CONCORD — When tasked with adversity, be prepared, no matter the circumstance.
For a moment, it appeared Concord-Carlisle might succumb to an onslaught, but the Patriots were able to finish the job. Ryan Fivek and Jason Swaim buried two goals apiece, as the 13th-seeded Patriots staved off a furious comeback en route to a thrilling 6-5 victory over No. 20 Lexington to open the Div. 1 boys lacrosse playoffs Friday.
“We just held on,” said Concord-Carlisle coach Tom Dalicandro. “I think if this was a minute longer, (Lexington) was going to pull it out. So, give them credit. I’m glad that they competed, and that it was a good game. But it’s the playoffs. A win’s a win. Nobody cares unless you move on.”
The Patriots (12-7) got off to just about as perfect of a start as Dalicandro could ask of his group. Fivek sniped both of his goals in the initial three minutes. Then Swaim caught fire to end the frame, scoring two consecutive tallies as Concord-Carlisle seized a commanding 5-0 advantage through one quarter.
“A huge win for sure,” said Swaim. “First round of the playoffs at home is always so fun. It’s always such a good atmosphere, always a great game. My teammates played amazing. Kal Lonergan in net played really, really well. Our defense all game? Played great. Our offense was moving, and we had good looks.”
Dalicandro was even caught off guard, with his squad known for its defensive prowess, primarily.
“I think it’s the best start we have ever had,” laughed Dalicandro. “Thought we were going to get 20.”
But as time wore on, the Patriots saw their neighbors from a few miles east begin to heat up. As soon as the second half kicked off, Lexington (8-11) flipped a switch and started to chip away.
Senior captain Sean Crogan potted a pair of goals in the third quarter, the latter coming in the closing seconds of the stanza to make it a 6-3 contest. He would complete the hat trick with 8:58 left in regulation, as the Minutemen whittled their seemingly-insurmountable deficit to two at 6-4. Then, Dylan Lane found twine seconds later to make it 6-5. In the blink of an eye, the Patriots were suddenly holding on for dear life.
With 1:38 left in regulation, it was crunch time for Concord-Carlisle, as Lexington coach Dave Walsh utilized a timeout. The Minutemen had possession, looking for an equalizer.
However, as they have done so often in 2024, the Patriots locked things down defensively by forcing a turnover. As the final seconds ticked away, Fivek corralled a loose ball, firing it into the sky in celebration as his teammates stormed the field.
“I think it’s a good game,” Dalicandro said. “It’s great to win a playoff game, now we’re probably going to be playing BC High. It’s going to be a tough one. We will see. We’ll practice for one of the best teams in the state. I know Marcus (Craigwell) very well, dating back to his days coaching at Wayland. I’m sure he remembers that, so I’m just looking forward to that, being with these guys for a few more days.”
