Highlight Reel: Boys Lacrosse Regionals

May 27, 2015

By John Johnson
MHSAA communications director

The Haslett/Williamston and Okemos boys lacrosse teams combined for 33 goals in winning Division 2 Regional Semifinals on Tuesday on the Chieftains’ home field.

Both games were produced for MHSAA.tv by School Broadcast Program member Haslett High School – and a collection of highlights from both are below. Click on the headings for each to watch.

Haslett/Williamston 13, DeWitt 11

Lemanski Spins & Scores Haslett/Williamston cut the DeWitt lead to 3-2 on this second-period goal by Grant Lemanski. The Vikings, which dropped its other two meetings to DeWitt this season by a single goal each time, rallied to win Regional Semifinal, 13-11.

Four-Goal Run for Haslett Haslett/Williamston reeled off four unanswered goals in the second quarter. Here's the fourth tally as Tucker Virkus scores off a pass from Grant Lemanski.

Salisbury Scores Off Steal DeWitt cut the Haslett-Williamston lead to 5-4 by halftime after Christopher Salisbury scored after stealing a pass. 

Metevier's Second Goal Jack Metevier ties the game for DeWitt in the third quarter with his second goal of the contest.

DeWitt Goes Up By Three After Three In the closing moments of the third quarter Beau Yabs scores for DeWitt, part of a four-goal run that gave the Panthers a 9-6 lead.

Lounds At Point-Blank Range Haslett/Williamston rallied in the fourth period. Here, Eric Lounds scores for the Vikings from close range to cut the DeWitt lead to one.

Lounds For The Lead Eric Lounds scored what proved to be the game-winner for Haslett/Williamston with just under three minutes to play and the Vikings holding a man advantage.

Lounds Again! Eric Lounds caps the scoring for Haslett/Williamston with his third goal, with about 90 seconds left.

Watch the entire game and order DVDs by Clicking Here.

Okemos 20, Portage Northern 4

How Quick? How About 8 Seconds Off the game's opening draw, Okemos' Bennett Sherman gets the Chiefs on the board against Portage Northern.

Northern Gets On The Board Portage Northern gets its first goal from Matty Seiferlein, with the assist going to Chace Quezada.

Sherman Fast Break Goal Okemos goes down the field quickly to get Bennett Sherman his fourth goal of the game midway through the first period.

Northern's Chace Scores Portage Northern cuts the Okemos lead on this nice goal by Chace Quezada.

Stakey Scores For Okemos Anders Stakey gets a ground ball in front of the net and scores for Okemos late in the first period against Portage Northern.

Jamison On Second Try After his first shot was deflected away, Cole Jamison gets another chance and scores for Okemos.

Duren Scores Man Down Playing a man down in the final minute of the half, Okemos scores in transition with Joshua Duren getting the goal.

Give The Goal Scorer A Hug Portage Northern gets a nice goal from Joey Leona in the third quarter against Okemos, and the goal scorer gets a hug from the coach coming back to the bench.

Kalleward Scores Northern's Final Goal Portage Northern got its last goal of the game at the end of a man-up situation, with Camden Kalleward getting the tally.

Watch the entire game and order DVDs by Clicking Here.

Preview: New Champions Guaranteed as U-M Welcomes Boys Lacrosse Finals

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

June 7, 2024

Both MHSAA Boys Lacrosse Finals on Saturday will crown new champions – and one contender is seeking to clinch a title for the first time in its program’s history.

Those opportunities were created when Hartland defeated reigning Division 1 champion Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice to advance, and Ada Forest Hills Eastern ended a repeat attempt in Division 2 by Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central. A championship Saturday also would be the first in FHE history – but the Hawks must take on 2023 runner-up Detroit Country Day, which won their regular-season meeting 11 weeks ago. Hartland faces reigning Division 1 runner-up Detroit Catholic Central, the first time these two will meet for a Finals title.

Both games will be played at University of Michigan Lacrosse Stadium for the first time, and below is a glance at all four contenders. Rankings as part of “best wins” are based on the Michigan Power Rating formula. Tickets cost $11 and are good for both games, and may be purchased online only at GoFan.

Both games will be broadcast and available with subscription from MHSAA.tv.

Division 1

DETROIT CATHOLIC CENTRAL
Record/MPR: 20-3, No. 2
League finish: First in Catholic High School League Central
Coach: Dave Wilson, 19th season (269-99)
Championship history: Division 1 champion 2018, nine runner-up finishes.

Best wins: 16-5 over No. 1 Rockford in Semifinal, 19-4 over No. 8 Brighton in Quarterfinal, 15-2 over No. 5 Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice, 13-3 over No. 7 Birmingham Seaholm, 10-8 over Division 2 No. 1 Detroit Country Day, 17-8 over Division 2 No. 2 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central.
Players to watch:
 Joe Curtin, sr. D; Charles Graves, sr. G; Lachlan Moffatt, jr. A. (Statistics not submitted.)
Outlook: DCC returned to the championship game last year for the first time since 2019 and has dominated this spring, suffering its only in-state loss to Brother Rice 16-10 on April 9 but avenging it in the CHSL Central championship game a month later. The other two losses were by a goal apiece to Ohio powers Cincinnati St. Xavier and Dublin Jerome (the latter in overtime). Those three defeats were three of only four games during which the Shamrocks gave up more than eight goals; they’ve given up two or fewer in nine wins. Moffatt, Curtin and Graves all made the all-state second team last season.

