Hayden looking to make up for lost time as Bishop Guertin boys lacrosse gets ready for D1 semis

NASHUA - There might not be anyone more anxious for Wednesday's Division I boys lacrosse semifinals than Cam Hayden.

The Bishop Guertin High School senior was forced to watch from the sideline on May 11, when Pinkerton Academy ended the Cardinals' 86-game winning streak against in-state opponents with a 9-8 victory.

Now, with the two powerhouse programs - who have met in the D1 championship game 13 times since 2005 - set to play for a spot in this year's title game, Hayden is ready for a chance to help the No. 3 Cardinals seek revenge on the No. 2 Astros.

“All the boys that were playing in that game, there’s a little bit of anxiousness because we have a little bit of a younger roster,” Hayden said. “To us, every game is a state championship right now, from now on, because nothing is guaranteed for us. Right now, we’re playing as hard as we can together.”

The two teams will meet at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Manchester Memorial High School.

Hayden, who missed a handful of games with an injury in the middle of the season, has been back now for a couple of weeks for Bishop Guertin, but the team has only played two games in the last two weeks.

Despite that, Hayden looked ready to go in the Cardinals' 14-6 quarterfinal win last Saturday over Londonderry, scoring four goals to go with an assist.

The helper came first, on a goal by Sean McGarry late in the first quarter that gave Bishop Guertin the lead for good, and it took Hayden just 50 seconds to tack on his first goal. Both seemed to get the Cardinals going, as they went on an 8-1 run going into halftime.

“We were all hype (pregame), but as soon as we stepped on the field, you can have a sense of different energy or you’re a little bit too excited,” he said. “I think as soon as I get enough flow and everything started to develop, the younger guys that might have had that anxiety started to calm down. I think that got the momentum going.”

Having Hayden back, especially with fellow senior Owen King out of the lineup with an injury of his own, just adds another dimension to Bishop Guertin's offense, according to Cardinals coach Brian Cameron.

“Cam, the talent that he has, and he’s the quarterback of our offense,” Cameron said. “I think a lot of times, people think the quarterback is behind, but he’s our quarterback above the goal. To not have him for a while threw us off a little bit, but he’s back. Even if he’s just out there finishing a transition, it just opens up our team so much.”

Cameron expects to see Hayden and his teammates ready to go from the first faceoff on Wednesday.

“He’s an incredible player,” the coach said. “He’s a humble superstar and he really wants what’s best for the team. He’s looking to get everyone involved. I think you’re going to see a ferocious Cam Hayden on Wednesday night.

“I think this is the hungriest a BG team has been in the last five years and you’re going to see a level of compete and pride for the program, bringing everything out on the table. We’ve been preparing for it."