Employing a balanced attack and strong defense, the Menlo boys’ lacrosse team beat host Sacred Heart Prep 8-3 in the regular-season finale to take sole possession of the Peninsula Athletic League title Thursday.
With the victory, the Knights put the finishing touch on a 10-0 league record and win the regular-season title outright over the second-place Gators (8-2). The teams now will play in the PAL Tournament, which begins Tuesday.
The teams played one another in March with Menlo prevailing 13-7.
“Both of us are much better teams since early in the season,” Weigel said. “Sacred Heart Prep is much better as well - they held M-A to four goals. You have to give them a lot of credit - they’ve definitely gotten better throughout the season, and I’m blown away that we could hold them to three goals - they’re a good team.”
Of the Knights’ eight goals, six were assisted. Sophomore George Pike led all scorers with a hat trick and two assists. Junior Peter Gish added two more goals and an assist. Senior Bruno Geoly posted 10 saves for the Knights, who led 7-1 at the half.
“It starts with Bruno - when you get a guy that can provide a backstop like that. Our whole defense played well,” Weigel said.
“We trusted our guys to decide the match-ups,” he added. ” They were good in transition and we didn’t have to slide, and play out of recovery. Our ability to win those one-on-one match-ups was key. … It truly was a team effort.”
Senior Sam Ferguson and freshmen Nick Frangione and David Schmaier each netted goals for the Knights.
The Knights’ Charlie Ferguson won 10 of 13 face-offs. Pike scored the last two goals for Menlo - one with two seconds left in the half from about 12 yards, and the other with three minutes left in the game.
By a narrow margin, Menlo (13-5 overall) had 34 shots to SHP’s 31. The Knights picked up the groundball edge 23-16 over the Gators (9-1 league).
One day after the girls’ lacrosse team secured a West Bay Athletic League title outright, the boys did the same in the PAL. The boys and girls won league titles in the same season five previous times: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011.
Menlo School 4 3 0 1 -8
Sacred Heart Prep 1 0 1 1 -3
