The Players Cup has had many exciting lacrosse moments in the past, and this spring is no exception.
Sam Wien, who has committed to Wesleyan, scored five goals, including the game-winning goal with 25 seconds left, helping Duxbury (6-1) advance to the Players Cup championship with a thrilling 9-8 win over Acton-Boxboro at Xaverian Brothers High School.
Wien commented, "This is a significant win for us. We knew Acton-Boxboro was a good team, so we practiced hard and were really excited for this game. After a big win against Xaverian and a tough loss to Marshfield, we've been practicing as hard as possible. This was a big game for us, and we really wanted to win."
The game was expected to be a showdown between two of the top public lacrosse programs in the MIAA. It turned out to be a strategic battle that lasted the entire game. Despite Acton-Boxboro taking a 5-4 lead at halftime, Sam Wien and his teammates stayed composed.
As the heavy rain began to ease up in the third quarter, the Dragons found their rhythm. Colin Hulett scored an impressive goal to tie the game 6-6 just 19 seconds into the quarter, followed by two goals from Wien at the end of the quarter, giving Duxbury a narrow 7-6 lead going into the fourth.
After Acton-Boxboro equalized with 2:21 left, the Dragons had possession in the final minutes as they looked to seal the victory. Duxbury coach Chris Sweet then called a timeout to regroup.
With time running out, Hulett found Wien, leaving him with a clear shot at the goal. Wien scored, making it a 9-8 lead for Duxbury, securing the win.
Coach Sweet said, "It's still early in the season, but this game gave us a sense of who we are as a team, what we need to work on, and what tactics work for us. It was a fantastic high school lacrosse game, one of the best I've been a part of. We barely won against a really strong team by being resilient, making the small plays, and hanging in there."
Liam Goodwin also scored two goals in Duxbury's victory.
Maranian ended the game with a hat trick for Acton-Boxboro.
The win sets up a rematch of last year's Div. 2 boys lacrosse title game, as Duxbury will face Reading in the Players Cup finals.
Can the Dragons get revenge?
"We hope so," Wien replied. "I have a feeling it's going to be Reading. Playing at our home turf, there's nothing more we want than that. It would be a great game for us."
