In an election year it seems appropriate that the Dragons would open their season against the Presidents of Quincy High School. Fortunately for Duxbury, they made a last ditch effort in the final two minutes of their inaugural game to overtake the newest Patriot League entry and escape with a 4-2 win.

Despite showing some early season rust from a lack of playing, Duxbury had the advantage in play, but couldn’t finish. Jimmy Landry had the best opportunity for the Dragons when he was brought down in the penalty box on a breakaway, but watched his penalty kick sale wide of the Quincy net.

At the 27th minute of the first half, the visitors scored the game’s first goal when they penetrated the Dragon defense along the end line and centered a pass across the goalmouth that was redirected past goaltender Danny McManus for a 1-0 lead.

It took just two minutes for the Dragons to get the goal back, thanks in part to a nice solo effort from Joe Carroll, who collected a loose ball, won a tackle and dribbled around the Quincy netminder to fire on net and tie the game at 1-1.

It was Quincy’s turn to score four minutes later and they made it 2-1 when they collected a loose ball at midfield and dumped it over the Duxbury defense. The Presidents beat their hosts to the ball and fired a low shot past a diving McManus.

A Quincy win would have been equal to a Truman upset of Dewey, but the Dragons had no intentions of repeating history. Despite plenty of offensive pressure, Duxbury had very few clear-cut shots on net and couldn’t finish what they started.

They dominated second-half play, limiting Quincy to an occasional burst over midfield, and in the process wore down the visitors in the process.

With 16 minutes left in the game the hosts got even, as junior Dan Sangster was positioned at the far post and headed home the tying goal off a corner kick.

There was little question that the constant Duxbury pressure was about to break the backs of the Presidents, and it finally did with close to two minutes left in the game. A long throw-in by Morgan Dwinell was flicked on to Sangster, who volleyed it home from close range at the back post for his second of the game and a 3-2 Duxbury lead

On the verge of defeat, a bickering Quincy defense surrendered its second goal in a minute, as Landry nudged his corner kick a few inches to Sangster. The junior striker tried to shield the ball in an attempt to run out the clock, but the Quincy defense popped the ball loose along the goal line where Carroll dribbled it on goal and sent a low cross through the goal mouth to Pat Walsh, who finished from close range to end the game.