DUXBURY — It’s never an easy task being thrust into duty, but sometimes athletes thrive when called upon in a unique situation.
Think it’s now safe to include Cam McKenna in that conversation. The rising lacrosse freshman enjoyed a breakout game Tuesday, registering a team-high four goals as Hingham knocked off archrival Duxbury in an 11-8 thriller.
“It feels great,” McKenna said. “I’ve found my role on the team. Just don’t take any team lightly. Just execute what we’ve been going through at practice.”
Right from the opening whistle, it became apparent that the longtime Patriot League foes were in for a seesaw battle, combining for eight goals in the first quarter alone. Richmond commit Charlie Packard buried a pair of tallies in the opening frame, helping Hingham (10-1) even the score at 4-all entering the second.
Early on in the second half, Packard forced a turnover, then fed a pass over to McKenna. The midfielder fired an underhanded shot from about 10 yards out, sniping the back of the net as Hingham leaped ahead 6-5 with 8:36 to play in the third.
However, that was precisely when Colin Hulett caught fire for Duxbury (9-2). The junior attackman tied things with a goal just 1:24 later, and he was just getting started.
With his team trailing late, Hulett notched his third goal to complete the hat trick, as the Dragons drew within 9-8. Suddenly, the Harbormen were right back in a dogfight with 10:42 left in regulation.
“They’re who they are,” Hingham coach John Todd said when asked about Duxbury’s performance. “They’re going to take what they get. They made some good adjustments, we made some adjustments, but they’re going to finish when given the opportunity.”
Yet, as they have done all season, the Harbormen were able to come up with winning plays down the stretch. McKenna put the finishing touches on his performance with two more goals in the final six minutes of play, sealing the victory for his team.
“He kind of came out of nowhere,” chuckled Packard. “He’s been money for us all year, but he’s never had a performance like that. I was glad he stepped up. We really needed it. He was that spark that kind of lit us in the second half. So, having a young guy like that step up, especially in a game like that, is super big for us.”
On top of his efforts, McKenna added an assist. Packard closed his afternoon with a hat trick, while senior captain Joe Hennessey netted a pair of goals himself for Hingham.
“It is a rivalry,” Todd said. “That’s what it’s all about. You throw out records. You throw out everything. It’s just a matter of every sport that we play against each other, and it’s probably the biggest game on the schedule for everybody. That’s the enjoyable part, because the kids have no reason not to get up for it.”
