Nashua South boys lacrosse beats Pinkerton for first time in over 20 years (video)

NASHUA - There was a formula the Nashua High School South boys lacrosse team had to follow Monday, but if it worked, the Panthers had a chance to do something they hadn't done in a long time.

South had to withstand what was going to be a rough day on faceoffs, get a stellar performance from its defense - specifically goalie Ethan Johnson - and take care of the ball once it got possessions.

It all added up just the way the Panthers wanted it to.

Johnson finished the game with 20 saves, and despite winning just two faceoffs, South was able to keep the ball for long stretches, holding Pinkerton's offense in check on the way to a 7-3 win in a Division I game at Stellos Stadium.

"This was the first time, I think, all year, against a quality opponent, that we put four quarters together on both sides," South coach Bill Monsen said. "I know offensively, we left a lot to be desired, but we had great possessions. Feels good to have a big game and not be like woulda, coulda, shoulda."

Getting a win over Pinkerton is a new feeling all together for the Panthers (13-4, No. 7 in the NHHSSports Coaches Poll), as the program hadn't beaten the Astros since 1999. That was well before any of the players were born and before Monsen, who played for South and a unified Nashua, was a part of the program.

It was so long ago that Pinkerton coach Steve Gaudreau was a senior for Nashua.

"It’s been a very long time," Johnson said. "It’s a big statement. We knew it was going to be a good game no matter what, win or lose. We’ve just got to come out a hundred percent."

Johnson did his part, making 10 saves in each half and many times clearing the ball in a hurry to prevent Pinkerton (9-8, No. 4) from getting into its ride.

"Ethan has been fantastic all year," Monsen said. "He was pretty revved up for this one. I know he’s wanted to have a big game against these guys. He had a chance and he delivered. He was on fire, he was electric for four quarters.

"The thing is, too, they would have long possessions, too, and for him to make a save and immediately looking up and getting it over, it took away their riding game. They’re usually a super aggressive riding team."

South also got three goals from Griffin Johnson, Ethan's brother, and Connor Rowsell had a goal and two assists. Michael Rutstein added two goals and Parker Fleury had a goal and an assist while Nate Campbell had a helper and Cody Goode helped Ethan Johnson lead the defense.

Michael Uber, Joey Gallo and Matt Morrison had a goal piece for Pinkerton, with Morrison and Uber scoring late in the second quarter to cut South's lead to 5-3 going into halftime.

But the Panthers shut out the Astros in the second half while adding a goal in each quarter to increase their cushion.

While South came into the game averaging almost 10.5 goals per contest, the plan was to keep the score lower to limit the opportunities for Pinkerton's Cole Frank on faceoffs.

"To play against a faceoff kid like (Cole) Frank, that’s all you want to do is take the wind out of their sail a little bit," Monsen said. "We tried to do that from the opening whistle, and we did. Brady Swisher, he didn’t win a faceoff that wasn't on a technical, but he made that kid work. That’s what we talked about doing for four quarters. He’s an offensive threat by himself."

Frank won 11 of 13 faceoffs, but with neither team scoring in the second half, the Astros chances of going on a run were low.

"I think our defense was coming together and I was getting a rhythm going on," Ethan Johnson said. "I kept making big stops and our defense was getting big stops. Our offense was getting the best possessions. We knew we had to have this game and we wanted to do the smart thing."

South went up 2-0 in the first before Gallo scored with 1:23 remaining in the quarter. Frank won the faceoff and the Astros got a good look, but Ethan Johnson came up with the save and the Panthers were able to get out in transition.

Rowsell hit Griffin Johnson just outside of the crease for a goal that made it 3-1 with 44.8 seconds left in the quarter, and Rutstein scored off a feed from Rowsell three minutes into the third to make it 4-1 Panthers.

Fleury's goal made it 5-1 with 6:40 left in the half, but Frank got the faceoff and Pinkerton needed just 13 seconds to answer with Morrison's goal.

But a call against Frank on the ensuing faceoff gave South the ball and the Panthers were able to keep possession for most of the next five minutes. A 30-second penalty on Rowsell for a push with possession gave the Astros an opportunity, helping to set up Uber's goal with 43.2 seconds left in the half.

Any momentum Pinkerton might have picked up from the late goal didn't carry into the second half and Rutstein extended South's lead with 3:42 to go in the third quarter. A holding penalty on Kyle Zirn late in the third gave South possession to start the fourth, and the Panthers capitalized, getting a goal from Griffin Johnson just 24 seconds in to take a 7-3 lead.

Even with that lead, the Panthers didn't feel comfortable just yet.

"For me, that’s plenty of time to get four or five goals, so we knew we had to keep playing hard," Ethan Johnson said. "We knew faceoffs were going to be the biggest struggle and we knew our defense had to come up with big saves, big stops."

The senior goalie was up to the task, making seven saves in the fourth quarter to help the Panthers preserve the win.