QUINCY, Mass. — There is little in the game of lacrosse for Winchester (Mass.) High School that John Pirani has not seen. After all, he played for the Sachems starting in 1966, then has carried over a coaching career — including his time as an assistant — that spans 45 years.
But for all his experience, Pirani hadn't led his program to a state title win since 2000. On Friday at Veterans Memorial Stadium, his Sachems found themselves up against perennial power Medfield, which has won eight state titles since 2004. It was the Warriors that denied Winchester in the Division 2 state semifinal in 2016.
This time, despite an early deficit that saw Medfield dominate the draw and possession in the first half, Winchester rallied and came away with an 11-10 win. Ryan McCarthy's goal with 1:33 to play broke the tie and helped ensure the program's fourth-ever state title.
