Wahconah Holds Off Ipswich in Sweet 16

DALTON, Mass. – Devin Lagerwall scored a big insurance goal early in the fourth quarter Tuesday, and the Wahconah boys lacrosse team hung on for an 11-10 win over Ipswich in the Division 4 State Tournament Sweet 16.

 

Rylan Padelford scored five goals for eighth-seeded Wahconah (17-2), which moves on to face the winner of a Round of 16 game between top-seeded Cohasset (16-2) and the winner of a contest between South Hadley and Old Colony Tech that was suspended on Monday.

 

Padelford scored the first three goals for Wahconah to help it take a 4-2 lead after one quarter.

 

It was 8-5 at half-time, but Ipswich rallied to draw within a goal, 10-9, going into the final 12 minutes.

 

With 8 minutes, 10 seconds on the clock, Lagerwall scored his first goal of the game to give Wahconah an 11-9 lead.

 

Ipswich’s Elliot Donovan scored his third goal of the game with 23 seconds on the clock to get the Tigers within a goal.

 

But Wahconah shut the door from there to move on to the Round of 8 and a possible rematch against Cohasset. Last June, Wahconah beat the Skippers, 13-12, in overtime on its way to a D4 State Championship.

 

Luciano Canino and Zach Flaherty each scored a pair of goals. Jacob Thomas had a goal and an assist, and Brody Calvert set up a goal.

 

Bryce Smith made 10 saves to earn the win between the pipes for Wahconah.