Sports
Fairfield Prep's Drive For Five Is Still Alive
Jesuits reach semifinals of Class L lacrosse tournament with a tough 9-7 win over Greenwich
The Fairfield Prep lacrosse team was staggered by Cheshire in the Southern Connecticut Conference championship game last week, but the Jesuits weren't knocked out.
Far from it.
The Jesuits' drive for a fifth consecutive state title remains very much alive following a hard-fought 9-7 victory over No. 12 seed Greenwich in the CIAC Class L quarterfinals Saturday afternoon at Alumni Field.
Find out what's happening in Fairfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Griff McGoldrick scored five goals for fourth-seeded Fairfield Prep (16-5), which advanced to Tuesday's semifinal showdown against top seed Staples (site, time, TBA) in what might be the most eagerly anticapated lacrosse game in Fairfield County this spring.
Staples, whose only loss of the season came to St. Joseph in the quarterfinals of the FCIAC playoffs, survived a major scare Saturday, advancing to the final four with a 7-6 victory over Simsbury.
Find out what's happening in Fairfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
After making a surprising run to the FCIAC championship, Greenwich entered Saturday's contest as perhaps the state's most improved team and gave the Jesuits all they could handle.
The game was close throughout with the Cardinals twice pulling even midway through the fourth quarter, as Fairfield Prep's reign as state champions clearly was hanging in the balance
But the Jesuits, who were embarrassed by Cheshire, 13-5, in the SCC final, weren't ready to give up their throne just yet.
Brendan Rotanz snapped a 7-7 tie less than a minute later and McGoldrick registered his fifth goal 46 seconds later to provide some breathing room for the Jesuits.
Fairfield Prep held a 5-3 lead at halftime, then took a razor-thin 7-6 edge into the final period.
If not for the play of Prep goalkeeper Gil Long in the third quarter, however, the Jesuits quite possibly now would be former state champions.
Long recorded six of his 14 saves in the third, when Greenwich peppered Prep's defense with 15 shots.
Tyler Cox and Kevin Brown each scored a goal for the Jesuits, while Mike Carey contributed three assists.
The Cardinals, who beat Ridgefield in the first round on Thursday, finished the year at 12-7.
