After edging Lawrenceville School by one-goal in double overtime in the Prep Nationals Tournament semifinals on Friday night, Brunswick School’s varsity lacrosse team found itself embroiled in yet another game that was tied in the final minute of action when it exchanged goals throughout against longtime rival Deerfield Academy on Sunday with the national title at stake.

Just when they thought they couldn’t experience anything more exciting than the moment they topped Lawrenceville in overtime in the semifinals, the Bruins pulled out another win they truly won’t forget.

With the game tied and the national championship up for grabs, the Bruins captured the trophy that eluded them the previous three seasons.

Sophomore midfielder James McGinty scored with 1:35 remaining in the fourth quarter, giving top-seeded Brunswick an exhilarating 8-7 win over Deerfield in the championship matchup of the Prep Nationals in summer-like weather at crowded Cosby Field. The victory marked the first time Brunswick won the Prep Nationals Tournament title since the 2022 season. They lost in the National Preps semifinals in 2025 and were defeated in the championship game in 2023 and 2024.

“It was an interesting season, we had 12 one-goal games, we won 11 of the 12,” Brunswick coach David Bruce said. “Honestly, more players had a piece of it because of injuries. People filled in and figured out how to win.”

“I’m not really sure how Friday and this game goes, two one-goal games,” Bruce continued. “We had to play our best lacrosse to play two teams that are at the top of the rankings and we pulled together somehow.”

Indeed, the Bruins experienced a season they may never be a part of again, playing in 12 games decided by one goal and earning 11 victories – an uncanny level of success in tight, matchups.

“Twelve games one goal, no other team of ours has been in so many one-goal games,” a smiling Bruce said. “I don’t have the explanation for how we came out on top of the coin flip 11 out of 12 times.”

On the game-winning goal, McGinty found himself open after a restart, sprinted down the field and launched a shot from approximately 20 yards out that whizzed past Big Green senior goalie Cooper Lawson, giving the Bruins an 8-7 lead with 1:25 left in the fourth quarter.

“It was amazing, I was 0 for 2 before that on shots and I just took it,” McGinty said of his game-winning goal. “I saw the shot, I took it.”

Indeed, McGinty’s first goal of the game couldn’t have come at a better time.

“I had just yelled at McGinty about a minute before in the game for taking a shot that was a terrible shot and a turnover and here he comes down on the fastbreak and says coach, ‘I’m just going to do it and he did for us,” Bruce noted.

Brunswick held a 7-4 lead on Deerfield at halftime, but managed only one second-half goal, which proved to be enough, thanks to McGinty’s timely tally.

“Their goalie and ‘D’ played an amazing, the second half their goalie stepped up, it was hard to score,” McGinty said.

Following McGinty’s go-ahead goal, the Bruins won the ensuing faceoff, courtesy of sophomore Owen Gibbons and proceeded to take precious seconds off the clock, successfully doing so until the final buzzer sounded, ending the title tilt.

Once the game concluded, Brunswick’s athletes threw their sticks, helmets and gloves in the air and stormed the field in celebration of their first Prep Nationals championship since 2022.

“It feels incredible, it’s the first time I’ve ever done it in four years,” Brunswick senior attack/captain Lucas Garcia said. “We came right here my freshman and sophomore year and lost and last year we lost in the semis. It’s an incredible feeling.”

Garcia was one of the Bruins’ heroes during their Prep Nationals 16-15 semifinal-round win versus Lawrenceville School. He scored the game-winner with 3:25 remaining in double overtime, propelling ‘Wick into the finals.

“It took so much hard work, we worked hard all week, all season and all offseason,” the University of Virginia-bound Garcia said of the Bruins’ victorious, championship season.

Senior goalie Will Connell was named the Prep Nationals MVP due to his outstanding performance against Deerfield. As always, Connell was rock-solid in goal, registering impressive save after impressive save throughout this tense, back-and-forth championship game.

“Our senior class left three senior classes and this one is for them,” Connell said. “We said it all season, ‘all for one,’ all to get to this stage and it just feels so good. All the work paid off and I wouldn’t be able to do it without our team.”

Senior captain John Buttafuoco, senior Ryan Baxter, Jake Greene, a senior, McGinty, junior Timmy Hall and senior Charlie Hausmann were among numerous athletes that rose to the occasion and played standout defense in the tournament and during the entire season for champion Brunswick.

“Our defense has been holding it down all season, our offense has been scoring all season,” Connell noted. “I’m just so grateful right now.”

The Bruins began the title game playing like they picked right up from the momentum they gained from their thrilling semifinal triumph against Lawrenceville. Before Deerfield knew it, Brunswick held a 3-0 lead, scoring three times in the first 5:13.

Senior midfielder/captain Matt Colella gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead when he scored from inside with 9:19 left in the first quarter. After winning the ensuing faceoff, the hosts promptly scored again. Sophomore midfielder Sawyer Bligh converted a shot from the left wing, putting Brunswick ahead, 2-0.

Receiving a well-placed pass from senior defenseman Ryan Baxter, Bligh struck again, tallying in transition to give the Bruins a 3-0 advantage at the 6:47 mark of the opening quarter.

Deerfield recovered, scoring three straight goals to even the score at 3-3 after the first quarter of play. Senior Griffin Cepiel shot low and scored for the Big Green’s first goal with 6:05 to go in the first quarter. His second goal with 3:12 left in the opening quarter, knotted the score at 3-3.

It was all Brunswick in the second quarter. The Bruins regained the momentum, outscoring Deerfield, 4-1, to take a 7-4 lead into halftime. The visitors scored first in the second quarter to take a 4-3 edge, but that’s the lone goal they managed in the second quarter, as Connell was stellar in goal and the defense was in top form.

“The defense did a great job forcing a lot of outside shots and giving me the shots I wanted to see, ” Connell noted. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them.”

Driving hard toward the goal, sophomore Parker Baras scored early in the second period, knotting the game at 4-4. Sophomore attack Hunter Hanford went top shelf with his shot, giving the home team the lead for good, 5-4, with 6:32 remaining in the second quarter.

Winning the ensuing faceoff, senior Lafayette-bound Owen Gibbons sprinted down the field and deposited a shot home, extending ‘Wick’s lead to 6-4 just seven seconds later. Austin Tuttle, a sophomore attack, who netted the game-tying goal late in the fourth quarter versus Lawrenceville School in the semifinals, added a goal at the 5:35 mark of the second quarter, putting the Bruins on top, 7-4.

Deerfield stepped up defensively in the third quarter, holding the Bruins scoreless, while generating a pair of goals, taking advantage of several man-up situations. However, Brunswick did well to hold the Big Green to just two third-quarter tallies.

“Our man-down did an amazing job, we were man-down quite a bit and they came through really well,” said Bruce, who guided Brunswick to its second Prep Nationals Tournament championship.

The Bruins held a slim 7-6 lead heading into the final quarter of action and Connell kept the hosts in front the majority of the quarter, turning away several Big Green shots.

“The transformation from last year to this year was outstanding,” Bruce said of Connell. “He’s an outstanding goalie.”

Deerfield eventually tied the score at 7-7 with 4:50 left in the fourth quarter and the game remained tied until McGinty cleared the ball, went coast-to-coast down the whole field and scored the game-winning goal.

The championship victory put the finishing touch on a season to remember for the Bruins, who finished the season with a record of 17-3 and were ranked No. 1 in the USA Lacrosse High School Boys Top 25 Rankings.

“We had an amazing game on Friday and now this game – we couldn’t ask for more.,” McGinty said.

Here are more scenes from Brunswick’s Prep Nationals final against Deerfield.