. Friedholm attempted a long-range shot with 2:56 left in the half, and watched as it skipped five-hole for his second tally as Lincoln-Sudbury extended its advantage to 7-2 at intermission.
“I think we just came in here knowing what to expect,” Friedholm said. “Marshfield, excellent team, excellent all-around, defense, offense. So, we knew we were going to have to play hard. I think our ride right off the bat was awesome, so we were getting the ball back. We were getting possession, and that helped us.”
Once the second half started, Marshfield tried to grind the game back into a nail-biter. After netting a pair of goals in the first half, Jon Sullivan sniped his third goal to complete a hat trick.
However, just minutes later, Brady Malo fired a rocket into the twine uncontested, helping Lincoln-Sudbury maintain a comfortable 8-3 lead entering the final quarter.
With 10:19 left in regulation, Friedholm collected a pass in front of the net, then bounced a wild shot home to complete his hat trick as Lincoln-Sudbury extended its advantage to 9-3.
The highlights continued, as Dante Venuto tallied a goal, before Friedholm fired in his fourth seconds thereafter to put the Warriors up 11-3 with 8:50 to play, sealing the deal.
Marshfield (0-2) was also led by a two-goal outing from senior Charlie Carroll.
The road only gets more daunting for Lincoln-Sudbury. The Warriors will take on the state’s top-ranked team next: St. John’s Prep.
“We just keep fighting,” Vona said. “Every team we play can play. Every team we play can play at the highest of levels. You’ve seen the schedule. We’re going to have to fight to win. We’re not blowing anyone out. That was not a blowout game today. We played well, but we had to fight for everything to win. I like it. It challenges us every day, and I think we’ve gotten better since the first game, which is good to see.”