boys' lacrosse
BC High 8, Marshfield 6

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BC High coach Kevin Bibeau told his players coming out of halftime that Marshfield was going to make a charge. He probably wasn't happy to be correct. But Bibeau had also told his charges he wasn't sure eight goals would be enough to top the Rams. Considering the outcome, he was alright with only batting .500 on his daily predictions.

Marshfield erased a three-goal halftime deficit to knot the game heading to the fourth quarter, but it was BC High that scored three consecutive times to start that final frame and the Eagles flew away with an 8-6 triumph in a nonleague battle at James Cotter Field at Viola Stadium.

"I told the kids at the half that we had to be prepared for a sudden rush," said Bibeau. "It came, but we were able to keep our composure. We settled down and made the defensive stops that we needed to make."

While Alex Shipp, Brendan Powers, and Brian Dole produced the Eagles' pivotal three-goal outburst in the fourth quarter, the game ball is more likely to end up at the other end of the field.

Senior goaltender David Barton was phenomenal in net -- making his 2008 debut after missing the season-opening, overtime win over Acton-Boxboro earlier this week -- and a pesky defense in front of him frustrated a talented Marshfield attack all day long.

The Rams were limited to just one goal over the first 24 minutes of play and, despite a four-goal outburst to knot the game at 5 in the third quarter, they didn't score again until the final minute of regulation.

"David Barton is an All-American goalie," said Marshfield coach Rick Peterson. "He was probably the reason why BC High won this game."

Barton, who shared duties with All-Scholastic netminder John Lenehan last season, can finally step into the spotlight this season (he started six games last year, all non-conference, as Lenehan drew the conference contests being a senior).

Aided by an ultra-physical defense in front of him, including fellow captain Chris Murray, Barton is going to frustrate a lot of offenses this spring.

"They are really physical out there, but we told our kids at the half to remember that we're just as good as them athletically and that we could run with them," said Peterson. "I think the kids showed that in the third quarter."

Marshfield struck just seven seconds into the second half as Jeff Sulivan took a feed from Zack Triner off the opening draw and scored on a fastbreak. Chris Walker potted his second of three goals a short time later and Marshfield had the momentum.

Andrew Brown scored with 39 seconds to play in the third quarter to tie the game at 5.

BC High used the break to compose itself. The Eagles gained control of the opening draw and Shipp scored on a nice run from behind the cage. Less than two minutes later, Powers ripped a bullet through traffic for a 7-5 advantage with 9:48 to play.

Marshfield couldn't generate many quality chances in the final frame and Dole put the game away by putting home his third goal of the game with 5:45 remaining.

"We've been struggling a little bit to get our offense in a rhythm," said Bibeau. "We graduate a lot of talented kids with good hands in the offseason, so we're still trying to find that rhythm.

"I told the kids at one point I wasn't sure eight goals was going to be enough. Marshfield is a really talented offensive team. But our defense came up with some big stops."

For BC High, it's a quality win against a Division 1 opponent, something the Eagles have tried to schedule more of in Bibeau's second year to prepare the squad better for the postseason (though the league schedule this spring will do that quite well, too).

Marshfield had dominated its first three games, outscoring its opponents 52-15, but will look to build off this game against a top-flight squad.

"Maybe we'll see them again in the potseason," said Peterson.