By Chris Paul
The Londonderry High School Boys Lacrosse team had three solid outings during spring vacation week, starting with a close loss at home to the rival Astros team and followed by two strong wins on the road.
Starting on Monday, April 25, at home against Pinkerton Academy, the LHS squad was certainly able to keep pace with the always-difficult Astros, but wound up just shy with a 10-9 loss.
Both teams went back and forth on offense, with turnovers changing the direction of play throughout the game, but PA won a majority of the face-offs.
Londonderry got on the board first, with a goal by senior Noah Malcolm, but PA quickly erased that lead with three goals of their own.
Junior Aidan Huard made it 3-2 and PA answered one more time before the first quarter ended.
In the second, junior Nathan Pedrick brought the Lancers to within one, but PA scored quickly of the face-off.
Pinkerton made it 6-3, and then Lancer Josh DeFranzo scored to make it 6-4.
The half ended with a score of 7-5 after a PA score and another DeFranzo goal.
In the third quarter, the pace of goal scoring slowed down dramatically, with each team getting two, for a 9-7 total.
LHS goals came from Connor Howe and Huard.
In the fourth, the LHS squad just ran out of time, despite a late surge.
Pinkerton was first to score, but John Baumann and Huard both netted goals to get within one until the final buzzer.
Following that tough loss, LHS bounce back with a 13-1 win over Malden Catholic and a 5-2 win over the Bedford Bulldogs on the road.