By Ryan Mink
rmink@digitalsports.com

There was no way Georgetown Prep could win the overall IAC boys lacrosse title entering Wednesday’s game at Landon.

The only way for the Hoyas to truly show who was the better team this year would be to not only win but do it in dominant fashion.

The Little Hoyas did just that, thoroughly beating the Bears 11-3 from start to finish to capture the IAC tournament title.

Georgetown Prep (20-3) and Landon (18-4) share the overall IAC title. It’s the second time in three years that Prep shares the title after the Little Hoyas didn’t reach the tournament finals the two past year. It’s the second straight season Landon gets at least piece of it as the Bears won it outright last year.

“Winning the tournament is a big thing,” Prep Coach Kevin Giblin said. “You win the tournament [throws his hands out and shrugs] … we feel like we’re the champs. But we split it with Landon.”

Georgetown Prep showed its eagerness to get redemption on Landon after the Bears beat the Little Hoyas, 6-5, with 22.9 seconds remaining in regulation on April 29.

The Little Hoyas scored on their first possession of each quarter, which was exactly what the game plan called for after Landon went up early in the regular season game and ran time off the clock the rest of the way. Prep jumped out to a 6-0 lead and never wavered.

Senior Billy Gribbin scored Prep’s first goal just 23 seconds into the game. Corey Dobyns scored the first of the second quarter in just 10 seconds for a 4-0 lead. Senior Pat Cotter scored the first of the third quarter in 23 seconds for a 7-1 lead. Junior Mike Pirone took the longest, scoring the opening goal of the fourth quarter in 1 minute, 1 second.

“We wanted to get out fast since last game we got out to a slow start,” Gribbon said. “This feeling’s great so we’re just thinking about this right now. We’re just living in the present right now. You always want to win your last game.”

Georgetown Prep played what Coach Giblin said was one of their best games of the season because of three things – which Landon Coach Rob Bordley pointed to as the three most important parts of the game. Goalkeeping, face-offs and finishing.

Senior goalie John Kemp made 11 saves and face-off man Nick Serena did a much better job than in the first meeting, controlling a majority of the draws and each to open the quarter. Without him, Georgetown Prep couldn’t have gotten off to its hot starts.

The shooting was right on as well. The Little Hoyas got two goals and an assist from Pirone, Cotter and Matty Collins each. Gribbin, Brian Casey, Matt Smith, Nick Perfido and Dobyns each scored one goal.

“After losing to them one time we didn’t want to have that feeling again,” Cotter said. “It’s definitely a good feeling at the end. We definitely felt we got back at them.”