Roark's goal changed mometum for Bishop Guertin boys lacrosse (video)

NASHUA -  The Bishop Guertin High School boys lacrosse team was in need of a spark.

After taking a four-g0al lead Saturday in the first quarter against Xaverian Brothers, of Westwood, Mass., the Cardinals had scored just once in the next 20 minutes, including a scoreless second quarter.

During that time, the Hawks had started to claw their way back into the game, cutting the Bishop Guertin lead to two goals with 3:41 left in the third quarter.

But by the end of the quarter, the Cardinals had retaken control of the game, going on a 4-0 run in the final three-plus minutes on the way to an 11-3 win over Xaverian Brothers at Stellos Stadium.

And it only took six seconds to swing momentum Bishop Guertin's way. After Xaverian's Jake Frasa scored his third goal of the game to make it 5-3, Cardinals freshman Hugh Roark won the ensuing faceoff and went straight down the field to score.

Roark won the next faceoff, too, and this time it was Sean McGarry finding the back of the net to make it two goals in 13 seconds for the Cardinals (11-5, No. 2 in the New Hampshire Orthopaedic Center/NHHSSports Coaches Poll) and a 7-3 lead.

Andre Steinbrueck added a goal in transition under a minute later, and with Bishop Guertin a man down, Tyler McLeod started a breakout, finding McGarry on the wing. The senior's shot was stopped by Xaverian freshman goalie Cole Moore, but the rebound went right to McGarry, who buried the second chance.

Four goals in less than four minutes for the Cardinals, started by a faceoff win, and score, by a freshman.

“(Roark) has been great for us all year,” Bishop Guertin coach Brian Cameron said. “He brings energy to practice, and even though he’s a freshman, he’s kind of one of those unspoken leaders of the team. He’s really kind of the heart and soul with the energy he brings, and the competitiveness is really contagious.”

It could be seen from the moment Roark scored, and that big momentum swing is something the Hawks (6-12) are still learning how to deal with.

“We’ve had a tough year,” Xaverian assistant coach Ryan Quinn said. “We have a lot of guys injured, a young group that is executing for the first time at this level. It gets close and then they score and then we feel like it’s out of reach. That team’s a really, really good team, so credit goes to them.”

Bishop Guertin got three goals apiece from Drew Redfern and Cam Hayden, who returned to the lineup for the first time since reaggrivating a leg injury on May 5. McGarry added an assist to go with his two goals while Cooper Paquette also scored.

The Cardinals scoring drought through the second and third quarters was in part because of the play of Moore, who Bishop Guertin didn't expect to see in goal.

“He stole a bunch of goals and I thought he was just really athletic,” Cameron said. “We were expecting a different goalie. He had great hands and instincts and read our shots well. He was impressive.”

It wasn't at the start for Moore, as the Cardinals scored in the opening minute and then took a 4-0 lead into the second quarter. But the goalie settled in, and Bishop Guertin started taking penalties, limiting its opportunities as the Cardinals were scoreless in the second.

Redfern scored 43 seconds into the third to make it 5-1, but Moore kept making saves and Frasa scored twice to get Xaverian back in it.

Well, back in it, at least for six seconds.

“That was a game-changing play for Hugh,” Cameron said. “We had momentum in the first quarter, and then the second quarter, it was penalty after penalty that took us out of our flow. I felt like once we got the ball, we were able to make plays in transition.”