Red-hot CHS boys lacrosse team crowned Grit Cup champs

Bulldog lacrosse players celebrate after capturing the Grit Cup with a hard-fought win over Milton. (CHS Lax photo)

A thrilling tournament run for the boys and the start of a new winning streak for the first-place girls team highlighted another spectacular stretch for the Canton High lacrosse programs in what is shaping up to be a magical spring season.

The red-hot Canton boys squad, winners of nine of their last 10 games, added another one earlier this week against a very good North Attleboro team and remain locked in a battle with Mansfield (7-0) for the Hockomock Davenport Division crown. The Bulldogs are currently one game back with a 6-1 league record (9-2 overall), and they sit in the No. 10 spot in the MIAA Division 2 power rankings.

Last week, the Canton boys celebrated April vacation with three impressive nonleague victories to clinch the Grit Cup, a regular season tournament that spanned three rounds over five days. After knocking off Barnstable 12-5 in the opening round, Canton drew division rival Foxboro in the semis and after a ferocious battle through four quarters, the Bulldogs prevailed in double overtime 12-11 thanks to the heroics of seniors Jake Marcell and Cullen O’Brien, who connected on the game-winning goal off a turnover.

O’Brien finished with three goals in the game to lead all scorers, and he went on to register another hat trick two days later to help power the Bulldogs to the cup championship in a 9-6 victory over Milton, the No. 13 ranked team in Division 2.

Both Marcell and Cam Conley added two goals in the victory, and the stingy Canton defense held the Wildcats scoreless in the second half as the Bulldogs battled back to secure the comeback win. Head coach Tom Galvin said his biggest takeaway from their impressive run in the Grit Cup tournament was the resilience they showed in all three games.

“Winning the second game in OT and coming back from a 6-3 deficit at half in the finals showed what this team is capable of,” he said. “We were able to not allow a goal in the second half and come back against a strong Milton team and goalie.”

Galvin said one of the keys to the team’s success so far this season has been the play of senior goalie Jack Levis and the entire defensive corps, led by Marcell, Nick Crowe, Brannen Morris, Oisin Brogan, Will Doucette, John Flood and Paul Mellon. “The ability our defense has to cause turnovers has turned into goals on the other end,” he said. “The offense has done a great job capitalizing on the chances we create.”

Conley is again on pace to lead the team in scoring for a second straight season, while O’Brien and Brayden Dickie are not too far behind.

As for the girls’ team, they too have a multitude of weapons on offense, although none more lethal than senior captain Nora Giannacopoulos, who recently surpassed the 200-goal mark for her career. On Monday, she paced the Bulldogs with five goals and an assist to lead the team over North Attleboro 13-8. Freshman phenom Grace Starr added four goals in the victory while junior Shannon Lane had a hat trick and four helpers. Also chipping in were freshman Kate Giannacopoulos (2 goals), Cassidy Lyons (1 goal), Kalynn Souza (1 goal), and Tabitha McCready (2 assists).

With the victory, the girls improved to 8-1 overall while staying even with Foxborough as co-leaders of the Davenport Division. In the MIAA power rankings, the lady Bulldogs occupy the No. 16 spot in D2 and have several opportunities to improve on that number, starting with a game this week against 11th-ranked King Philip.

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