DANVERS — In an anticipated matchup, junior forward Ryan King netted the game-clinching goal off of a throw-in during the closing minutes, as fourth-ranked St. John’s Prep punched its ticket back to the Div. 1 boys soccer semifinals with a dramatic 2-1 victory over reigning champion Concord-Carlisle.

“Second half team,” laughed St. John’s Prep coach Dave Crowell. “We’ve been doing it all year. We got off to a bad start. To Concord-Carlisle’s credit, they took us out of our game, probably for the first half hour of the game. We kept playing long balls, and that’s not our game. Once we settled in, I thought we controlled the second half.”

Concord-Carlisle (13-3-3) drew first blood in the 23rd minute off the foot of Jameson Velez. The senior forward dangled past a few defenders after gaining possession, then rolled an unassisted shot inside the right post to put the Patriots ahead, 1-0.

The score would hold until well into the second half, when Concord-Carlisle was whistled for a handball inside the box. Then it was up to St. John’s Prep (16-1-4) junior James Minor, and he succeeded. The forward ripped a penalty kick into the bottom right corner of the twine, and the Eagles drew even in the 57th minute.

With the game hanging in the balance in the 74th minute, senior captain Romen Hlatshwayo stood on the sideline, scanning his options. The defensive back strolled back a few extra yards, then heaved a throw-in toward a crowd of scrambling players in the Concord-Carlisle box. The attempt ricocheted off the head of Garrison Murphy, and floated toward King as he tangled with a defender.

“I told Garrison in the first half that the front post wasn’t working,” King said. “So, I was going to go to the back.”

It wasn’t a clean header, per se, but King was able to get just enough contact on the ball after lurching with his chest. It skipped off the junior, and bounced harmlessly into the netting to put St. John’s Prep ahead in thrilling fashion.

“It worked out,” said King. “He flicked it, I saw it going, and I just jumped for it.”

The Eagles were able to close the deal from there, and erupted with their fans in raucous fashion as they clinched a trip back to the Final Four.

St. John’s Prep will now face No. 8 St. John’s (Shrewsbury).

Crowell found out about his group’s semifinal challenge shortly after the game.

“Well, that’s deja vu again,” laughed Crowell. “Two years ago, we played them in the state semifinal. Again, we split with them this year. They’re the only team that’s beat us so, wow, that is going to be a great game. If we can execute, keep it close, and be within striking distance in the second half, or have a lead? It would be nice. It’s going to be a total toss-up. One-goal game, like they’ve all been.”