St. John’s dethrones Duxbury

By Braden Campbell, Globe Correspondent | June 17, 2010

After a comeback straight out of a movie script, there was no way St. John’s Prep could wrest Duxbury’s potential seventh straight Division 1 championship out of the Dragons’ experienced sticks with just any old play.

After Prep keeper Nick Triano made a game-saving stop on a point-blank shot in overtime, he set the ball in transition to defender James Fahey. Fahey darted down the left side, finding himself at the top of the box with just a shortstick and a goalie between himself and history.

He sprinted in and switched hands to freeze his defender. A flip of the stick and the Eagles had the 12-11 victory under the Harvard Stadium lights.

Just minutes earlier, Duxbury’s Seamus Connelly had scored the go-ahead goal with 18 seconds left in regulation, seemingly icing it for the Dragons.

Instead, St. John’s Prep’s Colin Blackwell won a faceoff and drove down the right side, knocking his shot off the left post. Garrett Campbell found the rebound at his feet, which he swatted in for the tying score.

“I thought it was a save, kind of a last-second reaction, just right at my feet coming toward me,’’ Campbell said. “I just whacked it in.’’

Fahey’s goal capped a gritty battle in which the Eagles rallied from a 7-3 halftime deficit thanks to the spirited play of Triano, who had nine of his 12 saves in the first half.

“This is the best high school lacrosse game I’ve ever been a part of, it’s just awesome,’’ said Fahey. “We worked so hard this season, we’ve had our ups and downs, we’ve had hard times, but this is what it’s all about.’’

The game was a rematch of of last year’s final, which the Eagles lost, 13-12, on a last-minute Duxbury goal.

This regular season, the Eagles trounced Duxbury, 12-7, in Danvers. Prep coach John Roy wasn’t fooled by the lopsided win.

“Clearly we knew it wasn’t going to be 9-2 at halftime [like our last game] or anything like that,’’ said Roy.

Campbell scored four goals, and Blackwell added a pair. Bryan Barry and Nick Woodgate each scored three goals for Duxbury.