DORCHESTER – BC High’s defense has a knack of making high-octane offenses go in reverse.
It already slowed down two potent offenses this season, but on Tuesday, Xaverian hit the throttle in the first quarter to make sure the Eagles were the ones backpedaling.
In an early-season Catholic Conference tilt, the Hawks torched BC High early by exploding for seven first-quarter goals en route to an 8-3 road win at James Cotter Field.
“It’s just coming out here with the mentality that we have to come out flying around,” said Trevor Carroll, who paced the Hawks’ attack with three goals and one assist. “That’s always a good way to start off. Once we get rolling, we just keep rolling.”
Xaverian (3-0) won the opening faceoff and never looked back, scoring 20 seconds into the contest when Trevor Carroll set up Andrew Lee for a goal. Just over a minute later, Lee paid it forward by assisting on a tally from Alec Coia to take a 2-0 lead.
Jack Whalen (two goals, one assist) added to the lead by bouncing in a shot with 7:53 left in the first quarter, which prompted a BCH (2-1) timeout in an effort to stem the tide.
“I think guys got a little shell-shocked,” said BCH head coach Steve Lydon. “We got a lot of guys that are new guys here. For as much as people are talking about our defense, four out of the six (defenders) are new guys. We’re not where we want to be. I think a lot of people identify us as this great defense and we’re not playing like it yet.”
The timeout didn’t slow down Xaverian, though. Carroll scored twice off pretty feeds from Sam Jean, while Whalen added another goal and an assist on Jack Daoust’s tally to take a commanding 7-0 lead before the first quarter expired.
“Getting out to an early lead that means that we could stick to our game plan defensively and in our riding game,” said Xaverian coach Tim Gardner. “Just stick to that and be patient defensively and not have to take any risks, I think carried us through the game.”
BCH’s defense clamped down after the horrid opening 12 minutes by holding Xaverian to just one goal over the next three quarters.
The Eagles got two goals back in the second quarter to trim the deficit to 7-2 by halftime when Charlie Pyne picked the upper right corner and Chi Chi Price netted a goal after scooping up a loose ball near the crease.
After Teagan Alexander played well in net for Xaverian in the first half in front of a solid defensive showing, the Hawks turned to goalie Joe Perry in the second half.
Perry was outstanding and needed to be with BCH netminder Pat O’Driscoll (11 saves) not allowing Xaverian’s lead to grow by making tremendous saves of his own.
But every time O’Driscoll made a stellar save, Perry matched him.
And when Pyne had a chance from just outside the crease to put home a shot at the end of the third quarter and seize momentum for the Eagles, Perry stood tall to keep Xaverian’s lead well in order.
“Teagan Alexander and Joe Perry are two excellent goalies,” Gardner said. “They both deserve time. Until one differentiates over the other, they’re sharing time. I think they complement each other very well.”
