Offensive flurry lifts Hollis Brookline boys lacrosse past Milford

MILFORD – The Hollis Brookline High School boys lacrosse team may have been shorthanded Friday against Milford, but as long as Ryan Papineau is suiting up, the Cavaliers appear to be just fine.

With HB missing a few of its other top attackmen, Papineau shouldered the load against the Spartans, having a hand in 12 of the Cavs’ as they knocked off Milford 24-9.

Papineau scored nine goals and had three assists, while Patrick Dunn had six goals and five assists and goalie Trevor Cooke made 13 saves. The score was tied 3-3 late in the first quarter when HB (4-0) began to pick it up on offense, scoring five straight goals.

“They came out and caught us flatfooted, and good for them,” HB coach Mike Soucy said. “We righted the ship in the second a little bit and that was important. That was important for us, for (Papineau) to be able to do that and set the tone for us. We were missing guys who we really rely on, so we needed him to step up.”

Milford coach Rick Urda was impressed with the way the Cavs’ leading scorers were able to carry the load with the team shorthanded.

“Their attackmen, and I know they were missing some, but Papineau and Dunn, to be able to catch and put the ball where they want it …,” he said. “Papineau, in one stretch, dodged seven kids on two goals. That’s us not taking enough body. At some point, you’ve got to get your body in the way. We’ll work on that in the coming week.”

The Spartans (1-2) got six goals and two assists from Harrison Urda, while Liam Shea added two scores and Willie Miles had one. Max Urda also had three assists and Adam Audet made 10 saves.

For HB, Ryan Walsh (two assists) and Peter Traver each had three goals, while Will Crosby had two goals and two assists, including his first varsity score. Peter Bertone also had a goal.

A goal by Traver with 6:26 left in the second quarter made it an 8-3 lead for the Cavs, but Harrison Urda answered under a minute later to make it a four-goal game. HB won the faceoff, and after Audet made an initial save, Papineau was able to cut through the defense to score with 4:54 to go until halftime.

Walsh added back-to-back goals in a span of 35 seconds, the second off a nice feed from Papineau, to make it 11-4, and the Cavs to a 14-5 lead into halftime. HB scored twice to start the third quarter, but the Spartans defense clamped down after that, holding the Cavs scoreless for the final seven-plus minutes.

Milford had opportunities on the offensive end, as well, but could manage just one goal in that stretch and it was a 16-6 HB lead going into the fourth.

“Monday (against Monadnock), we were not really playing quality lacrosse, at all levels,” Rick Urda said of Milford’s previous game. “We just did not play well, so (Friday) was an improvement. We moved the ball better, we caught the ball better, we had better shot location. We scored nine goals and that should be a closer game, if we played better defense.

“We installed a new defense this week and that looked good in spurts, but when (HB) figured that out, we went out to our standard defense and we played that well. The hustle was better, the groundballs were better, the shooting was better, the defense was good in spurts.”

HB’s lead was 18-8 with a little more than 10 minutes left when the Spartans started to send in the second string.

“Sometimes the energy level dips a bit, and we had some good quarters and some not so good quarters,” Soucy said. “Our goal, regardless of opponent, we want to get better every game that we play.

“We came out slowly and played much better in the second quarter. We came out of the gate slowly in the second half, and had a much better fourth. It was kind of up and down, but I can’t really complain. Our defense needs to improve, that’s been the weak spot so far. We need to focus on that and get it better.”

Milford goes on the road on Monday against Merrimack Valley, while HB will host Manchester West on Wednesday.