WINCHESTER — In a matchup of teams without a loss at Knowlton Stadium, the Hingham boys lacrosse team had a very easy time.
Aedan Milligan scored a goal just 13 seconds into the game, and the Harbormen never looked back, securing consecutive Coaches Cup titles with a clear 11-3 victory over host Winchester.
Rocco Egan continued to excel in the faceoff circle, winning 12 out of 16 to help the Harbormen (5-0) maintain a significant advantage in time of possession and keep the Red and Black (6-1) at a distance throughout the game.
“We know that’s what he brings to the table,” said Hingham coach John Todd. “That’s the luxury of having a kid like Rocco.
“I’m just glad that he’s healthy. Last year was difficult for him health-wise, and he’s come back with determination.”
Hingham did not waste the efforts of its senior faceoff specialist. Michael Garrity led with four goals, and Owen Packard added two in a game where seven different Harbormen scored.
When the Red and Black had possession, they were consistently stopped by goalkeeper Nate Hoffman and a strong Hingham defense.
“Having a great goalie in Nate is another huge luxury,” Todd said. “You have kids taking great shots, and he’s making great saves. It takes the air out of their offense.”
Milligan’s goal sparked the offensive attack, and Hingham quickly took a 6-1 lead a few minutes into the second quarter. Gianni Deprimeo scored midway through the quarter to reduce the Winchester deficit to 6-2, but the Harbormen responded with a burst of offense to put the game out of reach permanently.
Just 46 seconds after Diprimeo’s goal, Colin Lasch scored from a smart pass from Cam McKenna, and Patty Browne added another goal for Hingham 17 seconds later after Egan got the ball back at the faceoff circle yet again.
It was 9-2 at halftime, and the Harbormen played the second half with ease to defend their title in the early-season Coaches Cup.
Despite a strong start to the season, Todd is focused on the long term and hopes the tournament win will lead to more success this year.
“We know that it’s a journey. It’s the whole season. You can’t get too down or too high,” Todd said. “(It’s) working on the small stuff. We did so many great small things today.”
