Top Five Boys Lacrosse Games in 2023

It was a busy spring, as I saw all or parts of 60 total games this season, between both boys and girls lacrosse.

There were plenty of good ones, but this list compiles the five best boys lacrosse games that I saw in person in 2023.

Tie No. 5: Nashua North 11, Nashua South 9 (May 4)

North snapped a nine-game losing streak against South with the first of two wins in the Battle of the Bridge. This one started out as a back-and-forth battle between the Titans’ Jack Peters and the Panthers’ Beau Dubois. South took a two-goal lead into the fourth quarter, but a 4-0 run by North in the final five minutes gave them their first win in the series since May 17, 2017.

Tie No. 5: Bow 9, Campbell 8 (May 19)

The Falcons and Cougars were the top two teams in Division III when they met to end the next-to-last week of the regular season. It looked like Bow might run away with it, as the Falcons went up big early, but they couldn’t put Campbell away. The Cougars had a chance to tie the game late, but Bow was able to hang on to remain unbeaten on the year.

No. 4: Portsmouth 11, Exeter 9 (April 26)

It looked like Exeter might run away with this game early, despite being shorthanded, but Portsmouth hung in there in the first half before Zac Amend took over in the third quarter. The junior scored four of his five goals in the third to help lead the Clippers come back. The Blue Hawks almost had a comeback of their own, cutting a five-goal deficit down to two in the final minutes, but ran out of time.

No. 3: Derryfield 11, Westwood (Mass.) 10 (April 29)

Westwood took an early lead and left Derryfield chasing for most of the game. After a low-scoring first half, the offenses took over in the third, as the teams went back and forth. It looked like the Wolverines were going to put the game away late, getting a manup opportunity with the game tied in the final minute. Instead, they turned the ball over and the Cougars took advantage, with Chili Cabot scoring with seconds left to give Derryfield the win.

No. 2: Bishop Guertin 20, Boston College High 14 (May 21)

The Cardinals spent the first three quarters chasing the Eagles, only to see BC High extend its lead every single time. Finally, as goal at the end of the third quarter tied the game at 14 going into the fourth, and Bishop Guertin took over the game. The Cardinals started winning faceoffs, keeping the ball away from the Eagles, and outscored them 6-0 in the final quarter.

No. 1: Derryfield 12, Portsmouth 11 (OT) (June 11)

Overtime in a championship game? How could it not be No. 1, especially given the way it unfolded. Derryfield came out fast, going up a couple of goals early on the way to a 10-4 lead midway through the third quarter. And in the blink of an eye, Portsmouth came right back with a 5-0 run to make it a one-goal game going into the fourth. When the Cougars went up 11-9 with under five minutes to play, it looked like they might hang on, but the Clippers scored twice in the final 80 seconds to force OT. After Portsmouth didn’t score on the first possession, Chili Cabot scooped up a groundball and sent Derryfield home with its first title since 2019.