Final Four forays
South Florida teams seek to capture trophies
South Florida has a chance to put a big mark on the state lacrosse history books.
A South Florida team has reached the state Final Four in each of the boys and girls classifications. Four teams have a chance to come back from Kissimmee with a state championship trophy.
Here is a look at all four local teams that have reached the state semifinals:
Boys Lacrosse Jupiter (16-1)
The Warriors enter the Class 2A state semifinals on an 11-game winning streak. Their only loss came against a strong St. Thomas Aquinas team, which finished its season 11-3. Jupiter has gotten outstanding offensive production from four offensive standouts: senior attacker Max Sanderson (64 goals, 24 assists), junior midfielder Trace Hogan (43 goals, 31 assists), junior attacker Jackson Bashaw (49 goals, 20 assists) and senior midfielder Tyler Douglass (33 goals, 20 assists). The Warriors, who are looking to win their second state title, face Tampa Plant at 6 p.m. on Friday. Led by sophomore attacker Turner Ashby (85 goals, 59 assists), Plant is 21-1 and has won 16 straight games. MaxPreps ranks Jupiter third in Florida and eighth in the nation, while Plant is sixth in the state and 11th in the nation.
St. Andrew’s (14-0)
The Scots enter the state Final Four without a loss on their record. Ranked first in the state and the nation, St. Andrew’s has high expectations. The Scots have reached the Class 1A state semifinals by dominating teams on defense. They have allowed only 3.6 goals per game, and goalkeeper Gunnar Schwarz is 15th in the nation with a 3.5 goals against average, according to MaxPreps. Sophomore Jack Schulte leads the team with 51 points (35 goals, 16 assists), while three other players have 20 goals or more. St. Andrew’s faces Fort Myers Canterbury at 2 p.m. on Friday. Canterbury is 13-3 this season and ranked 39th in the state. St. Andrew’s is seeking its fifth state title and first since 2012.
Girls Lacrosse St. Thomas Aquinas (11-1)
St. Thomas is a school known for championships, and the girls lacrosse team is one of the few remaining Raiders programs without a state ring. The Raiders have had a strong offense, averaging nearly 15 goals per game entering the Class 2A state semifinals. St. Thomas has scored double-digit goals in six straight games, dating back to its only loss on the year — a 12-7 defeat against Orlando Lake Highland Prep. A trio of juniors leads St. Thomas in scoring. Ava Yovino paces the team with 41 goals and 28 assists, Peri Reigner has 38 goals and 17 assists and Sofia Guttman has 36 goals and 19 assists. The Raiders are ranked third in the state and in the nation, behind American Heritage-Delray and Lake Highland Prep — both of which are in Class 1A. St. Thomas faces Lutz Steinbrenner at 4 p.m. on Friday. Steinbrenner is 17-1 and ranked 10th in the state.
American Heritage-Delray (14-1)
The Stallions will likely get a shot at redemption for their one loss this year. Ranked first in the state and the nation, Heritage appears destined to get another shot at Lake Highland Prep, the reigning state champion and the only team to beat the Stallions this year (Lake Highland Prep beat Heritage 7-6 on March 6). Heritage has a prolific offense, averaging about 16 goals per game. Five players have more than 20 goals. Freshman Brooke Goldstein leads the Stallions with 47 goals, and she has 15 assists this season. Heritage is looking for its second state title and first since 2018. Before a potential rematch with Lake Highland Prep, the Stallions will face Community School of Naples at noon on Friday. The Seahawks are talented in their own right, though, entering the Final Four with a 21-1 record. Community School, which is ranked ninth in the state, also has a great offense, averaging 18 goals per game. Three players have more than 50 goals; senior Prentice Atterbury has 95 goals, and sophomore Amelia Byerly has 60.