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# Derryfield boys lacrosse hangs on for win over St. Thomas to stay undefeated
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/derryfield-boys-lacrosse-hangs-on-for-win-over-st-thomas-to-stay-undefeated/
- Published: 2025-05-22T16:30:19.000Z
- Updated: 2025-05-22T16:30:19.000Z
- Description: DOVER – After beginning this spring with a 1-3 record, the St. Thomas Aquinas High School boys lacrosse team had been on a tear, losing only one game since entering the biggest challenge against Derryfield on Wednesday afternoon. The Saints proved without a doubt they could give Derryfield all it co
- Author: Dan Doyon
- Tags: Division II, boys lacrosse, Derryfield, slider, St. Thomas, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

DOVER – After beginning this spring with a 1-3 record, the St. Thomas Aquinas High School boys lacrosse team had been on a tear, losing only one game since entering the biggest challenge against Derryfield on Wednesday afternoon.

The Saints proved without a doubt they could give Derryfield all it could handle by taking a two-goal lead in the third quarter, but the Cougars thrived through some adversity to remain undefeated.

Derryfield countered the deficit by ripping off five straight goals and held off a late surge by the Saints for an 11-10 victory at Our Lady of Victory Stadium to improve to 14-0 on the season.

“It got a little stressful and a little tight there for a second but we were able to pull it out,” Derryfield midfielder RJ Proulx said. “Their goalie is probably the best in the league and you just have to be able to can a few eventually. That’s what we did late and that got us some juice and we were able to ride that momentum.”

Goalie Jake Moore frustrated the Cougars for the majority of the game as St. Thomas (10-5) broke a 5-5 halftime tie on goals by Finley De Tolla and Aidan Morrison (five goals) to give the Saints a 7-5 lead with 5:34 left in the third quarter.

Derryfield’s rally began when Proulx found Emerson Stover (three goals), but Moore continued to stymie the Cougars (No. 5 in the MerchSquared.com/NHHSSports Coaches Poll) by making three consecutive saves at the end of the third quarter to keep St. Thomas ahead 7-6 entering the fourth.

The Cougars evened the game when Ryan Maxwell fed Garrett Lande from behind the net and then Brady Doldo followed six seconds later to give Derryfield an 8-7 lead with 8:28 left in regulation.

“It was a fun game, it was close, but I think we turned it on after the half and we’re just going to have to lock in for the rest of the season and stay focused,” Lande said. “We just wanted it more at the end.”

Derryfield kept up the pressure and capitalized some more when Maxwell scored off a pass from Heath Mueller, while Doldo’s feed to Proulx boosted Derryfield to a 10-7 lead with 6:07 remaining.

“We talked about some things at halftime that we thought would be more successful, and was just better shot placement and better shot selection,” Derryfield coach Chris Hettler said. “The guys played with a lot more intensity. I thought we came off the bus a bit flat and had no idea why because we knew this was going to be a big game. We just needed to get the energy going.”

St. Thomas didn’t go away without a fight, as Ryan Resch broke a nearly 14-minute scoring drought to bring the Saints within 10-8 with 3:05 left in the fourth quarter. Lande countered to give Derryfield back its three-goal cushion, but Morrison scored a pair of goals to close the deficit to 11-10 with 48 seconds remaining.

The Saints pressure continued when Garret Aceto missed a shot to the right side of the net. Derryfield goalie Liam England then turned away a Morrison shot with 10 seconds left to seal the victory.

“Our boys competed, we were up going into the fourth period and we’re right there,” St. Thomas coach Scott Singer said. "It was nice to see that we could compete on a faceoff that late in the game, I don’t think we won a faceoff until the last three. We showed we’re capable of doing it and we just need that consistent fight and effort that we gave at the end of the game.”