Prep Lacrosse Loses Early Lead To Ridgefield; Is State Runner-Up

TRUMBULL, CT — Fairfield Prep took an early lead in the CIAC Class L championship game Saturday, but the Ridgefield Tigers pulled ahead in the fourth quarter and kept that momentum going through the end of the match, defeating the Jesuits, 8-5.

"Most of these kids I've coached since they were in kindergarten," Ridgefield coach Roy Colsey said. "We knew what we were capable of."

The Tigers pulled off the state title win without their top scorer. Freshman Kyle Colsey came down with appendicitis at the last minute, according to Roy, who is Kyle's father as well as his coach. But the team persevered with a standout performance from junior Ryan Colsey — also Roy's son — who scored more goals Saturday than anyone else on the team.

"Once we started to get the ball, we knew we could score," Roy said.

Roy also credited junior Matthew Shepard for his defensive skills Saturday.

The game, held at Trumbull High School, was something of a rematch after Ridgefield defeated Prep, 11-10, in the 2011 state championship. Prep last won a state title in 2013, while Ridgefield took the championship in 2018.

Before facing Prep on Saturday, Ridgefield beat out Southington, Staples, Simsbury and Hall.

The Jesuits scored early Saturday and were in the lead at halftime, when the score was 3-2. Over the course of the third quarter, Ridgefield caught up, with each team heading into the final quarter with five goals. Then, less than a minute into the quarter, Ridgefield scored. About four minutes later, they did it again. And again a few minutes after that.

Prep coach Graham Niemi said that while the team struggled to get possession Saturday, his players will never forget their journey to the championship game, which saw them defeat Greenwich, Darien and Wilton.

"The week we had to get here they'll remember forever," he said, adding that after the coronavirus pandemic resulted in a school year with no football and a shortened hockey season, the team became a source of inspiration for the Prep community. "I think people were looking for something to root for."