WEST ORANGE, NJ — The Seton Hall Prep lacrosse team, which is ranked No. 22 in the country by USA Lacrosse Magazine, jumped out of the gate and won two games last week to open the 2022 season.
On Thursday, March 31, at Brendan P. Tevlin Memorial Field, the Pirates defeated Montclair 13-0. Senior goalie John “Jaz” Zanelli recorded the shutout with six saves. Senior Matt Wrede led the scoring with three goals and two assists, while senior James Bailey scored three goals with one assist. Senior Max Racich scored two goals with one assist. The following players all scored a goal: senior Billy Black, sophomore Christian Schweiger, sophomore Patrick Quinn, junior Matthew Pepe, and senior JP Meyo, who also added three assists. Senior Will Giarrusso won 14 of 17 faceoffs.
Two days later, the Pirates traveled to Rumson to face off with Rumson–Fair Haven HS and came from behind to defeat them 8-7. With SHP trailing 5-4 entering the third quarter, Racich scored midway through the quarter on an assist by Wrede to tie the score at 5-5. The Pirates took a 6-5 lead late in the quarter on an unassisted goal by senior Quinn Spillett. The lead never changed in the fourth quarter, as both teams scored two goals. Zanelli had 12 saves. Giarrusso won 12 of 16 faceoffs, Spillett finished with three goals, and Pepe, Wrede, Racich, Bailey, and Schweiger each scored one goal.
Following the game, third-year head coach Ross Turco said, “The boys worked really hard today, as Rumson-Fair Haven is a great team and a great test for us, and we passed that test. Will Giarrusso has done an incredible job at the faceoff X, and Zanelli has played great in goal.”
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