Lacrosse 6/10/2024 8:24:00 AM Alex Harrison, Cincinnati Enquirer

In 'one of the better Ohio state championship games,' St. Xavier lacrosse bows to Liberty

In 'one of the better Ohio state championship games,' St. Xavier lacrosse bows to Liberty
By Alex Harrison, Cincinnati Enquirer

The St. Xavier Bombers won the Ohio High School Athletic Association boys lacrosse state tournament in 2018 and have been back to the state tournament each season since in hopes of adding another first-place finish to its record.

In 2024, the Bombers had to again settle for the silver.

In the Division I state final on Saturday, Olentangy Liberty scored quickly to begin the game and could score even quicker in response to St. Xavier goals as the Patriots won their first state championship, 15-14.

"Two teams with high-powered offenses that came down maybe to who had the ball last," St. Xavier head coach Nate Sprong said.

"From what I can remember, one of the better Ohio state championship games that I've seen."

The victory completed the Division I sweep for Liberty who also won the Division I girls state championship on Friday, beating Upper Arlington 6-5.

Liberty jumps out big in the first half over St. Xavier

It took just 24 seconds for the goal of the day to be scored on a shot from Liberty's Keegan Kuhns. It took another 37 seconds for Kuhns to do it again.

Kuhns scored the first three goals of the day for the Patriots with a St. Xavier goal from Johnnie Guttman splitting the second and third from Kuhns for a 3-1 Liberty lead.

"They were hungry," Kuhns said. "They were here last year and lost and we knew coming into this game that we were going to have to play hard as well."

The Patriots responded quickly to St. Xavier scores. Liberty led 6-3 after the first quarter, scoring the period's final goal just six seconds after a St. Xavier goal from Spencer Stegbauer.

"Lacrosse is a game of runs, so it's not unusual for a team to jump ahead and catch up," Sprong said. "We knew as long as we could get more possessions that we could score."

A Bomber run evens the final at the break

St. Xavier trailed as much as 8-4 in the second quarter with eight minutes left until the break. That's when the Bombers flew back into the game with a 4-0 scoring run.

All-American junior Khalif Hocker started the run with his second goal of the day, cutting the Patriots' lead to 8-5. Brian O'Connor scored to make it 8-6 before Hocker found the net again 39 seconds later to cut the deficit to a single goal.

Luke Sprong had the equalizing goal with 4:41 left in the half. Liberty's Jake Struck and Hocker traded goals before the break for a 9-9 tie. