Regardless of the year, BC High and St. John’s Prep have always had great boys lacrosse battles.

Last season, the schools combined for 30 goals in the Division 1 final. On Tuesday evening, the programs engaged in another nail-biter. This one just followed a different script.

Drew Bossi scored two goals, while Princeton commit Jake Vana (goal, assist) provided a late spark as top-ranked St. John’s Prep topped its archrival on the road, 7-4.

“Two hundred and ninety days ago, we played them 16-14 or something wild,” said St. John’s Prep coach John Pynchon with a laugh. “Tonight? I don’t know. I think the strength of our team this year is defense, we have a lot of guys returning there. Their goalie (Charlie McCullough) is outstanding. He made an absurd save in the fourth quarter coming across the crease. Just a good, really high-intensity lacrosse game.”

Offense was difficult to find, as McCullough, a Rutgers commit, dominated the cage for BC High. Not to be outdone, Max Putney of St. John’s Prep matched his opponent save for save.

Senior attackman Oliver Rosselli tallied the lone goal of the opening quarter to provide St. John’s Prep (9-0) a 1-0 advantage.

However, BC High (8-2) fought right back to open the second. Tthe Eagles struck for a pair of goals in 55 seconds, with Nick Emsing and Luke Allen each finding twine to make it 2-1 with 6:18 remaining in the half.

After St. John’s Prep won the ensuing faceoff, senior midfielder Jack Doherty registered a goal only eight seconds later to even the score at 2-all.

Bossi notched his first goal with 1:25 left in the first half, as St. John’s Prep rallied to make it a 3-2 game at the break.

“It felt great,” Bossi said. “It’s always good to come out here and win. They always compete. But we’re here, we bring energy, we work hard in practice. I’ve never seen a group of guys work harder.”

Much like the first quarter, BC High stepped up things defensively in the third frame, holding St. John’s Prep scoreless. Sophomore Jacob Adams found the back of the net off a pass from Marshall Rice, tying things again at 3-3.

But St. John’s Prep was able to close when it mattered most, and it was Vana who led the charge.

After setting up a goal to help his team jump ahead 4-3 to start the quarter, the senior charged past a defenseman toward the opposing cage. Then, he slipped a shot past McCullough to make it 6-3.

Bossi netted the clinching goal with 18.4 seconds to go, as he sniped an open net with a tumbling shot. Sophomore goaltender Mattheus Du Plessis closed the win out in net for the program.

Emsing finished with two goals for BC High, while McCullough had 10 saves.

“It’s just about moving past this one,” Vana said. “Enjoy this one tonight, but we have to focus on practice on Wednesday and Friday for our tough two games ahead.”

St. John’s Prep’s Madden McGowan, right, gets around BC High’s Owen Welch. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald)