LYNN – With the season on the road, St. John’s Prep turned to its captains.
Led by Garrison Murphy, James Minor, and Finn McCabe, top-seeded SJP defeated Harmony-Carlisle, 4-1, at Manning Discipline in Lynn. The victory sends the Eagles to the state championship for the primary time since profitable the title in 2022.
This was a rematch from final yr’s quarterfinal. For the second consecutive yr, the clock struck midnight for Harmony-Carlisle in opposition to the Eagles. With the win, SJP (19-1-2) advances to play the winner of Natick-Newton South for the Division 1 state title.
“All of the credit score to Harmony-Carlisle, who saved it tight all the way in which,” mentioned Eagles coach Dave Crowell. “For us, all season lengthy, we thought we might earn the correct to be right here. To this point, we’ve gotten it achieved.”
Harmony-Carlisle struck first when sophomore Ben Hackman capitalized on tripped-up Eagles defenders for a breakaway, taking a 1-0 lead courtesy of a picturesque shot to the again of the online ten minutes into the sport.
However SJP didn’t path for lengthy. Within the twenty fourth minute, McCabe seized management of the ball following a flurry of exercise close to the Harmony-Carlisle web – and used a right-left strike to pound it in and tie the rating, 1-1.
“We all know what it’s wish to play by means of adversity,” mentioned McCabe. “We’ve been working nonstop, our again line and goalie have been wonderful, and we’ve earned this. A few of us have been teammates since youth soccer. These are my brothers, and we’re going to exit with a bang.”
Within the opening minutes of the second half, Minor made probably the most of his subsequent scoring alternative. Following a nook kick, he gained possession on the high of the field, then drilled a shot past the attain of Patriots goalkeeper Nico Kocic within the recreation’s forty fifth minute to take the 2-1 lead.
“Falling down a aim put us in a special mentality,” mentioned Minor, whose older brother Will helped deliver a state title to SJP three years in the past. “All of us knew this could be a tough recreation. We proved that, irrespective of the rating, we will end.”
Forward by a aim, Hutchinson then seized the second. Creating open area on the 15-yard line, he scored off a left strike to the left aspect of the online on the recreation’s sixtieth minute to increase the result in 3-1.
Three minutes after Hutchinson’s aim, Murphy acquired a move from senior Owen Beeny and sailed a shot into the online for a 4-1 benefit.
“It’s the second time we’ve down 1-0 all season, however it gave us a brand new hearth,” mentioned Murphy, who was simply named an All-American by the US Coaches Affiliation. “We performed with a hearth, we have been knocking on the door, and the momentum turned. Now we now have to go all the way in which. We’ll be dialed in and able to go.”
“We educated rather a lot all week for his or her excessive line and thought we might get by means of, and we did,” mentioned Harmony-Carlisle coach Ray Pavlik. “Dropping Timmy Stone was a tricky one, however we had our probabilities. They’re an excellent workforce they usually fought laborious.”
A key to the Eagles’ success was senior keeper Matthew Droggitis, who notably made a right-leg kick save within the second half from proper exterior the crease.
“Like Coach Crowell all the time says, I deal with the sport prefer it’s 0-0,” mentioned Droggitis. “Now we get to play for a state chip in our final recreation as seniors. That’s what we’ve labored for all season.”
