Hopkinton boys lacrosse makes it three D3 titles in a row with win over Pelham

EXETER - For the third straight year, the Hopkinton High School boys lacrosse team were playing for a Division III championship, and for the third straight year it was against a new foe.

As they did in 2017 and 2018, the No. 2 Hawks left Bill Ball Stadium as Division III state champions after a resounding 15-5 win over top-seeded Pelham. The title goes next to their triumph last year against Laconia and the year before against Kearsarge.

“I think we were just on fire (Saturday),” Hopkinton coach Deacon Blue said. “We got a little caught off guard the last time we played by how physical they were and the type of stick checks they were throwing, but we were ready for it (Saturday). We’ve been planning for it.”

The Pythons beat Hopkinton 9-5 in the regular season to snap the Hawks’ 42-game winning streak, and the Hawks responded to that by scoring two goals in the first 61 seconds and never looking back. The Hawks (16-1) opened up a 7-2 lead midway through the second quarter, and Pelham (16-1, No. 10 in the NHHSS Coaches Poll) never recovered.

The early outburst was anchored by senior middie Paul Molnar. Molnar had three goals during the early run to propel the Hopkinton attack.

“Paul’s just an unbelievable player,” Blue said. “They send slides to him, (and) when he dodges, he just rolls off it like nothing’s there. Same thing on skates when he’s playing hockey. He’s been captain two years. He’s kind of a quiet guy but always smiling. Positive energy from him. I think the guys respond to that and follow his lead.”

Molnar may have gotten the Hawks going, but it was junior middie Colby Quiet who kept the offense motoring along. Quiet had a mammoth game with eight goals and played huge roles in the defense and on the ride.

Allen Faulkner added two goals and an assist as well for the Hawks.

“We had a new type of confidence,” Quiet said. “It wasn’t overconfidence. We knew what we were doing and what we had to do.”

Hopkinton led 9-4 at halftime and opened it to 12-5 after three. While the offense was dialed in, the Hopkinton defense held up its end as well. Junior goalie Benny Madden turned aside 12 shots for the Hawks.

“We all love Benny,” Quiet said. “We’ll do anything for him and he does anything for us. He’s the head of our family and we love him.

“We did have a backup zone, but we just kept hot feet, forcing them to their weak hand and played hard D.”

The Pythons, playing in their fourth state final since 2012 and first since 2016, had no answer for Hopkinton. The Hawks won ground balls 23-19 and outshot Pelham 48-30. Hopkinton had more shots in the first half (31) than Pelham did all game.

Pelham faceoff man Charlie Katin, who came into the game averaging 78 percent from the X was only able to gain a 56.5 percent advantage Saturday.

Add in 20 turnovers, many of them unforced, and it was a perfect storm of a nightmare afternoon for Pelham.

“Unfortunately we just didn’t show up and play our game (Saturday),” Pelham coach Will Delanoy said. “Clawing from a deficit is difficult especially when you’re not winning faceoffs.”

Senior middie Devyn Tucci had four goals for Pelham and sophomore goalie Jaxon Snyder turned aside 13 Hopkinton shots.