Ridgefield Defeats Prep For 1st Boys Class L Lacrosse State Title In School History [Video]

Fairfield Prep lacrosse coach Chris Smalkais has experienced the thrill of winning a Class L state championship four times. On Saturday, the Ridgefield Tigers experienced it for the first time in school history.

Junior Sean Wilkinson scored the winning goal with just 14.8 seconds remaining as the Tigers claimed the CIAC Class L title with a thrilling 11-10 victory over the Jesuits at McMahon.

Ridgefield (18-5) rallied from a 6-1 deficit after the first quarter to erase the bitter taste of two heartbreaking defeats to Fairfield Prep in the state tournament.

In 2008, the Jesuits edged the Tigers 15-14 in triple overtime in the state final. The following year, Fairfield Prep eliminated Ridgefield 11-10 in the semifinals.

"We've been a second-half team the whole year," said Wilkinson, who couldn't have picked a better time for his only goal of the contest. "Everybody on our team knew it. We're not the kind of team that quits. Our coach always says stay on the bus, and we definitely did. We were not getting off the bus the entire game."

Fairfield Prep (18-5) suffered a one-goal loss in the state final for the second straight year after a 9-8 defeat to Cheshire last season.

The Jesuits played most of the final three quarters without starting goalkeeper Mike Seelye, who began coughing up blood after getting hit in the chest with 10:18 left in the first half.

While Seelye stayed on the bench, he was still feeling woozy in the second half. The junior wanted to remain on the field until the conclusion of the game but with 1:03 remaining, he was taken by EMS personnel to Norwalk hospital  for observation.

With the contest tied 10-10, a poignant moment ensued as Smalkais walked over and hugged Seelye as he was being helped into an ambulance.

"We're going to get it for you right here," the veteran coach said, meaning the winning goal, but it didn't turn out that way for the Jesuits, who had possession.

"We were going to run a play right then with a minute left, call timeout and he was going to stay to watch the end of the game and I said, 'This one is for you,''' Smalkais said. "Kevin Brown had a wide-open shot and missed. We had a great look at the goal. We just didn't score."

Ridgefield gained control with 43 seconds to go and ran down the clock until Wilkinson circled from behind the net and beat backup Jesuits goalie Ryan Orvis with the state championship-winning goal.

"I knew Wilkie had him beat," said Aidan Scott, who led the Tigers with three goals. "I knew once he got free, he was burying that. I played hockey with him, I played lacrosse. He's good in tight and I knew he was finishing that one. I just went crazy."

In the first quarter, however, the Tigers were blitzed by the Jesuits, who appeared to have too much firepower. Brown and Connor Kelly (five goals) each scored twice, giving the Jesuits their 6-1 lead.

"This (coming from behind) is where we love to be," said Tigers coach Roy Colsey, who won a state title in his third year at  Ridgefield. "I don't know why. They like playing the second half. They never quit. They never give up. It's been like that since the first game we played. It's a testament to the kids. It has little to do with me."

Ridgefield regrouped in the second quarter and pulled within 6-5 at the half. After Prep extended its lead to 9-6 in the third quarter, the Tigers again pulled back within a goal on two occasions.

Ridgfield finally got the equalizer with 4:05 remaining, when a wide-open Sean Riley took a pass from Matthew Hrvatin at the side of the net for a tap-in goal.

"We've gone down before," Scott added. "We really pick it up in the second half. I knew we would come back. It's a great bunch of guys."

While Orvis, who is just a sophomore, played well in relief with six saves, Smalkais thought the Jesuits may have suffered an emotional letdown when they lost their starting goalkeeper.

"Unfortunately, Michael had been playing so well for us in the playoffs and he had really established himself as a leader," Smalkais said. "One of their teammates is injured. When you see blood, it's scary."

Andrew Buckanavage, Riley, Scala and Hrvatin each finished with two goals for the Tigers while Will Bonaparte scored Ridgefield's other goal. Adam Winnie made eight saves for the Tigers.

David White, Matt Brophy and Tyler Cox each scored once for the Jesuits. Brown was blanked after the first quarter, a key in the Tigers' ability to come back.

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