BC High nips Prep in Hines memorial game

WILMINGTON – It’s safe to say Derek Hines would have admired the effort put forth by St. John’s Prep Saturday during the Eagles’ 4-2 loss to No.1 B.C. High in the sixth annual game held in his memory at Ristuccia Arena.Hines, of Newburyport, was a four-year varsity player and captain of the Prep’s 1998-99 Super Eight semifinal squad and went on to play four years at West Point, where he became team captain and graduated in 2003.The U.S. Army 1st Lieutenant was killed in action on Sept. 1, 2005 while conducting security operations in Baylough, Afghanistan with the 173rd Airborne Brigade.As he does each year, Hines’ father Steve spoke to the team before the game. The Prep wore special blue-on-blue camouflage game sweaters and a jersey with Derek’s No. 23 was hanging behind the St. John’s bench during the game. Mr. Hines also accepted a $6,500 donation to the 1st Lt. Derek Hines Soldiers Assistance Fund during a pre-game ceremony.”We’re humbled that St. John’s continues to honor who Derek was and what he was about in this way,” said Steve Hines, who was accompanied by Derek’s brother Trevor.”For (Coach) Kris (Hanson) to do this is an honor. Every year they re-print the story (in a national magazine) and give it to the players. Each year when I speak to the kids I can see the understanding and the sincerity in their eyes.”Although the Prep fell, Hanson was more than pleased with the effort that emulated the energized, gritty, go-go way Hines played the game. St. John’s spotted B.C. High a quick 2-0 lead but twice closed to within a goal at 2-1 and 3-2.”It’s a special game for us every year. It was important for us to compete and we did that. All week we stressed that, at the minimum, we had to compete and battle from the start. I’m not happy with the outcome but I am happy with the effort. This is a young team and we competed for 45 minutes,” he said.Coach John Flaherty said B.C. High certainly appreciates the opportunity to play in this game each year.”It’s great honor that Kris keeps inviting us back and for us to be involved and able to honor a great young man like Hinesy,” he said. “We knew we had to have a fast start because they would have extra jump and we had that.”In fact, the Catholic Conference leaders (3-0-1,8-0-2) scored less than two minutes into each period, putting the Prep (4-5-1) in comeback mode from the outset.The game started at a frenetic pace as B.C. High’s Tim Larocque (at 1:23) and Steve DeForge (at 2:09) staked the visiting Eagles to a quick 2-0 lead over their “When you give up two early, you put yourselves in a hole all day. They (B.C. High) have skill and depth and they’re difficult to match,” Hanson said.Larocque went top shelf over St. John’s goalie Zach Laramie after his initial blocker save on Justin Fein’s shot off a faceoff at the right dot. DeForge converted tic-tac-toe passing by defensemen Ryan Shea and Sam Topham for a backdoor power play finish from the left circle.However, Prep’s Jimmy Currier countered 38 seconds later, zipping a shot from the slot over the glove of B.C. High’s Brandon Payzant. Nick Latham and Tyler Scearbo had the helpers.That scenario repeated in the second period. DeForge made it 3-1 with his second at 40 seconds on a long-range shot from the right side that handcuffed the freshman Laramie (8 saves) and resulted in senior Brian Conry (17 saves) taking over in goal.Latham made it 3-2 on the power play at 1:46 with a rebound jam past Payzant. Jeff Cowles and Tyler Scearbo had the assists.B.C. High’s Jake Lemanski restored the two-goal lead at 59 seconds of the third period, curling uncontested off the right wall and snapping a shot from the mid-slot B.C. High then killed off essentially a full 5-on-3 following penalties at 4:02 and 4:05, holding St. John’s without a shot on net. And that was that.With 10 games remaining, Prep must secure 11 points to qualify for post-season. There are no soft touches.”It’s not like we’re not competing. The past few years we’ve been fortun