Monomoy Boys Lacrosse Gets Emotional Overtime Tournament Winner; Softball Cruises In Long-Awaited Home Playoff Game

HARWICH – A little over a month ago, Monomoy junior Nick Garneau lost his older brother, Lucas.

Just like Nick, Lucas had played hockey and lacrosse. Monomoy boys lacrosse head coach Chris Harlow had coached him in hockey. Lucas was 24.

A chill rain fell Sunday as the No. 31 Sharks (5-13) tussled with No. 34 Monson (11-6) in a Division 4 state tournament preliminary round meeting, each team climbing out of two-score deficits in the second half. They required an extra period to break the stalemate.

In overtime, Garneau found the game-winner, ripping it into the cage to give Monomoy the 8-7 playoff win. Teammates flocked Garneau as he stretched his arms upwards, his older brother’s initials taped to the side of his helmet. 

“It's a lot right now,” said Garneau after the game.

“It’s been tough for a lot of our guys who are closer with Nick, so that was a pretty cool moment for him to be able to get that opportunity and have the team kind of rally,” Harlow said.

The overtime-decider was Garneau’s second score of the game. His first came with 30 seconds left in the third quarter and kick-started a four-goal run for the Sharks that gave them the lead. Monson put in the 7-7 equalizer with 56 seconds left in regulation.

For Monomoy, eighth grader Shea Gvazdauskas led with three goals, sophomore Izaiah Freeman had two and freshman Owen Casey had one. Junior Brodie LaValley had four assists and freshman Nick Hadden had one. Junior Harry Beaumont had 17 saves.

Monson led 3-1 after two quarters before Monomoy’s second-half flurry.

“Our energy got up,” Freeman said. “We started moving the ball more, and we started taking more takes, more shots, more dodges, so that helped out a lot.”

The Sharks fell to No. 2 Nantucket (15-3) 15-0 in the following round of the tournament Monday.

The Monomoy softball program has appeared in the state playoffs for 10 consecutive seasons. But for more than half of that span, the Sharks have been yearning for the comforts of home come the tournament. They hadn’t played a postseason game at home since 2021. That also happened to be the last time they won a playoff game.

The Sharks finally got that long-awaited home playoff game, and win, on Monday. They secured hosting privileges, by the thinnest of margins — finishing the year 15-5 as Division 4’s No. 16 seed, earning the right to host No. 17 Clinton (9-9). Monomoy won 6-3 in front of a sizable crowd.

“It was unbelievable,” head coach Stacy Yarnall said. “It was great. The girls deserved it. We were right on the edge — 17, 16 — so it was nice that last Monday, we saw the flip in that. So they deserve a home game. It's been a long time.”

Monomoy was slated to face No. 1 Advanced Math and Science Academy (18-0) on Wednesday in the second round (after The Chronicle’s deadline).

Against Clinton, sophomore Kinsey Lister struck out 13 and surrendered one earned run across seven innings while also driving in two herself. Senior Willa Leighton also drove in two. Monomoy’s lineup racked up seven hits: Leighton’s 2-RBI double, Lister’s 2-RBI single and double, two singles by junior Kate Huse, a single by junior Lexi Totten, and a single by junior Lily Majka. Senior Kiley Mawn also recorded an RBI on a bases-loaded walk.

“We were aggressive,” Yarnall said. “We didn't really let anybody kind of come in and intimidate us.”