By Jim Stout
MaxPreps.com
FAIRFIELD, Conn. --- Charlie Streep was the first to admit it. When he and his New Canaan High lacrosse teams first saw the result of last week's Fairfield Prep-Chaminade game, they were in immediate awe.
"We were definitely shaking in our boots a little,'' said Streep, referring to Prep's 6-4 victory over Long Island-based Chaminade. "We knew we'd have our work cut out for us when we came here today."
In the end, however, the only thing that was shaking on Saturday afternoon was the foundation of Connecticut lacrosse.
Everyone has been looking to May 17 as the preeminent regular-season showdown in the state. That's when Fairfield Prep and Darien, the two top-ranked teams in Connecticut, are scheduled to meet.
New Canaan threw that thinking into turmoil, scoring three-straight goals in the final seven minutes of the game and notching a 6-4 upset of Fairfield Prep in an inter-conference game at University Field.
For New Canaan, which dropped four of its first seven games this season, the win capped a dramatic and perhaps season-defining week for coach Howard Benedict's team. Though the Rams had fallen on Tuesday, 8-6, to FCIAC and neighborhood rival Darien, the game provided an important glimpse as to the 2007 possibilities for New Canaan.
In that game, Darien led by 5-1 at halftime and by 6-1 early in the third quarter before New Canaan rallied to within 8-6.
"After that tough loss to Darien, we knew we couldn't just turn it up in the third quarter," said Streep, who scored three goals for New Canaan in the win over Prep, including the game-winner with 5:40 to play.
"We realized we have to come out at the start fired up. (Darien) was kind of a wakeup call for us, enabling us to realize that we are a high caliber team and that we can run with the best. We kind of harnessed that ideal in this game (vs. Fairfield Prep) and played strongly the entire time. We discovered this week that if we play together as a team and play strongly from the start, we can go far as a team."
New Canaan (8-4) certainly played strongly from the start on Saturday, despite being on the road. The Rams received goals from Streep and from goalie Fergus Campbell - yes you read that correctly- in the first half to take a 2-1 lead, while holding Prep's quick-strike attack to a single score by Spencer Parnell.
Fairfield Prep, which suffered its first in-state loss, took leads of 3-2 and 4-3 in the second half on goals by Will Coursen and Tucker Shanley before New Canaan's Ted Citrin tied the game for the fourth time at 4-4 with 7:07 remaining.
From there, Streep put New Canaan ahead to stay with 5:40 left on the fast break goal, then made it 6-4 with 3:06 remaining as he pounced on a rebound in front of Prep goalie Tom Kralovenec. Dave Hawley also scored in the second half for New Canaan.
Campbell made perhaps the biggest of his 20 saves just prior to the game-tying goal by Citrin, robbing Coursen from close range.
"It's pretty much just reaction," Campbell said of his game-turning stop against Coursen. "I'd like to say I think about it, but I just get lucky. I had a lot of lucky saves today. I have to give Prep credit. They had some great shots but I came up lucky a few times."
There was nothing lucky about the goal scored by the New Canaan goalie. In fact, it was partially by design.
"We saw (Prep) on film and saw how they allowed the goalie to go up to the restraining box," Campbell said. "I like to run and Coach told me during practice this week to work on some shots. He said if I have a chance, take it.
"Earlier in the game I had gone up and tried to go for it, but I lost the ball."
Campbell's goal was huge for New Canaan at the time. It came with just 81 seconds left in the first half and provided the Rams with a 2-1 lead. New Canaan's defense had been punishing Prep for the entire first half and the Rams' attack had been careful and methodical in protecting the ball, yet only had a 1-1 score to show for it before Campbell scored.
Streep said that New Canaan's ability to dictate and modify the offensive tempo was key.
"That's been one of our primary goals, to settle better on offense, to get guys dodging and get the relay going and unsettle the (opponent's) defense," Streep said. "I think that's what we did today. I think that was a big thing today and we stepped it up.
"I think the Darien defense was getting worried in the fourth quarter that we were kind of unsettling them," Streep added, referring to the Darien loss earlier in the week.
"I think Prep and Darien are very much alike in that way, in that they thrive off unsettled situations by their opponents. Our defense shut (Prep) down and I think by settling our own possessions better, we didn't give them so much to thrive off of."
Any time Prep attacked, the New Canaan defense was there to answer the call, often in highly physical and punishing style.
"Our defense was phenomenal," said Campbell, noting Chris Healy, Kevin Gildea, Stuart Knechtle and Dan Neeleman. "They were on (Prep's) hands the entire game, not letting them get any passes off and preventing them from getting any dodges off."
Despite the hallmark win, though, the New Canaan goalie was cautious in his projection for the remainder of the season.
"We're getting better, but there is still plenty to work on," he said. "There are still plenty if dropped passes and blown clears, but we're improving each and every game. We've had a big stretch of games recently (Prep, Darien, St. Anthony's and Greenwich) and hopefully we can ride this into the playoffs.
Notes: Prep's only other loss this season was a 10-9 overtime decision to western New York power Oswego.Rob Rotanz also scored for the Jesuits.Prep goalie Tom Kralovenec made six saves.New Canaan should have little trouble in winning its final four regular-season games and taking a 12-4 mark into the FCIAC playoffs.
Jim Stout is the MaxPreps Master Photographer for the Southern New England area and a Northeast Region columnist. He may be reached at 203-563-2297 or at j.stout@jmstout.org.
