Middleton, MA-#16 seeded Winchester Red and Black headed north to take on #1 St. John’s Prep Eagles at the Essex Sport Center. Senior Peyton Palladino (Flagler College Baseball commit) started in net for SJP and sophomore Max Lowenberg for Winchester.
Lowenberg and Winchester were under attack from the puck drop. The Eagles had several quality chances and Lowenberg made some terrific stops. However, with 3:17 left Will Van Sicklin looked off Lowenberg on a 2v1 rush and snapped the puck home to give St. John’s Prep the lead. Less than a minute later, sophomore Jake Vana ripped a shot over the net that went off the glass and back out front. Vana stayed with it and backhanded the loose puck home to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead. Winchester managed only 2-3 shots. The period ended 2-0 and was dominated in every phase by SJP.
The second period was much like the first as the Eagles dominated play. 4:03 in, junior defenseman Aidan Holland snapped a puck through traffic for a score. Brothers Cole Blaeser and Pierce Blaeser picked up assists. Winchester had a failed power play chance and were able to create some chaos near the Eagles’ net with 2:30 left. St. John’s Prep’s junior Jimmy Ayers (Johns Hopkins Lacrosse commit) ripped a slapper and hit the top corner to give SJP a 4-0 lead. Van Sicklin picked up the assist. That’s how the second ended and many in the rink headed for the exits as it appeared Winchester may not have an answer in the third.
People that left early were correct. St. John’s Prep did not relent and struck early in the third. Senior Pierce Blaeser sent a slick, quick, backhand pass to his classmate Tommy Sarni (Providence Lacrosse commit) who ripped it home. It was 5-0 Eagles. Sophomore Christian Rosa made a filthy move 1v1 to go by a Winchester defenseman and promptly finished to make it a 6-0 game. Finally, Joe Melanson snapped home a rebound for the 7-0 lead. That was the final at the final buzzer. Freshman Luke Quinn finished out the game in the Eagles’ net to combine for the shutout with Palladino. St. John’s Prep has seven different goal scorers as they are deep and have athletes up and down the roster.
St. John’s Prep will move on to play Braintree back here at Essex Sports Center on Thursday in the D1 Elite 8 at 5:30pm.
Three Stars
First: Will Van Sicklin, SJP
Second: Pierce Blaeser, SJP
Third: Jake Vana, SJP
Photo Credit: Wade Boggs