St. X lacrosse overcomes slow start to win state title





COLUMBUS - Entering the Division I state championship game against Upper Arlington, St. Xavier had outscored its opponents by a combined 68-11.

After the win against Moeller in the regional final, senior attacker Jack Perez said the Bombers like to start fast and preach that the game is decided in the first five minutes.

Fortunately for the Bombers, that wasn't the case as Upper Arlington scored the first three goals of the game. However, St. X fought its way back to supplant the defending state champion, 7-6.

Perez scored the game-winning goal and goalkeeper Alex Deters recorded the final save to clinch the victory.

"I'm just so proud of the boys," St. Xavier coach Nate Sprong said. "They've worked so hard for this. It wasn't pretty, but they overcame it with sheer grit in the second half."

St. X didn't find the back of the cage until Jack Green scored the first of his four goals with 1:23 left in the first quarter.

With two seconds left in the first frame, George Thurner cut the Bombers' deficit to 3-2.

In the second quarter, the Golden Bears reclaimed the lead with three goals. Green scored his second of the game.

At the half, Upper Arlington led 6-3.

From there, it was all Bombers, as they scored four unanswered goals.

"They were locking off on (William) Holcomb and (David) Leising," said Green, the game's most valuable player on offense. "I could take the shot all day or draw slides and pass it. It was good stuff."ed goals in the second half, including two more by Green. His final goal of the game tied it.

Matthew Donnelly also put one in the back of the net and Perez scored the eventual game-winning goal.

"On man-up rushes, we always try to find a 3-on-2 and I saw it on the left wing," Perez said. "I saw my man had his head turned away from the ball, so I went back-door, threw a fake and luckily it went in.

"I had gotten stoned by the goalie earlier. I needed that one."

That goal came with about four minutes left to play. It was up to the defense to make it stand.

Upper Arlington played with more urgency and the game got a little chippy. Eventually, the Golden Bears wound up with the final possession.

They maintained that same deliberate approach that netted them six goals, but the final shot wound up in Deters' webbing.

"In the second half, we played 24 minutes of shutout lacrosse," said Deters, the game's defensive most valuable player. "I felt the weight of the ball in my stick, saw there wasn't much time left and I high-tailed it out of there.

"It still hasn't set in quite yet. Hopefully, it does soon."