Massachusetts Talent Propels Merrimack to NCAA D2 Lax Title Game

After a decorated career at Longmeadow, which included an undefeated D2 state championship run, long pole Dan Cotnoir hopes to bring an NCAA D2 national championship to Merrimack. But the former Lancer is just one of many Massachusetts products hoping to lead the Warriors to victory in their home state.  Photo courtesy of Merrimack Athletics.

By Michael Abelson (@ABELS0N)

Foxborough, Mass. - Sports are cruel.

Last year, the Merrimack men’s lacrosse team advanced to its first NCAA Division II title game, and had the lucky draw of playing in the Commonwealth at Gillette Stadium.

The Warriors let a lead slip away late and lost to Limestone.

This year, though, the Warriors are back in the title game, and return to Foxboro better than ever with a team getting contributions up and down the lineup from Bay State natives. Merrimack's second consecutive title game in Massachusetts will take place Sunday at 4 pm against No. 6 St. Leo.

Thanks to the wealth of local talent, coach Mike Morgan believes his group is capable of leaving Gillette Stadium victorious this season.

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.

MIAA Top 25 Boys Lacrosse Poll: The End of 2017

Lincoln-Sudbury remained the king of MIAA Lacrosse with an 8-7 state finals win over BC High

Our rankings of the best teams in the state at the end of the 2017 lacrosse season, as selected by our panel of staff writers and correspondents. (Updated 6/19)

1. Lincoln-Sudbury (19-1; Last Ranking - 1): The Warriors' third consecutive state championship was the sweetest of them all, as their overlooked senior class went out on top.

2. Hingham (23-3; Last Ranking - 3): Harbormen capped a dominant regular season with a 16-7 thrashing of Longmeadow in D2 State Final. Those wishing to see Hingham vs. L-S could get their wish when the Harbormen re-classify to D1 next season.

3. BC High (19-4; Last Ranking - 6): Eagles won 13 straight to earn rematch with L-S in D1 State Final, but came up just short in an 8-7 thriller.  

PHOTO GALLERY: Lincoln-Sudbury vs BC High in the Boys' D1 State Lax Final

Photos by Brian Foley

You can check out our full story of Lincoln-Sudbury's nail-biting win over BC High to complete a D1 three-peat here. But now, enjoy these photos captured by our Brian Foley. For even more images by Brian, and to buy prints of some of these fantastic images, click here.

Also note that you can click any image to enlarge and launch a slideshow.

Lincoln-Sudbury Wraps up Third Consecutive D1 Boys Lax Championship

By Marisa Ingemi (@Marisa_Ingemi)

Boston - Despite finishing the game on a 4-0 run, BC High couldn’t come back on Saturday at Nickerson Field, as Lincoln-Sudbury held on to defeat the Eagles, 8-7 and win its third straight Division 1 state championship.

“They’re athletic, they executed on several big plays,” said LS head coach Brian Vona. “When we called timeouts, they came out and scored. Great program.”

Lincoln-Sudbury Headed Back to BU After Edging Acton-Boxboro

By Michael Abelson (@ABELS0N)

ALLSTON - It was hard. It was tough. And, in the end, it was another sectional title for Lincoln-Sudbury.

The Warriors rebounded from surrendering two early goals to defeat Dual County League rival Acton-Boxboro, 9-7, at Harvard Stadium to claim the Division 1 North championship.

“We kind of talked about it this week: DCL is DCL,” Lincoln-Sudbury senior Jack Sutherland said. “When you’re playing a league game, everyone hates each other and is coming at each other full speed. We stuck with it, kept our heads level, and that helped us prevail.”

Lincoln-Sudbury Outlasts Reading to Make D1 North Final

By Nate Weitzer (@nweitzer7)

SUDBURY, Mass. – For the third consecutive year, Reading ran into a buzzsaw in the form of the Lincoln-Sudbury boys’ lacrosse dynasty. 

And for the third straight year, the Warriors were tested by Reading, but in the Division 1 North semifinals on Wednesday, they were able to pull away in the second half for a relatively comfortable 14-8 victory. 

The two-time defending state champions extended their in-state winning streak to 53 games and advance to face Dual County League rival Acton-Boxborough in the D1 North finals, to be held at Harvard Coliseum next Wednesday, June 14.

MIAA Boys' Lax Seeding Instant Analysis: D1 North

Can anybody hang with Lincoln-Sudbury in D1 North?

By Michael Abelson (@ABELS0N)


The boys lacrosse brackets were drawn up at the MIAA office in Franklin and, while some things have certainly changed since last season, Lincoln-Sudbury atop Division 1 North did not.

Here's a reminder that none of this is official until tomorrow. Nevertheless, here is you D1 North bracket.

Top-Ranked Lincoln-Sudbury Rolls No. 2 Duxbury

Sophomore attack Matt Ward facilitates from X

By Nate Weitzer (@nweitzer7)

SUDBURY, Mass. – Lincoln-Sudbury head coach Brian Vona can be very hard on his players.

A man from the Belichick school of coaching, he can often be found scowling after a win, shaking his head and denoting all the things that his team did wrong.

On Saturday afternoon, that approach seemed to pay off, as the top-ranked Warriors crushed No. 2 Duxbury, 9-1, for their 48th consecutive in-state victory.

No. 1 Lincoln-Sudbury Continues In-State Roll Against Acton-Boxboro

By Michael Abelson (@ABELS0N)

SUDBURY - It took a while for the Lincoln-Sudbury offense to click, but once it did it was all over for Acton-Boxboro.

The Warriors scored the final nine goals of the game, including six in the third quarter, to roll past their Dual County League rivals 13-3. The win was Lincoln-Sudbury's 45th consecutive victory over in-state competition, a streak that began after the Warriors lost to Acton-Boxboro in the 2014 Division 1 North finals by a single goal.

L-S blew this game open midway through the third quarter when the Warriors scored three goals in 21 seconds to turn a 6-3 game into a 9-3 rout.

Lincoln-Sudbury Runs Away from Longmeadow at Harvard Stadium

By Marisa Ingemi (@Marisa_Ingemi)

CAMBRIDGE - Lincoln-Sudbury proved why it is the top team in the state on Saturday with a resounding 15-3 victory over Western Mass power Longmeadow at Harvard Stadium. The Warriors (9-1) never looked back after a 2-0 lead and continued to build off of it with a strong second quarter. against the Lancers (9-3).

“We came out of the gate, which is something we were stressing hard,” said senior Jack Sutherland, who scored three goals. “Our mission for this game was to open the way we did, go hard, go fast off the opening whistle.”

Sutherland was one of three L-S seniors to tally three times along with Hayden Frey and Junior Almeida. Almeida also won 13 faceoffs and dominated from the dot.