MARSHFIELD – With upset-minded Malden Catholic coming to James G. Anderson Field, Marshfield rallied back from 21 down to knot it up 21-21. The Lancers answered right back and had a key defensive stop to come away with their first playoff victory since 1965.

No. 12 Malden Catholic got an interception from senior Jamaal Thurston with under two minutes left and got a first down off the legs of junior Anthony Wadland to seal the 28-21 Div. 3 first round win on the road Friday night.

“I love my kids,” said Malden Catholic coach Joe Gaff. “Ten seniors and they gave up a 21-point lead and to come back like that shows a lot of heart.”

The Lancers will play Hingham on the road in the Div. 3 quarterfinals next week.

With a 21-14 deficit at the half, Marshfield (6-3) got a three-and-out defensively and marched down the field on nine plays capped by a 20-yard touchdown run off a jet sweep for Cole Summers to knot the score 21-21.

Malden Catholic (4-5) responded right back and used a 14-play, 72-yard drive that was punctuated by a rushing score for Wadland in the wildcat formation.

“(Wadland) was everywhere tonight,” said Gaff about the junior who had two scores on the night.

The Lancers then forced a three-and-out on defense before driving to the Ram’s 18, where Marshfield got a key stop to keep it a one possession contest with under three minutes left.

The Rams got right past midfield where Thurston intercepted the key pass on second down with 1:58 remaining.

“We were in cover-4 and I had to play on the fly,” said Thurston about making the pick. “I saw the wide receiver coming out and I just knew I had to go make a play. I stepped up, read the ball and got the pick.”

In the first half, Malden Catholic came to play from the opening snap and, after forcing a turnover on downs, the Lancers needed just two plays as senior Dominik Mercier ran it in from 48 yards out to go up 7-0.

The Malden Catholic defense once again stood tall and forced a three and out and then drove the field 17 plays, with the help from a running into the kicker penalty on a punt around midfield, to add to their lead with a 10-yard pass from Mercier to Wadland.

Marshfield responded with a drive that stalled at the Lancers’ five and one snap later junior Trayvon Turner ran it 95 yards for the house call as Malden Catholic led 21-0 with 5:03 left in the first half.

The Rams did not falter and an 80-yard kickoff return touchdown for Jameson Bongiolatti cut the deficit to 21-7.

After the Lancers were forced to punt, Marshfield needed just three plays to find paydirt as a screen pass from Nate Rollinson found Aidan Summers for a 62-yard score as the Rams trailed 21-14 with 1:25 to go in the first half.