HINGHAM — If the scores from Thursday’s semifinals of the Coaches Cup are a sign of what is ahead, prepare for another defensive battle between the Hingham and Lincoln-Sudbury boys’ lacrosse teams in Saturday’s final.
Top-ranked L-S took down Dual County League rival Concord-Carlisle, 14-5, while No. 2 Hingham stymied No. 16 Wellesley, 9-4, on an overcast day at Hingham High.
The wins for the Warriors and Harbormen – each off to 6-0 starts —
“They’re going to be a handful,” Hingham coach John Todd said with an eye ahead on Saturday’s 4 p.m. matchup at Winchester High. “They’re a great team. [Lincoln-Sudbury coach] Brian [Vona] does a great job, their coaches do an unbelievable job, so we’re going to have more than our hands full to even stay in that game if they play like they did today.”
Linoln-Sudbury pulled away from the No. 9 Patriots with a 7-0 run to begin the second quarter, Finn Garrity’s goal 1:16 into the period breaking open a 2-2 tie.
Hayden Donley recorded a hat trick for L-S and Matt Ward added two goals and two assists. Nick Mitchell, Johnny Herlihy and Colby Jones also found the back of the net twice for the Warriors.
“The kids are playing tough and that’s all I’m asking them to do right now,” Vona said. “That’s Game 6; we’ve got to win eight games to make the tournament, that’s all I care about.”
Jack Bowen had a hat trick in a losing effort for the Patriots, who will face Wellesley in the third-place game on Saturday.
Pat Doyle, Cooper Dainton and Jake Higgins each scored twice for the Harbormen, who have now held opponents to seven goals through two games in the Coaches Cup; Hingham knocked off No. 18 North Andover, 16-3, in its opener on Tuesday. Two of the goals it gave up to Wellesley on Thursday came in the final 20 seconds of regulation.
“With the level of competition in this tournament, we’ll take it,” Todd said. “You know good things are going to be happening if you’re not giving up that many goals.”
Jake Levin can be reached at [email protected].