Lions top Rutherford, 11-10

Junior attack Lilly Gang scored a career-high five goals; Jordyn Smith added two goals and two assists; and Keira Donegan had two goals, an assist and four draw controls to lift the Pope John XXIII Regional High School girls lacrosse team to an 11-10 victory over Rutherford there Saturday afternoon, April 19.

Olivia Zywicki (one goal, two assists, three ground balls, three draw controls, two forced turnovers), Grace Sedlack (one goal), Serena Lorenzo (two assists) and goalie Kendall Weiss (20 saves) aided the decision.

Donegan now leads the team with 26 goals and three assists, with Zywicki (19 goals, 14 assists), Gang (15 goals, three assists), Smith (10 goals, four assists) and Lorenzo (eight goals, four assists) also reaching double digits in points.

After a 1-4 start, the Lions have won three straight games to improve to 4-4 this spring.

Here’s how other Pope John teams have fared recently:

Baseball

In its most recent victory, Pope John defeated Randolph, 10-6, there April 9.

Will Ryan went 4-for-5 with two doubles, three stolen bases, two RBI and five runs, with Jack Portman adding a single, a triple, a walk, two RBI and a run. Nick Struble was 3-for-5 with three RBI, and Joseph Manco went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and two runs.

The Lions (3-4) will play at Bergen Catholic at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 24 before returning home to host Chatham at 4:30 p.m. Monday, April 28.

Softball

Cassie Pallay had two of Pope John’s three hits in a 3-0 loss to Hunterdon Central there April 16.

In their last win on April 9 - a 9-7 home decision over Roxbury, the Lions were steered by Olivia Cilli, who was 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, four RBI and two runs.

Isabella Evicci went 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI and three runs; Grace Varur walked three times and scored; Grace Bobbie was 2-for-3 with a walk, two RBI and a run; and Pallay doubled and scored. Cilli also scattered seven hits and two walks while striking out 11 in a complete-game effort.

Pope John (4-2) will play at Morris Knolls at 4 p.m. Friday, April 25.

Boys lacrosse

Travis Heller matched his career-high of six goals along with an assist; Peyton Fox, Hunter Parrillo and Sam Conetta each added a goal and an assist; and Brody Pilek also scored to lead Pope John to a 10-7 victory over Madison there April 19.

Mike Ramirez added three assists, nine ground balls and won 15-of-20 face-offs; Magnuss Bars had five ground balls; and Daniel O’Leary made 12 saves to help propel the decision.

Boys tennis

The Lions won their first match of the season with a 5-0 decision over Parsippany Hills at home April 15.

Adam Komosinski (first singles), Sebastian Rondon (second singles), Jaden Alphonse (third singles), Jack Sacchiero and Josiah Smith (first doubles), and William Franco and Aidan Cavanagh (second doubles) all won their respective flights by straight sets.

Pope John (1-3) will play host to Morristown at 4 p.m. April 28.

Girls golf

Deanna Mastrolacasa shot a match-low 49 to lift Pope John to a dominant 205-245 victory over Pequannock on April 15 at Sunset Valley Golf Course in Pompton Plains.

Chloe Kachmar (51), Sam Petecca (52), Cecilia Day (53), Hannah Perrone (58) and Rebecca Walker (69) aided the win for the Lions (4-2).

Pope John will meet Morris Knolls at 3:30 p.m. April 28 at Flanders Valley Golf Course.