logo
A 20-game win streak? Billerica boys' lacrosse built for a trip to Division 2 semifinals

A 20-game win streak? Billerica boys' lacrosse built for a trip to Division 2 semifinals

Boston Globe2 days ago

Billerica's set defense was nearly impenetrable with Caden Canney, Daniel Kinsella, and senior captain AJ Parrella holding down the back line in front of junior goalie Nolan Heffernan (8 saves). Walpole (17-4) came in averaging over 13 goals per game, but could never get rolling, with five of its six goals coming unassisted.
Get Starting Point
A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday.
Enter Email
Sign Up
'We knew defensively, we had to minimize their guys and did a really good job on that end,' said Parrella, 'It was just a really good team win.'
Advertisement
When Walpole started to chip away at a 6-2 halftime deficit in the third quarter, Gearin provided the response. The electric middie, who missed the majority of the season with a broken tibia, scored three times in the frame and provided the first four goals for his squad in the second half to keep the Wolves at bay. Gearin also provided an early spark with three assists in the first quarter.
Advertisement
'[Gearin has] been itching to go,' said Nickerson. 'He had some pent up energy and tonight was a big release for him. We knew it would be a good matchup for him against their defense, but I didn't think it would be this good. He was awesome tonight.'
Division 1
Lincoln-Sudbury 14, Concord-Carlisle 5 —
With a decisive third-quarter surge, the third-seeded Lincoln-Sudbury boys' lacrosse team pulled away from No. 6 Concord-Carlisle quarterfinal.
Junior Brady Malo paced Lincoln-Sudbury (15-4) with three goals, and seniors Rex Friedholm, Nolan Martindale, and Will Fosnot added two apiece.
'Our seniors really stepped up today,' Lincoln-Sudbury coach Brian Vona said.
Lincoln-Sudbury built a 3-2 edge through one quarter and 6-3 halftime advantage after a slick behind-the-back pass from Friedholm to Malo in the final seconds. The Harvard-bound Friedholm dictated the action throughout the night, and senior Dante Venuto was sharp at the face-off X.
Senior Jason Swaim (3 goals) helped the Patriots (17-4) stay within striking distance, then Fosnot spearheaded a 6-2 third quarter for Lincoln-Sudbury to make it 12-5. The Patriots made some noise in the fourth, but the outcome had already been sealed.
After quarterfinal exits each of the past two seasons, the Warriors are back in familiar territory. They'll face No. 2 St. John's Prep in the semifinals Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Burlington High.
'I've never been to a Final Four game,' Friedholm said. 'A lot of these guys have never been. We were dying, we were dying. We were just clawing, scratching, everything we needed to do.'
Division 2 State
Advertisement
Westwood 9, Longmeadow 8 —
Senior Troy Fredrickson fired in the winner with 2:15 remaining (and assisted on another) to propel the 10th-seeded Wolverines (16-4) to the first semifinal appearance in program history.
'Today is one of the best days of my life,' an ecstatic coach Todd Zahurak said after the win. While there's not a singular star on the roster, 'we have a bunch of 'A' players that nobody really knows about,' said Zahurak.
Junior attackman Sam Cochran had a trio of goals and classmate Jaden Pollack had 12 saves as the Wolverines completed a nearly 200-mile trip to upset No. 2 Longmeadow (17-4). Zahurak credited his defense, including junior Ryan Williams and senior Kyle Harvey for keeping a solid Longmeadow attack off the board.
'This group just really believes in each other, and they play for each other,' said Zahurak.
Corresponents Lenny Rowe and Chloe Wojtanik contributed.
Nate Weitzer can be reached at

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

5 standout Patriots players from first minicamp practice
5 standout Patriots players from first minicamp practice

USA Today

time12 minutes ago

  • USA Today

5 standout Patriots players from first minicamp practice

5 standout Patriots players from first minicamp practice The New England Patriots opened mandatory minicamp on Monday to kick-start their final spring practice sessions. It was a similar setup to organized team activities (OTAs) with the players working through designed drills and a competitive period between the offense and defense. This setting generally favors the offensive players with the team not practicing in pads. The defense is limited in what they can do on the field in only helmets and shorts. That will obviously change later this summer when the pads come on at training camp. Then we'll get a real sense of where players are in their preparation for the regular season. Here were the five standout Patriots players on the first day of minicamp: QB Drake Maye Patriots quarterback Drake Maye picked up where he left off at OTAs last week. He looked sharp in the competitive period on the first day of minicamp, going 15-of-19 passing. That's obviously a combination of him growing into the role as a starting NFL quarterback and becoming more comfortable in Josh McDaniels' offense. He even admitted after practice that he feels like he's starting to hit his stride during the practice sessions. The Patriots can only hope that success extends into training camp and eventually the regular season. WR Kyle Williams Kyle Williams flashed some of his big-play potential with a play-of-the-day snag on a deep ball from backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs. The rookie third-round draft pick beat a linebacker, and Dobbs connected with him for 40-plus yards between two safeties. Williams' ability to find open space and make plays is starting to stand out in the early practices. He certainly looks more polished on the field than many of the past rookie receivers who have come through New England. CB Isaiah Bolden Isaiah Bolden's name doesn't get mentioned as much, but he had a couple of solid plays at the first minicamp practice, including an interception on Joshua Dobbs. The play came in the red zone and would have been a pick-six in a game situation. There is plenty of competition at the cornerback position, but Bolden's talent in the defensive backfield combined with his special teams versatility gives him a legit shot at sticking on the roster. QB Joshua Dobbs Yes, Joshua Dobbs threw one interception, but other than that play, it was actually a strong practice period for the veteran quarterback, who went 10-of-13 throwing on the day. He hit rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams on the play-of-the-day deep ball between two safeties for 40-plus yards, and he also laid out a nice touchdown throw to rookie running back Lan Larison on a wheel route. Those were two of the best throws of the entire practice. WR Stefon Diggs The boat talk already seems to be in the distant past when it comes to wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Even as a limited participant, the four-time Pro Bowler has looked exceptional running routes and completing assigned drills. It's crazy to think he's a 31-year-old player coming off an ACL injury from last October. Diggs is without question one of the hardest-working players in the NFL, and that effort shows in his recovery status. He has also quickly become a vocal leader in the Patriots' locker room. The combination of talent and a strong voice in the room could go a long way for the unit. Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.

