FOXBORO — Most teams would wilt under the assault St. John’s Prep unleashed upon Xaverian in Wednesday’s Div. 1 state title game at Gillette Stadium.

But Xaverian is not most teams.

The Hawks made a few huge defensive plays, and quarterback Henry Hasselbeck was immense, as they earned a 31-25 victory over the Prep.

It marked the program’s first D1 title since 2015.

The victory came just six days after Xaverian (11-2) beat the Prep (11-2) on Thanksgiving, 23-21.

“I’ve got to tell you one thing: I’m sure as hell glad we’ve got Henry Hasselbeck,” Xaverian coach Al Fornaro said. “If he’s not the best player in the state, I’ll fight anyone who wants to disagree.”

He won’t get a fight from St. John’s Prep. Hasselbeck, a Michigan State commit, played the biggest game of his career at a high level. He completed 7-of-13 passes for 101 yards and three touchdowns, all to senior Caleb Brown. Hasselbeck also rushed for 122 yards on 13 carries. All of Brown’s three receptions went for touchdowns, for 62 yards. Running back Mike O’Connor rushed for 75 yards and a touchdown.

“We never lose faith in each other,” Hasselbeck said. “That was the big thing so far this year. No matter what, we’re all there for each other. We could be down, 30-0. We could be up, 30-0. We’re all going to uplift each other.”

The game was back and forth all night. Xaverian led at halftime, 14-12, but Prep took the second-half kickoff and drove right down the field. On a nine-play, 74-yard drive, Gael Garcia finished it off with a 4-yard touchdown to take an 18-14 lead.

It was on the next drive where Hasselbeck might have had his finest moment. He ran off right end, stayed in bounds, broke a tackle, and raced for a 55-yard gain. O’Connor scored on the next play from a yard out with 7:06 left in the third quarter.

Again, Prep battled back. Prep quarterback Deacon Robillard (7-of-14 passing for 136 yards and two TD) hit Garcia for a 16-yard touchdown, and the Eagles led, 25-21, with 3:15 left in the third.

Xaverian rallied with an eight-play, 58-yard drive, as Hasselbeck hit Brown for an 18-yard touchdown, their third scoring connection of the night, on the second play of the fourth quarter.

The Xaverian defense forced a three and out, and Luke Bell’s 33-yard field goal gave Xaverian a 31-25 lead midway through the fourth.

The Prep had one last shot after the teams traded punts. But Ben Angelini and Micah Amedee combined for two late sacks, and Robillard’s last-second pass to the end zone fell incomplete.

“I think they just reach down one little percent more,” Fornaro said of his team. “I always ask them to get one percent better each day, one percent each week. We just reached into the reserve, and were able to do that.”

Prep scored first on a 1-yard Jimmy Nardone run in the opening quarter.

Xaverian took a 14-6 lead after Hasselbeck hit Brown twice for touchdowns, of 19 and 25 yards.

The Prep regained some momentum just before the half when Robillard found Merrick Barlow for a 38-yard touchdown.

Eagles running back Cam LaGrassa finished with 106 yards on 20 carries.

Xaverian’s Caleb Brown scores a touchdown against St. John’s Prep during their Div. 1 state championship game at Gillette Stadium. (Chris Cristo/Boston Herald)