NORTHEAST
Liam O’Keefe, Loomis Chaffee (Conn.)
Founders League championship on the line, two-goal game in the closing moments. Just the spot Liam O’Keefe wanted to be in. The Loomis Chaffee goaltender made 10 saves, including a monster save with 30 seconds remaining to help secure an 8-7 win over Choate (Conn.). The Harvard commit made half of his saves in the third quarter as the Pelicans made it back-to- back titles.
“Liam was the backbone of our defense all year, and on the biggest stage, he delivered again,” said Loomis Chaffee head coach Bill Ball.”
Also notable: Jack Deliberti, Northport (N.Y.); Mattheus DuPlessis, St. John’s Prep (Mass.); Chase Eichele, Holy Trinity (N.Y.); Michael Jannotte, Massapequa (N.Y.); Kevin Kukla, Tappan Zee (N.Y.); Grey Wildman, New Canaan (Conn.)
— Dylan Butler
MID-ATLANTIC
Jackson Bennett, Middletown (Md.)
Bennett helped Middletown to one of the greatest comebacks ever seen to cap a season that was one big comeback. When the senior attackman scored in the final minutes of the third quarter of the Class 1A state title game against Fallston (Md.), it still was a long road ahead for the Knights, who trailed, 8-2. Bennett went on to finish his hat trick in an epic comeback that saw Middletown score the final eight goals of the game including Connor Herman’s goal with nine seconds left for a 9-8 win over Fallston, which had won the past two state titles.
Fourth-seeded Middletown trailed at halftime, 7-0. They held Fallston to one second-half goal and scored six times in the game’s final six minutes for the improbable win. But that was nothing for a team that started the season 0-4 before ripping off 13 straight wins to capture their first state championship. The Knights obliterated top-seeded Forest Park (Md.) 17-3 in the semifinals.
Also notable: Davis Bates, Severna Park (Md.); Connor Gardner, Kent Island (Md.); Evan Large, Haverford School (Pa.); Will LoSauro, Ridgewood (N.J.); Mack Manley, Bishop Shanahan (Pa.); Griff Meyer, Haverford School (Pa.); Christian Peterson, La Salle (Pa.); Max Prezioso, Mt. Lebanon (Pa.); Gavin Romweber, Delbarton (N.J.); Kevin Schlude, Crestwood (Pa.); Luke Spreng, Mars (Pa.); Zach Thayer, Urbana (Md.); Peter Tsitoukis, George Washington (Pa.)
— Justin Feil
MIDWEST
Noah Hollister, St. Xavier (Ky.)
Hollister helped ensure the Shamrocks won the first Kentucky High School Athletic Association state championship after they also ended the Kentucky Scholastic Lacrosse League era with a title. Hollister had two of his five goals in the second quarter, then added the go-ahead goal out of halftime to help St. Xavier overcome an early deficit en route to a 12-8 victory over South Oldham.
Also notable: Jake Bachus, Olentangy Liberty (Ohio); Logan Bryant, St. Xavier (Ky.); Grant Harold, Upper Arlington (Ohio); Kyle Jenkins, Hamilton Southeastern (Ind.); Max Kemp, Hamilton Southeastern (Ind.); Mason Miller, South Oldham (Ky.); Rylan Rogers, South Oldham (Ky.); Justin Sebert, Olentangy Liberty (Ohio)
— Jonah Rosenblum
WEST
Owen Corsi, Cherry Creek (Colo.)
Senior goalkeeper Owen Corsi (High Point) scored from the top of the faceoff circle in Cherry Creek’s state championship victory over defending champions Valor Christian (Colo.). Corsi recorded 14 saves on 22 shots on goal against the Eagles.
Also notable: Wyatt Branish, Cherry Creek (Colo.); JT Cross, Valor Christian (Colo.); Harry Luong, Valor Christian (Colo.)
— Theresa Palmquist
