BOYS LACROSSE
Ipswich 14, South Hadley 1: The Tigers opened up the Division 4 playoffs at home with a blowout victory, thus giving legendary head coach Glenn Foster his 350th career win at the school. Now in his 41st season on the IHS sidelines, Foster holds a 350-318 career mark.
Junior attack Finn Wright led the offense with eight goals, giving him a North Shore leading 79 on the season to go with 101 points. Vin Winter and Sam Pinsky both scored twice while Trevor and Tanner Manning each tallied once, with goalkeeper Connor Wright making seven saves.
Swampscott 14, Fairhaven 6: Jason Rothwell and Tyler Ostroff both scored three goals and added one assist as the Big Blue (now 11-8) scored seven times in the first quarter and rolled from there in their Division 4 playoff opener. Liam Keaney (2 assists), Chase Russo (assist) and Drew Hause all added two goals for 15th seeded Swampscott, with Joe Marino and Vaughn Hazell also scoring while Luke Michigan (11-for-24 on faceoffs) and Emerson Joy both added an assist. Captain Jay Domelowicz had six ground balls and five caused turnovers; Jack Duffy scooped four ground balls and caused three more turnovers; and captain Timmy Sheehan made a dozen saves in net.
Dracut 18, Essex Tech 4: Senior attack Timmy Tavares scored all four goals for the Hawks (10-10), finishing the year with 105 points in a Division 3 first round road setback. Mason Gadbois and Nevin Maher each had two assists for Essex Tech, with goalies Joe Dresser (9 saves) and Conor Lacey (5 saves) both seeing time between the pipes.
GIRLS TENNIS
Bishop Fenwick 5, Belchertown 0: The Crusaders, as the No. 21 seed in the Division 3 draw, pulled off a major upset by sweeping fifth seeded and host Belchertown. Gwen Schroeder took a 6-3, 6-2 win at first singles; Kit Wichroski pulled out a 6-4, 5-7, 13-11 marathon match at second singles; and Callie Reed rolled to a 6-3, 6-0 win at third singles. Straight set wins in doubles play from Caroline O’Hare and Maggie Wichroski (6-2, 6-3) and Jackie Dormer and Kylie Murphy (6-3, 6-1) completed the unexpected sweep.
Ipswich 3, Sutton 2: Taking care of business early on with three victories enabled the Tigers to improve to 14-4 and advance to the Division 4 state quarterfinals. Sophie Johannknecht won her match at first singles for Ipswich, 6-1, 6-1, followed by the first doubles team of Lila Borgman and her sister, Mae Borgman, 6-3, 6-0. Capping it off was a win from Alex Marino and Frannie Hertz at second doubles, 6-0, 6-3.
Hamilton-Wenham 4, Millis 1: Singles play dominated for the three-time defending state champion Generals as captain Naomi Provost (6-1, 6-0), Emily McIntosh (6-0, 6-0) and Charlotte Ireland (6-1, 6-0) all won handily in a Division 4 second round triumph. Olivia Romans and Evelyn Esdale also took their match at first doubles, 7-6 97-4), 6-2, while Sadie Gamber and Sofie Greene had an excellent three set match before falling.
Wayland 4, Marblehead 1: The first doubles team of Reese Friedman and Lani Gilmore had the Magicians’ victory, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), (12-10) in a Division 2 second round playoff defeat.
“Wayland has a powerhouse of a tennis team. All of their players hit tough deep balls with tons of variety in their games. It was easy to see why they are the No. 2 seed,” MHS coach Tracy Ackerman said. “I was proud of our girls for never giving up on balls and fighting to the end. Reese and Lani ended their uber successful doubles tennis career in stellar fashion … they pulled from all their experience as partners for 2 years and won an absolute battle of a tiebreaker 12-10. As a coach, that is all I could ask for.”
Dover-Sherborn 5, Swampscott 0: Freshman Nikki Carr, the Northeastern Conference’s Player of the Year, had the match of the day for the Big Blue (15-5) against the unbeaten and top seed in the Division 3 playoffs, falling in a tough 6-4, 6-4 match.
GIRLS LACROSSE
Hamilton-Wenham 18, Rockland 5: Under the lights at Gordon College in Wenham, the sixth seeded Generals (now 13-4) scored 10 consecutive goals to close out the first quarter and take a commanding 11-1 lead, never to give it back. Evie Bernard, the Cape Ann League Baker Player of the Year, scored four times for Hamilton-Wenham while Maisie Leland and Piper Shepherd scored twice apiece. Jane Boardman, Bailey Shepherd and Grace Glidden all produced two goals, Caroline Ciriello and Maddie Graber also scored, and Hailey Ireland and Graber were defensive standouts in front of goalie Rowan Sheckells (3 saves).
Grafton 12, Marblehead 6: Trailing by two at the half, the Magicians (12-6) couldn’t slow down a strong Grafton offense and saw their season end in the Division 2 first round. Kathryn Commoss and Zoe Dwyer each had two goals for Marblehead; Maddie Forbes had a goal and one assist; and Ramona Gillett also scored. Goaltender Molly Bullard made five saves.
“It was a well-fought game to conclude a season we are incredibly proud of,” said head coach Annie Pugh. “Our seniors were leaders from the first day of our season to the last. The legacy they have left behind is more important than any win.”
Bishop Fenwick 8, St. Mary’s Lynn 3: A hat trick from Kiley Bloom pushed the ninth seeded Crusaders (18-2) past their arch rivals for the third time in as many meetings this spring, this one coming in the first round of the Division 3 state tournament. Breanna Genzale and Hannah Bettencourt both pocketed two goals while Frankie Herbert had one for Fenwick, which will play at Apponequet in the second round.
Reading 18, Masconomet 3: The Chieftains (9-13) were overpowered by one of the state’s best teams, the 4th seeded Rockets (18-3).
Hanover 19, Essex Tech 8: Following a win the state vocational championship last week, the Hawks (9-12) couldn’t keep pace with the high flying hosts in a Division 3 first round playoff defeat.
BOYS TENNIS
St. John’s Prep 5, Belmont 0: Dropping just two sets in singles play and 10 total between the five playing spots, the top seeded Eagles rolled into the Division 1 quarterfinals. Winners included Rudr Malayya (6-1, 6-0), Jack Prokopis (6-0, 6-0) and Luke Free (6-0, 6-1) at first through third singles for St. John’s Prep (now 19-0), with the doubles teams of Luke Prokopis/James de Buy Wenninger (6-1, 6-3) and Wade Evitts/Ean Haykal (6-4, 6-0) also prevailing in straight sets.
Hamilton-Wenham 3, Sutton 2: The No. 9 seed Generals pulled off a mild upset of No. 8 Sutton to advance to the Division 4 state quarterfinals.
BASEBALL
North Attleboro 7, Masconomet 3: Junior captain Drew Gustafson’s 2-run single in the third made it a two run game but that was as close as the No. 35 Chieftains (10-10) would get against the No. 3 team in Division 2. Zack Ward held North Attleboro scoreless for five outs of relief work while Chase Lepore hit a double, catcher Drew Nelson and a single with an RBI, senior captain Chris Porfido singled and scored and Davis Deluties also had a hit.
SOFTBALL
Dighton Rehoboth 12, Essex Tech 0: The Hawks (11-11) were bounced from the Division 3 playoffs by the bracket’s number one seed.