Hingham ends Lincoln-Sudbury's MA Win Streak; North Andover tops Winchester in Coaches Cup Semis

Hingham became the first Massachusetts team to beat powerful Lincoln-Sudbury in over 1,400 days.

By Michael Abelson (@ABELS0N)

Andover, Mass. - By Michael Abelson

Before yesterday, the Lincoln-Sudbury boys' lacrosse team hadn’t lost a game to a team from Massachusetts in 1,411 days, a streak that stretched 57 games and three Division 1 state championships.

That streak was snapped Saturday, as the Hingham Harbormen scored the only two goals of the fourth quarter to defeat the Warriors, 6-4, in the semifinals of the Coaches Cup at Andover High School.

It was Hingham’s first win over Lincoln-Sudbury since 2011. The Warriors had won the previous three meetings.

Pope Francis Blows out Hingham to Advance to Super 8 Final

By John McGuirk (@patsfan1313)

Lowell, Mass. - The ghosts of the past have finally been exorcised.

Since 2009, the Pope Francis hockey team (Cathedral High School in Springfield) has been a yearly fixture in the Super 8 tournament, either as a play-in team or a bonafide seed. Yet, throughout that time frame, this team has never quite been able to get over the hump, continuously coming up short in its quest to reach the championship game.

All of that now can be laid to rest.

With its convincing 6-0 victory over Hingham in Wednesday night's semifinal contest, the Cardinals have finally gained entry into the title tilt. No. 7 Pope Francis (21-4-3) will face No. 2 BC High (18-4-1) on Sunday for all the marbles at TD Garden at a time still to be determined. The Eagles are 2-0-1 versus the Cardinals this season, including a 6-1 whitewashing in the tournament's opening round.

BC High Outlasts Hingham, Pushes Harbormen to Brink of Elimination

By Jake Levin (@JakeLevin09)

Lowell, Mass. - Thomas Kramer’s dormant status could only mean an explosion was brewing.

One of the top forward’s in the state, Kramer missed the net entirely on a penalty shot with just 3.2 seconds to go in the first period, and fanned on a one-timer opportunity in the middle of the second period. On each occasion, the No. 2 BC High Eagles were trailing the No. 4 Hingham Harbormen by a goal.

Kramer’s eruption in the third period came at a perfect time, knotting the game at two-apiece. It set the stage for two more Eagle goals in the final frame to dispatch the Harbormen, and advance BC High to the TD Garden for the first time since 2012 with a 4-2 win on Monday night at the Tsongas Center.

Tech Boston Clinches Spot at TD Garden with Route of Hingham

By Kyle Schroeder (@kyschroeder81)

Taunton, Mass. - Playing on the iconic TD Garden parquet floor is something every high school basketball player in the Massachusetts dreams of doing.

On Saturday, the winner of the division 2 South sectional final between Tech Boston and Hingham would get a chance to live out that dream. Tech Boston made it clear right from start of the contest that it would be the team to play at the TD Garden, defeating Hingham soundly by a score of 69-44.

“I’m so happy for these kids, I’m happy for Dorchester, I’m happy for inner city kids in Boston," Tech Boston coach Johnny Williams said. "It proves to you that they are capable kids, and if you hold them to high standards, they will perform.

"We never coddled them, we never dumbed it down, our expectations are at the highest level, and they always step up to the challenge.”

PHOTO GALLERY: Hingham vs Central Catholic and BC High vs St. John's Prep in the Super 8

Photos by Eamon Convey (@ConveyWEEI)

It was a night of upsets in Lowell Monday, as a pair of Super 8 underdogs came away with big wins. First, Hingham stunned Central Catholic 1-0, then in the night cap, BC High nipped rival St. John's Prep, also by a 1-0 score.

Both the Harbormen and the Eagles advances to the semifinals of the two-loss elimination tournament, while CC and SJP now head to the loser's bracket, where the margin for error is zero.

Now, continue below for photos of both of last night's games, courtesy of our Eamon Convey. Note that you can click any image to enlarge and launch a slideshow.

Hingham Stuns Central Catholic in Super 8 Winner's Bracket

Photo by Eamon Convey

By John McGuirk (@patsfan1313)

Lowell, Mass. - For a team that has had a difficult time putting pucks into the back of the net, Hingham has relied heavily on a systematic defensive approach in which it limits opponents from finding easy paths into the offensive zone. It is that style which has gotten the Harbormen a chance to win their second Super 8 title. With their forwards continuously skating back to assist the defensemen, Hingham, which won a Super 8 crown in 2010, has seen that formula work quite effectively all throughout this season.