From Germany: United star's reunion with Ten Hag now deemed ‘feasible' as Leverkusen prepare formal approach
From Germany: United star's reunion with Ten Hag now deemed ‘feasible' as Leverkusen prepare formal approach

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

From Germany: United star's reunion with Ten Hag now deemed ‘feasible' as Leverkusen prepare formal approach

From Germany: United star's reunion with Ten Hag now deemed 'feasible' as Leverkusen prepare formal approach Manchester United fans – and likely those on the board – are hoping Erik ten Hag will replicate his notorious transfer approach of signing his former players now that he's at Bayer Leverkusen. In doing so, the Red Devils have the chance of recuperating funds that can then be used to sanction their own arrivals this summer. Advertisement The prospect is certainly alive too, with the ex-Red Devils boss already being tipped for a reunion with his former protégé, Antony, in Germany. Leverkusen shortlist Antony after Ten Hag's appointment Ten Hag has worked with Antony at both Ajax and United. (Photo by) Since Ten Hag was cherry-picked to succeed the Real Madrid-bound Xabi Alonso last month, Leverkusen have already brought in fellow SEG client Mark Flekken from Brentford, while they're reluctantly preparing for the impending departure of talisman Florian Wirtz to Liverpool. Should the deal get over the line as planned, the Bundesliga outfit will have upwards of £100 million to reinvest in Wirtz's replacement/s — and Antony is viewed as a potential candidate. Advertisement Surprisingly, so is his wantaway teammate Alejandro Garnacho. After it became public knowledge that he and United had decided to part ways this summer, Leverkusen were among a handful of clubs to have established their interest. Cut-price Antony viewed as a more 'feasible' target A fresh report from German outlet BILD this week has claimed that a move for Antony over his Argentine counterpart is deemed more 'feasible' due to their differing valuations; United were demanding a fee in excess of £60m to green-light Garnacho's exit when Napoli came knocking in the winter, while Antony, 25, could be available for around £35m. Antony's stellar efforts throughout his half-season loan spell with Real Betis certainly played into United's hands in terms of upping his price tag, although they still stand to make a substantial loss on the £86m they forked out for him in 2022. Advertisement More Stories / Latest News From Germany: United star's reunion with Ten Hag now deemed 'feasible' as Leverkusen prepare formal approach Jun 10 2025, 13:52 The Athletic: UCL finalists hold 'concrete interest' in Erik ten Hag signing, he's made his stance clear Jun 10 2025, 12:07 From Italy – Man Utd offer audacious swap deal for 'the best striker in the world' Jun 10 2025, 11:02

Manchester City's Jack Grealish hands Liverpool major boost in Florian Wirtz talks
Manchester City's Jack Grealish hands Liverpool major boost in Florian Wirtz talks

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Manchester City's Jack Grealish hands Liverpool major boost in Florian Wirtz talks

Bayer Leverkusen manager Erik ten Hag has reportedly told club bosses he would love to sign Jack Grealish from Manchester City to replace Liverpool-bound Florian Wirtz. Wirtz has given the go-ahead to complete a sensational move to Anfield this summer as Liverpool remain in advanced negotiations with Bayer Leverkusen to work out details of an agreement that is likely to cost in excess of €130 million. Advertisement The 22-year-old has been one of the most sought-after players in Europe this summer, with the likes of Manchester City and Bayern Munich also holding a strong interest but eventually accepting defeat in their pursuit. City had identified Wirtz as their preferred replacement for the outgoing Kevin De Bruyne, who has reportedly agreed a two-year move to Napoli after being told by officials at the Etihad Stadium that he does not feature in their plans for the 2025/26 campaign. However, the Germany international has decided to move to Anfield and join forces with Arne Slot on Merseyside after a Premier League winning campaign for the Reds, who have also signed Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk to new two-year deals. Advertisement As for Bayer Leverkusen, they are resigned to losing Wirtz this summer as talks continue with Liverpool, which will leave a significant gap in the club's attacking positions but almost certainly be addressed when the transfer window reopens in mid-July. Now, according to a new report from The Sun, newly-appointed Bayer Leverkusen manager Erik ten Hag is a huge fan of Manchester City's Jack Grealish and has told club bosses he would love to bring the 29-year-old in to replace Florian Wirtz. City are believed to be demanding a fee in the region of £40-50 million for Grealish this summer and while a loan could also materialise, a permanent transfer is what the England international and the club would collectively prefer. Sources close to Grealish have revealed City's record signing is attracted by the prospect of playing abroad as he looks to revitalise his club and international career(s) ahead of what will be a crucial 2025/26 campaign by all accounts. Advertisement With Tottenham, Everton and Aston Villa also credited with an interest, Grealish knows he needs to be playing regularly for his club to be in contention for a recall to the England squad under Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel. Tuchel has made it clear that Grealish stands no chance to securing a seat on the plane to the 2026 FIFA World Cup if he will not play week-in, week-out for his club in the new season and that means the forward has a huge few months ahead to map out the next chapter. Grealish is understood to be preferring to stay in England and play in the UEFA Champions League as representatives work actively to find him a new club, but it remains to be seen whether a top Premier League side will look to place a bet on the Manchester City man.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store