HARTLAND
Record/MPR: 19-3, No. 4
League finish: First in Kensington Lakes Activities Association West
Coach: Nick Levanti, fifth season (80-12)
Championship history: Division 1 champion 2022, runner-up 2021.
Best wins: 11-10 over No. 5 Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice in Semifinal, 17-2 (Quarterfinal) and 14-13 (2OT) over No. 3 Lake Orion, 17-6 over No. 8 Brighton, 12-9 over Division 2 No. 4 East Grand Rapids, 11-7 over Division 2 No. 2 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central.
Players to watch:
 Dylan Ayotte, sr. A (44 goals, 16 assists); Jacob Ross, sr. A (67 goals, 23 assists); Drew Lockwood, sr. M (64 goals, 59 assists); Jake Lewis, sr. A (69 goals, 40 assists).
Outlook: After breaking through the DCC/Brother Rice hold on the Division 1 Final in 2021, Hartland will now make its third championship game appearance over the last four seasons and after avenging a mid-April loss to Brother Rice to get here. The other defeats came to Rockford by a goal in double overtime and also to St. Xavier, and the Eagles otherwise have mostly dominated as well with 10 wins giving up three or fewer goals including their first four of the postseason. Lockwood made the all-state first team in 2023, and Ayotte and Ross both made the second team.

Division 2

ADA FOREST HILLS EASTERN
Record/MPR: 16-4, No. 3
League finish: Third in Ottawa-Kent Conference Tier 1
Coach: Tony Boggiano, second season (30-9)
Championship history: Division 1 runner-up 2021 and 2019, Division 1 runner-up 2013 and 2011 as part of cooperative with Forest Hills Northern.
Best wins: 11-10 over No. 2 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central in Semifinal, 13-8 over No. 4 East Grand Rapids, 17-9 over No. 5 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, 16-9 over No. 7 Byron Center, 17-5 over No. 10 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 14-1 over Division 1 No. 7 Birmingham Seaholm.
Players to watch:
 Preston Hoexum, sr. A (72 goals, 34 assists); Will Morgan, sr. A (60 goals, 32 assists); Jackson Arnold, jr. M (28 goals, 25 assists); Mark Fuehrer, sr. A (53 goals, 19 assists).
Outlook: Forest Hills Eastern avenged a 15-11 loss to Forest Hills Central from April 29 to advance to this weekend, and its only other losses were to Division 1 Rockford and Grand Ledge and 16-7 on March 23 to Country Day. Hoexum and senior Noah Benedict (24 goals, 21 assists) made the all-state first team last season, and Morgan earned an honorable mention. Senior Camden Klaes has been strong in goal giving up 7.9 goals per game and saving 54 percent of shots he’s faced. Boggiano played at Forest Hills Eastern as part of the school’s first cooperative seasons from 2004-07, and he also previously served as Country Day’s offensive coordinator from 2015-19.

DETROIT COUNTRY DAY
Record/MPR: 18-2, No. 1
League finish: Does not play in a league.
Coach: Chris Garland, sixth season (79-22)
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2014), three runner-up finishes
.
Best wins: 15-7 (Semifinal) and 12-9 over No. 4 East Grand Rapids, 18-4 over No. 9 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep in Quarterfinal, 13-9 over No. 7 Byron Center, 14-6 over No. 2 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, 14-7 over No. 5 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, 16-7 over No. 3 Ada Forest Hills Eastern, 9-8 over Division 1 No. 7 Birmingham Seaholm, 13-8 over Division 1 No. 6 Grand Ledge.
Players to watch:
 Caden Daley, sr. A (50 goals, 16 assists); Will Thompson, sr. A (50 goals, 30 assists); Oliver Aaron, sr. A (22 goals, 18 assists); Kellen Curby, jr. G (5.47 goals-against average, .570 save %).
Outlook: Country Day has finished runner-up the last two seasons, and the majority of last year’s top contributors are back for another title attempt after the 2023 lineup included only one senior starter. Daley, senior defenders Shafeek Halabi and Trevor Corless, and senior long stick midfielder Andrew Gryzenia all made the all-state first team last season, while Aaron and Curby made the second team and Thompson made the third. Sophomore Keaton Yearego (50 goals, 15 assists) is another big-time scorer as well, and four more players not listed above have found the net at least 17 times this spring.

PHOTO Ada Forest Hills Eastern’s Will Morgan (2) maneuvers to get off a shot during his team’s Semifinal win over Forest Hills Central. (Photo by Michigan Sports Photo.)