On its home field, the intensity level cranked higher for the playoffs, Boys’ Latin scored three goals before Loyola Blakefield settled in for Friday’s Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference quarterfinal.

While the No. 6 Dons did well to work their way back in the game, it was the No. 3 Lakers who found answers at the important stages to advance with a 9-5 win.

Attackman Matt Higgins and goalie Garrett Held, both senior leaders, provided much of the quality work. Higgins finished with four goals and two assists, while Held stopped 12 shots.

Boys’ Latin (13-4) will take on No. 1 Spalding (17-1) in Tuesday’s semifinal, set for 5 p.m. at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The Lakers were the only team to beat the Cavaliers in the regular season, a 10-9 win on March 28 that opened conference play.

“It comes down to our team culture, which I think we have one of the strongest in this league and in the country,” Higgins said. “A quarterfinal game is always going to be rowdy, with a ton of people here. But if you just come down and play within your team, do all the small things, you’re going to win games and I think that’s what we did today.”

After Drew McDonald (two goals) opened the scoring in the opening minute, Higgins provided two straight goals for a 3-0 advantage midway through the first quarter.

When the Dons closed to within 3-2 by the end of the quarter, Held and the Lakers’ defense did their biggest part. They blanked the visitors throughout the entire second quarter — Held making five of his 12 saves — with Higgins scoring his third goal for a 4-2 Lakers lead at the half.

With the Lakers leading 6-3 entering the fourth, the Dons got a faceoff win from Alex Heil — who was strong throughout the game — and cut the lead to two when Matt Joerres scored with 11:13 to play. McDonald got that goal back a little more than a minute later, and the Lakers’ defense handled the rest. The Dons had a man advantage when Eddie Webb got off a clean shot that Held turned aside with 3:38 to play.

With 2:56 left, Held roamed to midfield and was roughed up, having to leave the game for a brief time while penalties for both teams were called. The Dons got a goal from Bennett Cook while he was sidelined to make it 7-5 with 2:24, but he returned, made one final save and then TJ Shaw (two goals, one assist) and Higgins scored to put the game away.

“Really, I have to give it up to the defense,” Held said. “We were giving up the shots we liked and that was kind of the whole game plan and we ultimately came up with the dub. The offense scored goals, faceoff did their job, so it was an all-around team effort.”

Next up is Spalding, which rattled off nine straight conference wins after the Lakers beat them by a goal.

“Super excited to play them — they’re the No. 1 seed,” Higgins said. “So we just got to get back to practice on Sunday, lock in and do what we do. When we see them on Tuesday, we’ll need to do the little things just like today and we’ll see what happens.”

Loyola closes with an 11-7 mark, getting two goals from Cook and eight saves from goalie Jesse D’Alonzo in addition to Heil’s fine work at the X.

“Boys’ Latin is obviously a good team and going down early put us in a bit of a hole and made us play a little differently than we wanted to, even though there was still plenty of time left. It’s tough, we played hard for sure,” Loyola coach Will Haus said.

He had emotional words for his senior class.

“I think they are what you want — they work really hard, they go about their business and they’re the type of kids that aren’t just leaders on our team, but on campus and the entire community,” he said.

No. 2 Calvert Hall 13, No. 7 St. Paul’s 5: In Friday’s other quarterfinal, Calvert Hall jumped out to a 9-1 lead and never looked back. Mark Botek finished with five goals and one assist, Peyton Forte added four goals and goalie Brady Stangle made 12 saves as the Cardinals rolled to the conference semifinals.

Will Schoonmaker contributed two goals and two assists, while Ben Cuomo dominated at the X with 16 wins on 20 faceoffs.

Luke Bair scored two goals and added an assist to close out a fine four-year career for the Crusaders, who finished with an 8-8 mark.

Calvert Hall (14-2) will take on three-time defending league champion McDonogh in Tuesday’s semifinal, set for 7:30 p.m. at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. In the regular season, the Cardinals fell to the No. 4 Eagles, 10-9, on April 8.

“They’re a great team and I know they got all their horses back ready to go, so it should be a good battle for us and we’re excited for the opportunity,” Calvert Hall coach Bryan Kelly said.

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