No denying BC High lacrosse the Division 1 title in a steamy, down-to-the buzzer win over Lincoln-Sudbury
WORCESTER – Denied in 2021, again in 2022, and 2023, and 2025, the BC High lacrosse team finally earned its ring.
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Following Tuesday’s thrilling overtime semifinal win over rival St. John’s Prep, the Eagles used a tenacious defensive effort to stymy top-seeded Lincoln-Sudbury early, then held on for a thrilling 10-9 victory on a steamy Friday afternoon at Worcester State’s Coughlin Field, securing the program’s second Division 1 state title, but first since 2018.
BC High had fallen short in six state finals since 2016, twice to L-S, and four times to Prep since 2021.
“We’ve been in these games before so we know the feeling, we know how to prepare,” said BC High senior Murphy Belvin.
“But this was a different year. We knew we were going to pull through. This is euphoric. It’s the only thing you dream about since freshman year. We work at such a high standard that this is the only expectation.”
Belvin (three goals, one assist) and Enzo Serio (two goals, one assist) got the offense flowing and poles Johnny Hayden, Harrison Galvin, and Chris Brown were lights out defensively, allowing the sixth-seeded Eagles (18-5) to open a 5-0 lead in the first frame.
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Junior Jackson Ketchen dominated at the faceoff-X and scored a pair of huge momentum-swinging goals directly off two wins. Senior goalie TJ Emsing made six of his eight saves in the second half, many of them from point-blank range.
Down five goals late in the third quarter, Lincoln-Sudbury (17-4) strung together a furious rally in the fourth with Rex Friedholm, Brendan Dooley, Brady Malo, and Kaeden Ryan firing in goals to make it a 10-9 in the final minute.
“That’s who we are,” said L-S coach Brian Vona, who has amassed over 400 wins in 26 seasons at the helm. “That’s who they are in practice every day. We were waiting for it to come and it just came a little late. Disappointed to lose, love my kids, love my team, wouldn’t change a thing.”
After a frenetic sequence, BC High senior middie Pat Geary picked up the biggest ground ball of the game, allowing the Eagles to hold on for a long overdue celebration.
“We kept taking steps forward,” said BC High coach Marcus Craigwell. “It was all building to this moment. This is probably my least talented offensive team, but they wanted it. They got all the key ground balls and that’s what it took to put together four quarters and give us enough of a lead to survive that situation.”
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