Monday was no different.

Staking claim to an early lead, the Harbormen spent the rest of the evening frustrating Central Catholic with a solid mix of forechecking and backchecking. Refusing to allow the Raiders to gain any steam, Hingham made its one goal lead stand up and went on to blank Central Catholic, 1-0, inside the Tsongas Center in a winner's bracket showdown.

Hingham Opens Super 8 with OT Win over Andover

By John McGuirk (@patsfan1313)

Lowell, Mass. - Lacrosse season may still be a few weeks away, but Frankie Higgins wanted to get a jump start on things.

The Hingham senior, showing tremendous eye-hand coordination, batted in a waist-high rebound, on the power play, just 55 seconds into overtime to give the Harbormen a 2-1 victory over Andover in the opening round of the Super 8 tournament Wednesday night inside Tsongas Arena.

No. 4 Hingham (13-4-6) will move into the winner's bracket where it will face Thursday night's Central Catholic/St. John's (Shrewsbury) victor here on Monday at time yet to be determined. The fifth-seeded Golden Warriors (13-6-2) will play a loser's bracket contest versus either Central Catholic or St. John's (S) on Sunday at Chelmsford Forum at a time still to be announced.

PHOTO GALLERY: Arlington and Hingham Hockey Battle to a Tie at Warrior Ice Arena

Photos by Eamon Convey (@ConveyWEEI)

BOSTON - On the practice ice of the Boston Bruins, Super 8 hopefuls Hingham and Arlington played a classic, battling to a 1-1 tie in the Catherine J. Malatesta Scholarship Fund Game.

Our Eamon Convey was there at ice level to snap some great shots for ya, so continue below for those, and note that you can click any photo to enlarge and launch a slideshow.

MIAA Basketball Top 25: Week 6

As deep and talented as any team in the state, Brockton keeps passing every test put in front of it. Still, the Boxers face their toughest week yet, with tests against tops programs from the Catholic Conference, Bay State League and Hockomock.   Photo by Eamon Convey.

 1. Needham (9-0; Last Week - 1) It has been a while since the Rockets have been tested wire-to-wire. That should change Friday with a trip to Newton North.

St. Mary's (Lynn) Edges Hingham in Shootout for Serino Classic Crown

By John McGuirk (@patsfan1313)

Malden, Mass. - Mark Lee knows a good thing when he sees it.

The 31-year St. Mary's (Lynn) hockey coach saw plenty over the past 24 hours to have him believing that his Spartans have the necessary weaponry to make a solid run at a second straight state championship.

St. Mary's relied heavily on a suffocating defense and a hot goaltender to claim a 2-1 shootout win over Hingham in Thursday night's championship game of the Christie Serino Christmas Classic held at Valley Forum II. The victory comes fresh off the heels of the Spartans' 3-2 triumph over Austin Prep during Wednesday's opening round tilt.

Against the Harbormen, the defending Division 1 state champs stuck to a system of not allowing any easy chances. The objective was to make Hingham earn every shot it took.

MIAA Basketball Top 25: Week 2

Mansfield's student section had plenty to cheer about in a huge win over Newton North.

 Our rankings of the best teams in the state, as selected by our panel of staff writers and correspondents. (Updated 12/25)

1. Needham (4-0; Last Week - 1) Rockets remain undefeated after earning a tough win over upset-minded Natick. 

2. St. John's Prep (1-1; Last Week - 2) A pre-Christmas showdown with Andover will have to wait until Wednesday, Dec. 27 as the Eagles look to move above .500 early in the season.  

3. Central Catholic (1-0; Last Week - 6) The Raiders finally opened with a 63-36 win over Haverhill last Thursday. They’ll take on Bishop Guertin (NH) in the Commonwealth Motors Classic Tournament at Methuen High on Dec. 27.

Duxbury Downs Rival Hingham in D3 South Semis

By Tom Joyce (@TomJoyceSports)

Duxbury, Mass. - Friday night served as redemption for the Duxbury High football team.

In their past two games headed into Friday, their offense had not produced at the level they were accustomed to, scoring just 23 points. That all changed in their bout with the No. 3 Hingham Harbormen in the MIAA Division 3 South Semifinal, as the Dragons came up with a 38-13 win at home.

“The kids did a phenomenal job prepping for this one,” Duxbury head coach Dave Maimaron said. “We worked hard at practice all week and it paid off tonight.”

