DANVERS — Deacon Robillard remembers last year, when St. John’s Prep dropped a heartbreaker to Xaverian on Thanksgiving.
He also remembers last week, when a late-game interception he threw cemented Needham’s upset victory over the Eagles in the Division 1 state semifinal.
Robillard played the part of the relief ace Thursday at Fred Glatz Field, taking over for freshman starter Chris Vargas in the second quarter with the Eagles behind. Robillard then led The Prep to a 23-6 victory over the Hawks.
“Chris was having trouble gripping the ball,” said coach Brian St. Pierre. “We felt maybe Deacon would have a better chance.”
It’s been a strange season for Robillard, who backboned the Eagles to a state title two years ago and a spot in last year’s Super Bowl. But Vargas came into the program this season, and won the starting job over Robillard.
“He is such a great kid,” St. Pierre said. “He took it so well. He just wanted to help the team any way he could.
I’m so happy it ended this way for him,” said St. Pierre, who greeted his quarterback with a giant hug as he left the field for the final time.
As the season wore on, Robillard started to play more and more, so when the call came, he was ready.
“We knew he was going to play at some point today,” St. Pierre said. “It was just a matter of when.”
After throwing two incomplete passes on his first series, Robillard hooked up with tight end Andrew Budrow for a 7-yard touchdown pass.
To say Robillard was relieved might be the understatement of the year.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about [the interception] and knew that I didn’t want my last pass in high school to be an interception,” said the Salve Regina-bound senior.
As both kickers missed extra points on an increasingly rainy morning, the score stood 6-6 at that point. St. John’s defense was practically impregnable after that save for one play in the second half, while Robillard was just getting started.
What followed were two touchdown passes to junior Pierson Scalia. The first one, late in the second quarter, came on a second-down play – right after Robillard was sacked. He dropped back and found Salia in the left corner of the end zone.
In the third quarter, St. John’s changed tactics as the rain came down harder. He had his Eagles run the ball – except for one play. That was a 14-yarder to Scalia at the same spot in the end zone as the other one.
“He’s a junior and we’re going to need him next year,” St. Pierre said.
After L.J. Law’s 44-yard field goal made the score 23-6, Xaverian made its only foray into Prep territory, thanks to a 53-yard run by Bryce Todd on a handoff that was nearly botched.
With Xaverian knocking on the door, and possibly making it a game, The Prep stiffened. Back-to-back sacks, by Nick Schibli and Jackson Tucker, pretty much iced the game.
“Nick is a senior, and what a player,” St. Pierre said. “He never missed a practice, played in every game. What a rock.”
Xaverian never threatened again and The Prep went into victory formation with just under two minutes to go.
Xaverian coach Al Fornaro hinted the Eagles may have had a few extra incentives to win.
“I tell my players all the time that I want to win that last game of the season,” Fornaro said. “This was their last game.”
It was not Xaverian’s. The Hawks will play Needham next Saturday in the Division 1 Super Bowl.
