The DHS boys’ soccer team knocked off Holliston, 1-0, on Monday night in Duxbury, earning them the distinction of taking on No. 1 seed Sandwich High School on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. in Sandwich in the MIAA South Sectional quarterfinals.

It was a physical game from the outset and Holliston had its chances early, as Duxbury goalkeeper Justin Marino was forced to come out of his net in the first eight minutes to thwart a Panther break-in.

Both teams would exchange direct kicks and corners over the next 20 minutes, but senior Tim Gavin would send the Dragons to second-round action when he converted a Jon Gomer pass at the 9:55 mark that gave Duxbury the eventual game-winner.

The visitors would end the first half with their first serious offensive flurry of the game, but the Duxbury defense aided Marino in keeping the lead intact.

The Dragons’ defense was superb in the second half and Holliston barely threatened until a long throw-in with less than two minutes to go in the game just went wide of the net.

“We have turned the corner and had two weeks of great training sessions,” said Coach John Tocci. “They have bought in. It’s not that they didn’t, but if we didn’t get past this round it would have been a crying shame. That was a heck of a team that we just beat. They are a good, strong team. I’m very excited about how the boys played.”