HS LAX WRAP SOUTH By Laurel Pfahler >>PLAYER OF THE YEAR Bear Goldstein ST. MARK’S (TEXAS)
Bear Goldstein had never heard of lacrosse. He just wanted to make friends at a new school in fourth grade. Back then, Goldstein mostly played hockey. It limited him in lacrosse, where he gravitated toward defense. He’s glad it worked out that way.
Goldstein, who gave up hockey in seventh grade, went on to become a four-year starter for St. Mark’s lacrosse and one of the most feared defensemen in Texas. Goldstein led the Lions to their fi rst-ever state championship this season, racking up 128 ground balls and 78 caused turnovers. “I always played a lot of sports, so lacrosse came easy to
me,” said Goldstein, a two-time All-American who also played football and basketball. “I grew quicker than everyone else and I was always aggressive, so sports were a sacred time for me. But lacrosse was special because it’s a combination of everything good about all the other sports I enjoy.” Coming from a family of football players and track athletes, Goldstein was a natural competitor, but he gradually became the complete defender the St. Mark’s grew to depend on in more ways than one. “Bear is great at applying pressure, being aggressive and
helping off-ball, and he’s great on the ground,” Lions coach Hayward Lee said. “He’s a great communicator, his transition game really improved and he helped others excel. He went into the season wanting to be a difference maker and to lead his team to a championship, and that’s what he did.” Lee recalled Goldstein coming into his offi ce the day after
St. Mark’s lost in the 2012 state fi nal and asking the coach to “put everything” on his shoulders the next season. He did the same thing when the Lions trailed Episcopal Dallas 6-1 in the second quarter of the state fi nal.
“He looked us in the eye and said, ‘Put me on the wing on every faceoff, and I’ll get all the ground balls and we’ll win,’” Lee said. “He made good on his promise.” The 6-foot, 175-pound senior scooped 10 ground balls, and St. Mark’s rallied for an 8-7 overtime victory. To Goldstein, it was the perfect end to a four-year journey that now sends him to a career at Princeton. “I was part of two runner-up fi nishes and one loss in the
semifi nals, so we were always so close and just not able to do it,” he said. “Winning the championship was like the last day of school dumping all the books out of your backpack and feeling that relief because you know you are done. Everything we worked on for four years fi nally came together.”
>>FINAL BOYS’ TOP 10
1. Lake Highland Prep (Fla.) ÚThe Highlanders (20-5) claimed their second state title in three years, defeating St. Andrew’s in a thrilling fi nal. Clay Phillips (Boston University) led the team with 71 goals. Billy Roll added 57 goals and 70 assists for a school-record 127 points. Devon Lewis (Georgetown) chipped in 44 goals and 27 assists.
2. St. Mark’s (Texas) ÚThe Lions (18-3) won their fi rst-ever state title with an overtime victory against Episcopal Dallas. Princeton-bound Bear Goldstein (128 ground balls, 78 caused turnovers) and Dartmouth-bound Justin Harvey (43 CT, 64 GB) anchored a rock-solid defense in front of goalie Chris Roach (Alabama).
3. St. Andrew’s (Fla.) ÚThe Scots (20-4) just fell short of their ninth state title in 10 years. Conor Whipple (Georgetown) amassed 96 goals and 32 assists, Grant Mahler (Cornell) had a team-high 93 ground balls and a 67-percent faceoff win rate, and Corey Etcheverry (Sacred Heart) saved more than 60 percent of shots he faced.
4. Episcopal Dallas (Texas) ÚA tough regular-season schedule paid off for the Eagles (15-7) in the form of a state runner-up fi nish. Episcopal Dallas had a strong cast around sophomore midfi elder Sam Romano (Syracuse) and junior attackmen Richie Loftus (Dartmouth) and Jack Beare (Notre Dame).
5. Dallas Jesuit (Texas) ÚThe Rangers (14-3) suffered a nail-biting state semifi nal loss to Episcopal Dallas. Jesuit’s three losses were by two goals or fewer. The senior class included faceoff man Sam Rosengarden (Jacksonville), goalie Dan Morris (Maryland), attackman Zach Coker (Furman) and midfi elder Garrett Van de Ven (Duke).
6. Benjamin (Fla.) ÚThe Buccaneers (17-3) made their fi rst FHSAA fi nal four, but came up empty
against St. Andrew’s. Benjamin won several close games. Senior Robert Jacobs (Kenyon) fi nished with 55 goals and 35 assists.
ÚThe Scots (14-3) won 13 straight games after a 3-2 loss to The Woodlands to make the state semifi nals. Junior midfi elder Robert Mencke (Harvard), All-American senior goalie Matthew Meaders and senior attackman Bryce Green (Furman) paced Highland Park.
7. Highland Park (Texas)
8. Ponte Vedra (Fla.) ÚThe Sharks (21-3) advanced to their third straight fi nal four. Goalie Ryan Applegate (Catawba) was solid as a fi rst-year starter. Midfi elder Dalton LeMaster (Ohio Wesleyan) paced the offense with 44 goals. Logan Taucher (120 GB) is a rising junior.
LAXMAGAZINE.COM
Billy Roll made good on his prediction that Lake Highland Prep would rally from a 5-4 start to win it all in Florida. Read up on that and more from the South Region ranks.
40 LACROSSE MAGAZINE August 2013>>
LaxMagazine.com/HSBS
ÚThe Knights (19-3) claimed their fi rst state title by beating Lambert in the Class 6A fi nal — the school’s only championship in any boys’ team sport. Sophomore midfi elder Zach Levy won 20 of 27 faceoffs in the championship game and was 83 percent for the season.
9. Centennial (Ga.)
ÚThe Shamrocks (17-1) avenged their only loss when they beat Louisville St. Xavier in the state fi nal, ending the Tigers’ title streak at fi ve. Goalie Cody Tranbarger (Amherst) had a 68-percent save rate.
10. Louisville Trinity (Ky.) A Publication of US Lacrosse
©ROBERT GOLDSTEIN (BG); ©SCOTT MCCALL (BR)
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