Staples Boys Lacrosse Drops A Heartbreaker To Fairfield Prep

The Staples fans cheered because they saw the back of the net bulge.

Fairfield Prep goalie Gil Long also thought it was a goal and began preparing mentally for overtime.

But Kip Orban, the Staples player who took the shot with 50 seconds remaining, knew better. He knew it wasn't a goal  because the ball hit the outside of the net.

That's how close the Wreckers came to tying Tuesday's Class L lacrosse semifinal against Fairfield Prep and possibly getting the game to sudden death.

Instead, their state championship dreams were ended by a Westporter on the Jesuits' team.

Westport native Brendan Rotanz scored all four of his goals in the fourth quarter as the Jesuits rallied from a three-goal deficit to edge the Wreckers, 9-8, Tuesday night at McMahon High School in a classic that lived up to its advance billing.

"It hit the pipe and rolled on the back of the cage," Orban said. "I thought it went in at first but it didn't. I  noticed. I wished it was in."

While Staples ended the best season in school history at 18-2, Fairfield Prep (17-5) advanced to Saturday's Class L final against Cheshire. The Jesuits are seeking their fifth consecutive state championship.

"We said the goal was to put Staples lacrosse on the lacrosse map and I think they did that," Wreckers coach Paul McNulty said. "They worked at it. They put a lot of effort into it. (Fairfield Prep) won, but it doesn't mean we didn't have  character and heart."

Eager to prove they could play on the big stage, the fired-up Wreckers did not back down against their tradition-laden opponent.

Staples stifled the Jesuits in the first quarter and grabbed a 2-0 lead on goals late in the period by Nate Greenberg and Charlie Ross. Greenberg had three on the night.

After Fairfield Prep grabbed a 4-3 halftime lead, the Wreckers appeared to have the Jesuits reeling after scoring four straight in the third period.

Orban scored twice in the third — and Nick Maki and Ross  one each — as Staples built a 7-4 lead with 3:04 remaining in the quarter.

It forced Prep coach Chris Smalkais to call a timeout, and the Staples fans were sensing the end of a dynasty, but there was no looking ahead on the Wreckers' bench.

"We knew Prep was going to play hard right to the end and we planned on playing hard right to the end," McNulty said. "You had to be ready for those back-and-forths." 

Sure enough, the Jesuits showed the heart of a champion. Griff McGoldrick scored with 2:17 in the third to begin the comeback.

Rotanz, whose brother, Robert, is a member of the Duke team that beat Notre Dame in the NCAA Division I national  championship game, simply took over the contest in the fourth quarter. He became a one-man show.

Rotanz scored three straight goals during a explosive 93-second span to give the Jesuits an 8-7 lead.

"It hurts to see him beat us at Prep, but he's a great player and he'll have a great future at Dartmouth," Orban said.

Rotanz registered his fourth with 3:57 remaining to make it 9-7, and it was desperation time for the Wreckers.

"They beat us," Orban added. "They out-hustled us, I think, in the fourth quarter and the late third to get more GBs and rallied back.

"They had more heart than us. At the end, they were just ou-thustling us for ground balls. I think that's what it came down to."

Greenberg completed his hat trick with 1:53 left to give the Wreckers hope, but Staples couldn't capitalize with a  man advantage in the final minute.

Orban and Ross eached scored twice for Staples, while McGoldrick registered  three goals for the Jesuits. Fairfield Prep's other goals were scored by Quinn Kenning and Tyler Cox.