The St. John’s Prep lacrosse team scores a lot of goals. Wait, you thought I meant off the field?
Although true – 57 across five tournament games, to be exact – the goals coach John Pynchon sets for his team are less about prowess, and more about philosophy.
Prep comes off back-to-back title wins against BC High, seeking another against the same team at Burlington High come Saturday (6).
And if you’re looking for reasoning behind the success, look no further than Pynchon’s message to “buy in.”
“They truly believe in what we do,” Pynchon said. “This could come off sounding cliche or whatever, but I think [in] the world these kids are growing up in today, what we’re asking them to do is becoming less common.”
Pynchon speaks about individualism, and how easy it is to fall into its trap.
“In the world of club sports and the world of social media, there’s a lot of attention on the individual and a lot of focus on their own accomplishments,” Pynchon said.
But not with these kids.
“The team aspect of sports is diminished in some sense, but it’s not when you’re trying to win a championship,” Pynchon said. “These kids have really bought into that.”
From a star player settling for just one goal – à la Jimmy Ayers against Wellesley in the round of 16 – to coming out of the game for a better faceoff matchup, Pynchon said he appreciates what his players will do to win.
“There’s nothing I could ask them to do that they wouldn’t do fully invested,” Pynchon said.
The Eagles are 21-1 and have allowed just nine goals the entire tournament. That said, Saturday marks their biggest test yet: a different breed of Eagles.
Prep and BC High split the regular-season series (1-1), too.
“You always know you’re going to get a battle against them,” Pynchon said.
When asked if the two games posed anything different from years’ past, Pynchon was quick to the point.
“No,” Pynchon said. “They’re always tough.”
Tough, indeed. Pynchon pointed to BC High’s athleticism, coaching, goaltending, and midfield players who rotate effectively.
“It certainly serves as a dynamic we have to prepare for,” Pynchon said. “They’re just really good, and that’s kind of what you expect when you’re playing the last game of the year.”
Adding to that dynamic are a group of hungry seniors who seek a trophy before it’s all said and done.
“Their senior class [of] Will Emsing, James Carroll, (Patrick) Moroney, (Cooper) Chapman, and those guys, they’ve been there the same length that we’ve been there,” Pynchon said. “They’ve been battling against us.”
“There’s a strong, healthy rivalry there,” Pynchon said.
But the Blue and White are top-seeded for a reason, and Pynchon doesn’t want to overthink things.
“We want to stay focused on a lot of the stuff we’ve been doing all year,” Pynchon said.
When asked about defending its top seed – and state title – Pynchon said pressure is good in doses.
“We’ve talked – since Memorial Day – about a healthy amount of pressure,” Pynchon said. “We want to embrace it, not run from it. It’s OK to feel it.”
Come 6 p.m. Saturday, it’s time to show it.
“We’re excited about it,” Pynchon said.
