WEST ROXBURY — The calendar changed years, but when the dust settled and the drama quelled, the end result for Catholic Memorial remained the same.

Mekhi Dodd rushed for three touchdowns while a last-minute field goal attempt by Xaverian clanked off the left upright as Catholic Memorial defeated the Hawks, 40-37, to mark its sixth consecutive win over its Catholic Conference rival on Friday night.

Xaverian (3-2) trailed by as many as 20, 33-13, with less than two minutes to go before storming back with a chance to win the game. Trailing by three, it got itself down inside the five yard line with 1:30 to go on a six-yard run by Jayce Devine but an incomplete pass and a field goal attempt gone awry sealed the deal for CM.

“The ball bounced right,” Catholic Memorial coach John DiBiaso said. “The plan was to feed Mekhi (Dodd). We think he was the best running back in the state. We were just hoping someone at the end made a play.”

Catholic Memorial’s dominance versus the Hawks has come in different twists. A season ago the Knights snatched victory from the jaws of defeat on a halfback touchdown by LeSean Sharp as the clock struck zero.

This game seemed like it was going to avoid that underlying drama. A 45-yard touchdown run by Sharp gave the Knights a 20-10 lead at the half. Then, midway through the third quarter, the Knights put together consecutive scoring drives with Dodd breaking free from 75 yards out for a touchdown before Kise Flannery hit Gavin Brown for a 12-yard touchdown.

Catholic Memorial’s Liam Conlon, left, grabs at the shirt of Xaverian’s Vincent Bus during Friday’s football clash in West Roxbury. (Staff Photo/Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

Trailing 33-13 with 2:09 left, the Hawks began their comeback. Will Wood connected with Dave Chiavegato for a 15-yard score. Moments later after the Hawks defense forced a three-and-out, an errant snap went through the end zone for a safety. On its ensuing drive, a halfback pass by Bryce Todd to Chiavegato for 25 yards landed in the end zone trimming the deficit to 33-30 in a matter of 1:18.

Xaverian seemed poised to take its first lead of the game on its first drive of the fourth quarter, but Chris Sanchez knocked a handoff free and DJ Overall scooped up the fumble and went 49 yards for a touchdown to put CM back up by 10. The Hawks remained within a score when Wood found Todd for a 21-yard touchdown and had a chance to win the game when it forced a punt with six minutes left.

A 10-yard scamper by Wood and an 18-yard run by Devine got the Hawks down to the five as the clock ticked towards a minute, but their game-tying field goal attempt was no good.

“I thought we were starting to get in a groove,” DiBiaso said. “We were very fortunate. It’s weird but I really feel bad for the kid who missed the field goal. He’s a terrific kicker and it stinks.”