Division I
Olentangy Liberty Claims First OHSAA Boys Lacrosse State Championship
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Powell Olentangy Liberty (23-1) secured its first OHSAA Division I Boys Lacrosse State Championship in school history on Saturday at Historic Crew Stadium after defeating Cincinnati St. Xavier (20-4) 15-14.
Liberty jumped out to an early 4-1 lead against St. Xavier. The lead extended to 7-3 at the start of the second quarter, but St. Xavier rallied to tie 9-9 by the end of the second. St. Xavier took the lead two separate times in the third, 10-9 and then 11-10. Liberty came back with a 15-12 lead by the early part of the fourth quarter. Despite St. Xavier’s late push, Liberty held onto a 15-14 victory despite trailing in key possession related statistics including shots, shots on goal and face-offs won. Previously, Liberty made one other state semifinal appearance in 2017.
Senior Keegan Kuhns and junior Jake Struck each led the team with five goals for Liberty. Struck also led the team with three assists. Senior Luca Minniti scored three goas and had one assist. Seniors Brian Savage and Broc Fitzpatrick had goals, as well. Sophomore Ben Godwin earned the win in goal and registered a .533 save percentage (16/30). Liberty was a perfect 18-for-18 in clears. Fitzpatrick led the team with six ground balls.
Cincinnati St. Xavier junior Khalif Hocker broke the OHSAA Division I record for most goals in a state championship with six. Senior Brady Bennett and sophomore Spencer Stegbauer each recorded two goals. Juniors Johnnie Guttman, Luke Sprong and Brian O’Connor along with sophomore Daniel Vollmer all scored goals, as well. St. Xavier won the 2018 OHSAA Boys Lacrosse Championship, while finishing as state runner-up in 2023 and 2019.
Division II
Columbus Saint Francis DeSales Wins Third OHSAA Boys Lacrosse State Championship Over Toledo St. John’s Jesuit
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Columbus Saint Francis DeSales (16-3) claimed its third OHSAA Division II Boys Lacrosse State Title, its fourth state title overall, in a 15-4 victory over Toledo St. John’s Jesuit (14-8) at Historic Crew Stadium on Saturday.
Within the first minute of the game, St. John’s scored to lead 1-0. DeSales proceeded to have a run of six straight goals, five in the first quarter and one early in the second, making the score 6-1. St. John’s scored again with just under three minutes left to play in the half only for DeSales to score making the score 8-2 with six seconds left in the first half. Four minutes into the third period, St. John’s scored to make it 8-3, but DeSales went on another run with seven consecutive goals throughout the third and fourth quarters to take a 15-3 lead.
DeSales senior Ty Hampton led the Stallions with five goals. Senior Blake Carawan scored three times and was responsible for a team leading five assists. Junior Parker French scored three times, as well. Hampton and senior Jack Jordan recorded three assists each. Juniors Bryce Herrick and David Anderson were each responsible for one goal. Herrick also gathered a team leading nine ground balls. Senior goaltender Josh Wade saved three of the seven shots he faced (.429 save percentage) while earning the win for DeSales.
Sophomore Ian Moloney scored two goals for St. John’s. Juniors Drew Duesing and Alexander Speer were each responsible for the team’s remaining goals. Senior Quinn Wiklendt registered St. John’s only two assists. Senior Gage Buck tallied a team leading five ground balls. Junior Nicholas Bowers saved 10 of his 25 shots faced (.400 save percentage).
DeSales previously won the 2022 and 2018 OHSAA Boys Lacrosse Championships and made the state semifinals for the fifth time. Prior to OHSAA sanctioning lacrosse in 2017, DeSales won the 2012 state tournament.