VIDEO: Pingry defeats MKA to win second straight state title | ||
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All season, the Pingry boys' lacrosse team had its eyes on another Non-Public B state championship. The Big Blue wasn't going to slip up at the last step. Behind a couple of key surges in the first half, Pingry defeated Montclair Kimberley 9-4 to capture the trophy for the second straight year. Jake Moss scored three times as the Big Blue dominated face-offs and possession throughout the game.
After MKA tied the game 2-2 late in the first quarter, Pingry called timeout to regroup. The top-seeded Big Blue then came out and scored twice before the end of the period. Both teams struggled to create offense in the second quarter, until a pair of goals by Thomas Zusi in the final three minutes. That gave Pingry a 6-2 halftime lead and MKA never got closer than four goals the rest of the way. Besides the three goals from Moss and two from Zusi, Pingry also got a pair of goals from Austin Chang. George Enman had a goal and an assist and Max Cummings scored once. Frankie Dillon made five saves for Pingry in the first half, and David Metzger stopped three shots in the second half. Joe Strain notched a pair of goals for MKA, the second seed. Max Hall had a goal and an assist and Christian Breitweiser also scored. Rob Strain made 10 saves for the Cougars, who finish the season 14-7. Pingry is now 15-3; this is the third state title in program history. The Big Blue will play in the Tournament of Champions starting on Saturday with the quarterfinals. For sports video highlights of this New Jersey high school boys' lacrosse state tournament championship game, click play in the box at left. |