If teams are still playing this late into the spring season, there’s a good chance they’re on the doorstep of a state championship.
For programs like Lynnfield and St. John’s Prep, deep playoff runs have become familiar. In fact, both schools have multiple teams competing in the Final Four. St. John’s Prep’s tennis and lacrosse teams have each reached the state semifinals, with the tennis team punching its ticket to the Division 1 championship match with a 3-1 win over Concord-Carlisle on Monday evening.
Lynnfield, meanwhile, has both its boys and girls tennis teams in the Final Four. Its baseball team is also just one win away from reaching the Division 4 state final.
Starting on the courts, the Eagles earned a spot in the title match with a 3-1 victory over the Mustangs. It’s been a dominant spring for St. John’s Prep, which remains undefeated and has now won 43 straight matches. The Eagles will go for back-to-back state titles Saturday against No. 6 Lexington.
St. John’s Prep’s lacrosse team is also aiming to repeat as Division 1 state champion. Coach John Pynchon’s squad is stacked — with high-powered attackers, relentless midfielders and a strong back line in front of a dependable goalie — making the Eagles one of the toughest outs in the bracket despite being seeded No. 2.
Over in Division 4, Lynnfield’s tennis programs continue to shine. Both the boys and girls teams are back in the Final Four, a stage they’ve reached consistently in recent years. Though the Pioneers have yet to break through with a state championship, they’ve been close — and have momentum entering this year’s semifinals.
Also on the courts, the Cinderella story of Division 3 belongs to No. 21 Bishop Fenwick. The Crusaders entered the tournament with a 10-5 regular-season record but have since upset No. 12 Norwell (3-2), No. 5 Belchertown (5-0) and No. 13 Danvers (3-2) to earn a semifinal date with top-seeded Dover-Sherborn on Tuesday. Underdog or not, Bishop Fenwick is just one win away from a spot in the state final.
Back on the diamond, Lynnfield baseball has lived up to its No. 2 seed in Division 4 by lighting up the scoreboard. The Pioneers have outscored opponents 26-8 through three playoff games.
Leading the charge are Tyler Adamo and Madux Iovinelli — Division 1 commits to Columbia and High Point, respectively — who have been at the heart of Lynnfield’s success. The Pioneers will look for big performances from both when they face No. 3 Hamilton-Wenham in the semifinals.