Duxbury Survives Hingham for 10th Straight Patriot League Keenan Title

By Tom Joyce (@TomJoyceSports)

HINGHAM - The last time the Duxbury High football league lost a Patriot League Keenan Division football game, Akon was still on the radio, Terry Francona was managing the Boston Red Sox to a World Series title, George W. Bush was in the White House and gas was $5 per gallon.

On Saturday afternoon, the Dragons were fortunate enough to beat Hingham 14-13 on the road. The win gave the Dragons their tenth straight Patriot League Keenan Division title.

It was the closest league game the Dragons had in the last decade, and it could have looked a lot different, since the Harbormen had back-to-back touchdowns called back late in the third quarter in tightly-officiated game that featured over 30 called penalties. Had either of those scores counted, the Harbormen likely would have been crowned champs.

“Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good,” Dragons head coach Dave Maimaron said. “We needed that. Those are huge plays. It’s more than likely we see these guys again (in the playoffs).”

PHOTO GALLERY: Hingham Boys' Lax Wins D2 State Title

Photos by Brendan Hall (@BHallESPN)

You can check out our full story on Hingham's win over Longmeadow at BU, but now, take a look at these pictures from our Brendan Hall.

Hingham Defeats Longmeadow for D2 Boys Lax State Title

By Brendan Hall (@BHallESPN)

BOSTON – Hingham head coach John Todd didn’t hesitate to call this year’s Harbormen squad “The best team we’ve ever had here” repeatedly following Saturday’s MIAA Division 2 State Final at Nickerson Field, and anyone who followed the team this spring would be hard-pressed to disagree.

And so after all those years of heartbreak – all those state championship game letdowns, all those epic overtime losses to Medfield, all those years coming up just a goal or two short – Todd conceded a sense of relief in being able to capture the program’s first title in 15 years, with his best senior class ever, in such dominating fashion, routing Western Mass. juggernaut Longmeadow 16-7.

Previews & Picks: The 2017 MIAA Boys' Lacrosse Championships

Grafton will look to bring home its first state championship ever, but the Indians will have their hands full with high-powered Hingham in the D3 title game.

By SuiteSports Staff

The championship breakfasts are over, Boston University's Nickerson Field is set, and six different boys' lacrosse teams from across Massachusetts are ready to play for state championships this Saturday.

To prepare you, SuiteSports asked its editors and lead lacrosse reporters how they saw each game shaking out. Here is what they said.

Hingham Heading Back to BU After Route of Beverly

By Jake Levin (@JakeLevin477)

NORWELL - Once again, the Hingham Harbormen are en route to Boston University.

To say Hingham has unfinished business would be a tremendous understatement, but the Division 2 South champs sure look up to the task of capturing the program’s first state title since 2002 following a 17-5 blowout of the Beverly Panthers on Wednesday night.

The Harbormen wasted little time making their statement, with Tommy Welch scoring just 14 seconds into the contest. Welch was one of 10 goal scorers for Hingham, which never trailed.

Hingham Takes Care of Business in D2 South Final

By Jake Levin (@JakeLevin477)

MARSHFIELD, Mass. — Forget about being on the same planet. Once again, no team in the Division 2 South bracket could get in as much as the same galaxy as the top-seeded Hingham Harbormen, its latest sectional title a 13-6 victory over the Bishop Feehan Shamrocks.

While the margin of victory was Hingham’s smallest in any of the last four sectionals finals, what the Harbormen (21-3) accomplished in the third quarter was just as lethal as anything its unveiled in recent memory.

Duxbury Tops Hingham in Patriot League Thriller

By Marisa Ingemi (@Marisa_Ingemi)

HINGHAM - A three-goal fourth quarter pushed Duxbury past its rival Hingham on the road on Thursday night. The Dragons (8-2) came back from down two goals early to upend the Harbormen (10-3) in one of their milestone victories on the season.

Bobby Maimaron had three points and Riley Bergstrom emerged in the fourth quarter to help the Dragons capture victory.

“We came out with good energy,” Duxbury coach Chris Sweet said. “Our defense played really well, our goalie was outstanding and our offense was patient with the ball. If we have the ball, Hingham can’t score.”

Lincoln-Sudbury and Hingham Advance to Coaches Challenge Cup Final

By Michael Abelson (@ABELS0N)

NORTH ANDOVER - Lincoln-Sudbury scored the first three goals of the game and never looked back, as it cruised by Dover-Sherborn 15-5 in the semifinals of the Coaches Challenge Cup.

The Warriors scored two goals 13 seconds apart early to set the tone offensively. Lincoln-Sudbury outshot the short-handed Raiders 38-15.