June 5, 2008

by Paul Ohanian, Lacrosse Magazine Online Staff

Losing in the state final is always heartbreaking. When a team that has done enough to put itself that close to winning a championship falls just short, players and fans are left with a painful final memory.

Now imagine having that feeling four years running.

That's the experience of Oregon's Episcopal School boys' lacrosse team, which lost its fourth straight state final, the last three by one goal, last week. OES has appeared in the championship game for six straight years, but has just one winner's trophy - 2004 - to show for it.

The latest heartbreak came courtesy of Lincoln High, which rallied for two goals in the final 51 seconds of the championship game to register the 6-5 win and capture its first state title.

Even in defeat, OES coach Dennis Sullivan was gracious afterwards.

"Congratulations to Lincoln and their staff and players," he told West Side Lax. "They did an outstanding job. I thought [both teams] played an outstanding game. I couldn't be prouder."

Senior Pat Rogers was the hero for Lincoln, scoring five of his team's six goals, including both markers in the game's dramatic final minute.

Showdown on Long Island

Thursday's Suffolk County Class A championship on New York's Long Island will feature two heavyweights who know each other well. Four-time defending champ West Islip (18-1) faces undefeated Ward Melville (19-0), which handed WI its only loss of the season by one goal April 29. Oh, by the way, West Islip is also the two-time defending state champion. WM earned its fourth straight appearance in the county final with a narrow, 6-5 semifinal win over Smithtown West on Saturday. Both teams are ranked among the nation's top five by LaxPower.com.

* When one team beats another in four of four match-ups in a season, it becomes painfully clear: the winning team is better. And that's the case with New York's Garden City girls, which defeated Wantagh for the fourth time Tuesday to capture the Nassau County Class B title. Garden City (18-1) now advances to Sunday's Long Island championship against Suffolk County champion Rocky Point.

* Sunday's other Long Island girls' championship match-ups feature Farmingdale against Northport for the Class A crown, and for the fifth straight year, Shoreham-Wading River against Manhasset in the Class C final.

Fourth Time the Charm?

A fourth meeting is also on the slate in Virginia, where the Chantilly boys will need to defeat Oakton for the fourth time in six weeks to claim their first state title. In addition to its regular season victory in April, Chantilly (19-0) beat Oakton in the district and regional finals last month. The teams meet in the state championship game on Saturday.

Like a Rock

This year's Rockhurst Jesuit boys' lacrosse team may not have been the most talented that coach Jay Coleman has had during his tenure at the Missouri school, but it may have been the most resilient. Overcoming injuries and a shaky 3-5 season start, the Hawklets rebounded to win their final eight games and capture their third state championship last weekend.

Rockhurst (18-8 overall, 15-1 against Missouri opponents) defeated Saint Louis University Jesuit, 11-2, in the final, avenging a two-goal loss to the Bills during the regular season. Rockhurst's traditionally strong intersectional schedule, which this year included 10 games against teams from outside Missouri, may have also helped down the stretch.

"Early in the season, we played some stiff competition. I think that turned us," Rockhurst senior Chad Maple told the Kansas City Star. "We got a lot better because the [early-season] teams were so good."

Nail-biting in Connecticut

If Saturday's Connecticut girls' state final between Darien and Wilton provides anywhere near the drama of last week's Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference (FCIAC) championship game, then fans will be in for a real treat. Understandably, Wilton supporters would prefer an easier path.

The FCIAC showdown between New Canaan and Wilton proved to be a game of runs. Ultimately, the team that made the next-to-last run, Wilton, walked away with the title.

Trailing by one at halftime, a six-goal run in the second half lifted Wilton to a dramatic, 15-14 victory, but not before withstanding a late Canaan charge. Trailing 15-9 with 10 minutes remaining, Canaan scored five times in six minutes to pull to within one. The Rams also had three possessions in the final 1:40, but couldn't net the equalizer, allowing Wilton to celebrate its third FCIAC title in five years.

Darien, which lost to New Canaan in the FCIAC semifinal, will try to collect its ninth state title. The Blue Wave defeated Wilton, 15-10, in April's regular season meeting.

* The FCIAC boys' championship featured a familiar storyline, as perennial power Darien captured its 11th title by turning away upstart Ridgefield, 13-9, in the final. Darien improved to 18-1 on the year and now continues its quest for a fourth straight state Class M championship. Greenwich, which handed Darien its only loss of the year, is the favorite for the state Class L title, and undefeated New Fairfield (21-0) is the Class S frontrunner.

30 Wins and Counting

Pennsylvania's LaSalle College, a boys powerhouse in Philadelphia's Catholic League, faces Manheim Township in Friday night's Keystone Cup final to determine the state champion. LaSalle (30-2) captured its 30th win on Tuesday with a 4-3 victory over Malvern Prep in the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association championship. Manheim advanced to the final by winning the Western Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association title with an 11-4 win over Mount Lebanon.

Back in the East, the title for LaSalle will likely be its last in the EPSLA, with Catholic League teams transferring under PIAA authority next season. The EPSLA may continue to host its regional championship, but it certainly won't feature the depth of talent that the event has had in recent years.

On the flip side, with stricter game limits by the PIAA, it's also unlikely that LaSalle will ever reach the 30-win plateau again.