Lacrosse Bucket’s Southeastern Notebook

Editor’s Note: guest post by Tanner Demling of Lacrosse Bucket

Lucy Beckham Repeats as State Champions

Lucy Beckham (S.C.) is just in its third year as a school. However, the latter two of these years have seen the Bengals capture the SCHSL 4A boy’s lacrosse state championship.

On Saturday, the Bengals captured its second consecutive state title as they took down Christ Church Episcopal (S.C.) 20-13 in what was a title rematch from the year prior.

The contest got off to a very quick start as Hudson McCarthy got Christ Church on the board 50 seconds into the contest, scoring on an inside roll off a restart from behind the cage. Austin Constable (Binghamton commit) returned the favor for the Bengals just 27 seconds later, making it a 1-1 game at the 10:42 mark of the opening frame.

Jack Henry-Roye to capped a transition sequence with a score and Jospeh Miksell followed less than a minute later with an outside rip. That spurt late in the first quarter pulled the Cavaliers ahead 3-1. However, just when it seemed Christ Church was pulling the momentum to their side the Bengals struck back. Constable got open on the inside for a score with 19 seconds on the clock. Flynn Wilson (Sacred Heart commit) won the ensuing possession and took it right down the middle for a goal to make it a 3-3 game.

That back and fourth nature of the contest remained through the first half with both teams continually answering each other. However, Lucy Beckham would begin to bring the momentum their way, scoring three straight within a minute midway through the frame to take their first lead of the game. A man-up goal from Ryan McCarthy and another Wilson goal off the faceoff in the final minute of the half made it a 9-7 Bengals lead at the half.

Lucy Beckham extended its run to six goals as the Bengals put home each of the first four scores of the first half. A fifth goal from Austin Constable and a buzzer beater from Webb Perry to end the third quarter helped the Bengals end the frame on a 6-1 run and take a 15-8 lead into the final 12 minutes of play.

While Hudson McCarthy would score four goals in the fourth quarter, including a pair within a minute if each other to cut the Bengals lead to 16-11 halfway through the frame, that is as close as the Cavaliers would come to getting back in the contest. A sixth Constable score  late helped seal the deal for the Bengals.

Constable’s six goals led the way while Ryan McCarthy (Queens commit) also had four goals on the day.

Sophomore Hudson McCarthy led Christ Church with five goals.

In the 5A SCHSL state title game, Nation Ford (S.C.) defeated Wando (S.C.) 13-10. It marks the first state championship for the Falcons in program history. Sophomore Josh Ameo led the way for the Falcons with nine points off seven goals and two assists. 

Semifinals Set in Florida

The semifinals are set in the Sunshine State. 

In 1A, Lake Mary (Fla.) will play Plant (Fla.) in the first semifinal contest while St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) will face Winter Park (Fla.).

In the 2A state tournament, Bolles (Fla.) plays Tampa Jesuit (Fla.) while Saint Andrew’s (Fla.) will face Lake Highland Prep (Fla.).

Two of the more exciting games of the quarterfinal round was Lake Mark beating Ponte Vedra 6-5 and Lake Highland Prep beating Benjamin 12-9.

For Lake Mary, they came into the contest having already beaten the Sharks in a 9-8 overtime contest early in the year. This time around, the Rams would get it done in regulation with Riley Turner putting home the game-winner late in the fourth quarter to send them to the semifinals.

Lake Highland Prep lost to Benjamin 15-9 in the regular season but was able to get payback in the playoffs. The Highlanders drew first blood and were able to stay ahead the entire way and fended off a late effort from the Buccaneers.

Additionally, Tampa Jesuit defeated Community School of Naples in a close 9-7 battle that saw Lleyton Hall (Iona commit) net a hat trick.

Other Notes

  • McCallie (Tenn.) beat Montgomery Bell 11-10 in overtime.
  • Highland Park (Texas) topped Episcopal School of Dallas (Texas) 8-6 to go unbeaten against Lone Star State competition during the regular season. 
  • Cannon (N.C.) topped Lake Norman (N.C.) 17-6 in a battle between top NCISAA and NCHSAA teams.
  • Catholic (La.), Newman (La.), St, Thomas More (La.), and Jesuit (La.) all advanced to the LHSLL semifinals.
  • Lower Alabama beat Southern Elite (Miss.) in overtime. Junior goalie Troy Capstraw (Virginia commit) earned MVP honors.

State Championship Predictions

The playoffs are on the horizon in Texas, North Carolina’s NCHSAA league, and Tennessee.

Kentucky and the NCISAA league in North Carolina still have one week of regular season play left.

Here are my state championship predictions for those next league beginning postseason play:

Texas

THSLL AA: Highland Park 

Tennessee

TSLA DII AAA: Memphis University School 

North Carolina

NCHSAA 4A: Middle Creek

NCHSAA 1A-3A: Lake Norman Charter

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