Abington Heights ‘ Logan Bohn defends Scranton Prep’s
Jack Rully during the District 2 Class 2A championship game at Scranton Prep in Scranton on Thursday, May 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton Prep’s Will McPartland carries the ball during the District 2 Class 2A championship game against Abington Heights at Scranton Prep in Scranton on Thursday, May 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Abington Heights’ Colton Naholnik defends the goal during the District 2 Class 2A championship game at Scranton Prep on Thursday, May 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Abington Heights’ Rocco Sarafinko defends Scranton Prep’s
Braedon McPartland during the District 2 Class 2A championship game at Scranton Prep on Thursday, May 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Abington Heights’ Alec Walsh defends Scranton Prep’s
Braedon McPartland during the District 2 Class 2A championship game at Scranton Prep on Thursday, May 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton Prep’s Henry Barrett attempts to block Abington Heights’ Gavin Anders during the District 2 Class 2A championship game at Scranton Prep on Thursday, May 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton Prep’s Will McPartland defends Abington Heights’ Rodman Azar during the District 2 Class 2A championship game at Scranton Prep on Thursday, May 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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Abington Heights ‘ Logan Bohn defends Scranton Prep’s
Jack Rully during the District 2 Class 2A championship game at Scranton Prep in Scranton on Thursday, May 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
SCRANTON — Scranton Prep found itself trailing Abington Heights by three goals twice in the District 2 Class 2A boys lacrosse final Thursday night, including with 4½ minutes remaining.
With the district championship and their undefeated season on the line, the Cavaliers refused to lose.
Will McPartland scored the tying goal with 24 seconds left in regulation and Mackey Lynett netted the game-winner 1:13 into sudden-death overtime to give Scranton Prep a thrilling 15-14 come-from-behind win over the Comets in an intense battle at the Loyola Athletic Complex.
“The one thing about these guys and the culture of Scranton Prep lacrosse is never give up. Play till the end,” Scranton Prep coach Keith Toolan said. “This year we’ve had to win twice in overtime and again tonight. The guys in the huddle knew and had that look in their eyes that it wasn’t over; that we were still going to win this game. It came true again. It’s an all-around, everybody doing their job.”
Lynett finished with six goals and McPartland five for the Cavaliers (19-0), who advance to the PIAA Class 2A tournament that begins June 2 against the District 3 runner-up, either Lampeter-Strasburg or Lower Dauphin. Owen McPartland and Jack Rully added two goals apiece.
“We knew coming into this game that it was like this last time (we played Abington Heights), so anything could happen,” Lynett said. “Big credit to the defense for making big-time stops at big periods. Offensively, we knew we just had to execute and we did.”
Christopher Bohn and Gavin Anders scored four goals apiece for Abington Heights (16-4). Braghan Pallis chipped in three goals, while Logan Fedor, Gavin Lindsay and Rodman Azar had one goal apiece for the Comets, who also advance to the PIAA tournament. They will open against the District 4-6 Subregional champion, either Selinsgrove or Bellefonte.
“We just didn’t find a way tonight unfortunately,” Abington Heights coach Eric Janiszewski said. “We struggled winning faceoffs. It’s hard not winning the faceoff and gaining that possession again and again. You’re fighting to get the ball back. Unfortunately, we just couldn’t keep up the pressure and we threw some bad passes. We let them back in it because we weren’t making the best choices.
“But we fought hard and did the best we could.”
Tied at halftime, 7-7, Azar, Pallis and Bohn scored for Abington Heights in the opening five minutes of the third quarter to take a 10-7 lead. But Scranton Prep rallied to within 11-10 after three quarters and Lynett scored off a feed from Rully 1:53 into the fourth quarter to tie the score at 11.
Bohn scored three straight goals, the last of which came with 4:26 left, to put Abington Heights ahead, 14-11.
“We just knew we had to stay together as a family,” Lynett said. “If we lost our heads, we were going to lose the game. So the biggest thing was staying together as a family and staying calm.”
Rully started the comeback 13 seconds later when he scored off a pass from Will McPartland. Moments after Scranton Prep goalie Packy James made a save on a shot by Lindsay, the Cavaliers went down the other end of the field and got to within 14-13 when Lynett scored off a Will McPartland assist with 2:42 left.
Abington Heights had possession in the final minute when Scranton Prep forced a turnover to gain possession with 49 seconds left.
Following a timeout, Lynett passed to Braedon McPartland in front of the goal. He turned to shoot and had his shot deflect off the post. The ball went to Will McPartland at the right of the goal and he knocked it in for the tying goal at 11:36 and sent the game to overtime.
“The shot banged off the post unlucky and it popped up right in the air,” Will McPartland said. “I had it and just dunked it real fast.
“It just shows how much heart we have, how much we want to play for one another and how much we want to win. Not matter what we’ve got each other’s back. That’s all that matters at the end of the day, and we came out on top because of that.”
In the extra session, Abington Heights won the faceoff and had the first possession. But Scranton Prep forced a turnover and Donato Rinaldi picked up the loose ball to give the Cavaliers possession.
“We forced a shot opportunity instead of moving the ball until we found an opening,” Janiszewski said. “We have a habit of trying to what we call ‘heroing’ the ball. Dodging through too many people and unfortunately that doesn’t usually work out well when a team swarms when you do that.”
On the winning sequence, Abington Heights actually knocked the ball loose. But Lynett scooped it up near midfield, raced into Abington Heights territory and bounced a shot that went over Naholnik, who had dropped to his knees, and just tucked under the crossbar. There was some uncertainty if the ball went in and, for good measure, Will McPartland collected the rebound and put it in the cage. But it, indeed, was Lynett’s goal and it set off a wild celebration between the players and large contingent of Scranton Prep fans on hand.
“As soon as the ball’s on the ground, you know you’ve got to get there,” Lynett said. “I was just lucky enough to get there and score the game-winning goal. I did not know if it went in. I saw it bounce off and then I turned around and saw Will McPartland shoot it in.”
Added Will McPartland: “Whatever happened. It doesn’t matter if Mackey made it or I made it. I’m just happy we won the game.”
Now, both teams will wait and prepare for the state tournament.
“Unfortunately, we have eight days, 10 days off,” Toolan said. “We’ll recuperate and celebrate this one for a little bit and get back to work next week. District 3 is an unbelievable district, so I know we’ll have our hands full with whoever loses that district championship.”
Janiszewski believes his team will bounce back.
“It’s a tough loss, but at the same time, it’s not like we played bad,” he said. “It should be Selinsgrove and we beat them by 10 goals already in the first game of the season and we’re a much better team now.”