The three-time Jesuit Men’s Lacrosse State Champions are seeking a fourth state title this year to cap off their season with another ring. The Crusaders have faced some challenges this season, losing multiple players to season-ending injuries and others who missed several games. Despite these setbacks, the team has gone 17-1, with their only loss coming in overtime to Lakeridge during the Fritz Hayes Classic on April 12.
This season, the Crusaders have defeated several top teams from the Pacific Northwest, including Seattle Prep, Bellarmine Prep, and Eastlake— all based in Seattle. During their spring break trip to Seattle, they edged out Seattle Prep by just one goal in an overtime thriller. However, when the Panthers visited Portland on April 26, the Crusaders dominated with a 14-3 victory.
Captain Thatcher Killian, who has unfortunately been sidelined this season due to a hand injury, has taken on an additional role as part of the coaching staff and has watched the Crusaders improve steadily since their loss to Lakeridge.
“Our team has improved a ton since the Lakeridge game,” Killian said. “During that game, we played at our absolute worst, and since then we’ve only gotten better. Our offense has been clicking more, and our defense plays much better together and has improved in efficiency both on and off the ball.”
The Lakeridge Pacers have also had a strong season, finishing 15-1, with their only loss coming against Mercer Island. The Pacers and Crusaders have faced many of the same opponents with similar results. For instance, the Pacers beat Sunset 15-5, while the Crusaders beat them 17-5. Likewise, the Pacers defeated the Lincoln Cardinals 14-2, and the Crusaders won 20-2.
The other two teams in contention for the state championship are West Linn and Lincoln, though neither is expected to pose a significant challenge to the top-ranked Crusaders.
Junior Elliot Hire spoke about how the team has been preparing during the second half of the season.
“Every day we are trying to get better and compete with one another,” Hire said. “Right now, we’re focused on getting as healthy as possible before the playoffs. If we stay healthy and keep working hard, we’re confident we’ll find success.”
This year, the playoff schedule is slightly different for men’s lacrosse teams across the state. Typically, the first round of playoffs takes place in the second-to-last week of May, with the state championship game held on May 31 or the last Saturday of the month. However, this year the first playoff game is on May 30, and the championship game is scheduled for June 7 at 5:30 p.m.
As a result, Jesuit’s seniors will have already graduated and been out of school for a week before the championship game. Senior Brady Bayne reflected on how this change affects the team.
“Honestly, it’s not ideal, but it’s something we can’t really change,” Bayne said. “I wish the championship were before graduation like in past years. It would have been fun to play and then graduate. But there’s nothing we can do about it, so we’re just going to embrace it and have fun during that final week.”
The Crusaders begin their playoff run on May 30, facing either the 16th- or 9th-ranked team in the first round.