Gormady's stellar senior season has helped Pinkerton boys lacrosse think big

DERRY - Matt Gormady knew things were going to be different when this spring started for the Pinkerton Academy boys lacrosse team.

Every team in every high school sport graduates players from the previous season, but this year, there would be one key indiviual missing.

For the first time, the Astros' senior attacker would be playing without his brother, Jeff, who graduated last year. While it was going to be a new experience playing without him, the younger Gormady tried to focus instead on the fact that he'd be playing with a different type of family.

“Jeff is my brother, but all those guys out there are my brothers,” Gormady said. “You know, they motivate me just like my brother did, and I love him so much. My brother definitely helped me a lot last year, especially being on the field with him and talking to him before and after games. But these guys are my family and they’re awesome, too.”

Gormady has helped Pinkerton (16-3) have an awesome year, as the Astros are the two seed in the Division I playoffs, and after Saturday's 17-3 win over No. 7 Merrimack, will face No. 2 Bishop Guertin in the semifinals at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Manchester Memorial.

It was a typical day for Gormady in the quarterfinal win over the Tomahawks (10-8), as he led Pinkerton with five goals and an assist. As the Astros' leading scorers, he's still managed to find ways to put up points, despite often times being the focal point off opponents' defense.

“He’s special,” Pinkerton coach Marty Auger said of Gormady. “(Merrimack) was shutting him off. It’s that whole thing where, everyone knows you’re good, and can you go out and prove it. When you have fast breaks, or you’re winning faceoffs, and there’s transitioning chaos, then they can’t necessarily shut him off.”

When teams do put their focus on Gormady, it's allowed others to step up, including sophomore Levi Weaver, who has been the team's second-leading scorer this year.

“We just work so well off each other,” Gormady said. “I’m wicked shifty. He’s bigger and he’s a great shooter. I’m more of an inside finisher. I’d bet you half of his assists are off me, and half my assists are off him. It’s just great. He’s an unbelievable player.”

While Gormady, who will continue his career at Southern New Hampshire University next year, plays a faster game, he's also learned how to use his smaller size to his advantage, according to Auger.

“He’s so quick, you see that he can dodge pretty much anybody,” the coach said. “He uses (his size) to his advantage. You can’t put a big, tough, strong guy on him. So even when he’s not scoring, he moves the whole defense for us. It creates slides, and theoretically, gets us a good look.”

The Astros will need those Wednesday, when they face the Cardinals (14-5) in a highly-anticipated rematch. Pinkerton beat Bishop Guertin, 9-8, in the regular season, ending the Cardinals' 86-game win streak against in-state opponents.

That streak stretched back to the D1 championship game in 2019, won by the Astros, which was also the last time a team other than Bishop Guertin won the D1 title.

“We beat them once, I believe that we can do it again,” Gormady said. “I think our team is ready. We’re prepared, we know what to do.”