The Old Rochester Division III Boys' Lacrosse team found their hopes of becoming state champions dashed on Thursday, June 1, after a disappointing loss in the first round of the state tournament.

Old Rochester played against Bishop Stang in the first game of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) State Tournament. The game was played on one of Tabor Academy's turf fields, after heavy rains made the fields at Old Rochester Regional High School impossible to play on.

Old Rochester, seeded seventh, lost to 12th-seeded Bishop Stang, 8 - 13. Bishop Stang cruised to an early lead in the game, jumping ahead by four points before Old Rochester could score a goal.

Old Rochester's Head Coach Justin Shay said there were a number of factors in the loss, beginning with an injury to the team's starting goalie, Nate King. King injured his ankle in gym class the day before the game, and was unable to play on Thursday.

"My hat is off to Bishop Stang, though," Shay said. "We allowed Stang an early lead. The team that makes the fewest mistakes is the team that wins, and we made too many mistakes."

Old Rochester will finish their season with a record of 13-5, as Bishop Stang advances further in the state championships.

Shay was proud of his team, especially the seniors - Andrew Ritty, Gavin Fox, Tim Dix, Charlie Tirrell, Justin Shay, Nick Rego, Patrick Saltmarsh and Landon Goguen. "They're the first class to really come up through Old Rochester lacrosse. They've set a high standard, both on and off the field," he said. "They're a great group of young men."