DANVERS — A sunny-afternoon, Division 1 showdown between top-ranked St. John’s Prep and No. 3 Boston College High took place in Danvers on the eve of Prep’s Graduation Day.
There’s always history between the two sides, as Prep has topped BC High three times in a row in the state title game. Friday, however, wasn’t much of a game.
Keeping in mind the defensive showdown the last time they played – with Prep edging the game, 7-4 – this time around, Prep won, 13-3, to move to 14-2.
“I think we did a better job offensively. We scored a goal where Cam (McCarthy) hit Luke (Kelly) on a cut. We’ve been trying to work on that all year long,” Prep coach John Pynchon said. “We moved the ball better today. The game at BC High was a defensive game. It was tied, 3-3, in the fourth quarter and we got a couple [goals] to take the lead. Today, we came out hot… It was good for us to get out to a fast start.”
A fast start, indeed.
Prep led, 3-2, after the first quarter thanks to goals from Jake Vana (3 goals), Ryan DeLucia (1), and Jack Doherty (2).
And in the second quarter, Prep flipped a switch and won the frame, 6-1, to take a 9-3 lead at the half.
For Pynchon, it started with goalie Max Putney, who filled in for regular starter Mattheus Du Plessis.
“It was a good team effort. It started with Max in the net. Mattheus was sick all week, but Max stepped up, got the start, and played the whole game. I’m not sure how many saves (13) he had, but he was outstanding,” Pynchon said.
Once Prep got its lead, it didn’t give BC High a chance to get back into the game – many thanks to face-off specialist Jack Doherty.
“Doherty is an outstanding competitor. He’s a great tactician and a great face-off guy. He’s an elite competitor. I think that’s what separates him. He may not win the clamp clean or there’s a scrum for the ball, but he’s so tough. I think it comes from a hockey background. He’s a two-time state champion, and it’s how hard he is as an athlete and competitor.”
Doherty won 14-of-17 faceoffs and was a catalyst in the scoring barrage.
“It’s so important to get runs like that. Doherty won faceoffs and he got a goal. The guys were all supporting each other,” Pynchon said.
Pynchon has coached many elite athletes at St. John’s Prep, but gave Doherty, perhaps, one of his more meaningful compliments.
“We’re going to look back and say, ‘Man, Jack was one of the toughest guys we’ve coached,’” Pynchon said.
Prep’s defense was solid when called upon, thanks to players like Ryan DeLucia, Sam Wilmot, and Grayson Ambrosh, who didn’t allow BC High to score another goal after halftime.
Pynchon was pleased to get the win, especially with some distractions and a 2 p.m. start.
“It was good to get a late-May win against an outstanding opponent. With Graduation this weekend, there are a lot of distractions, but we just stayed the course,” he said.
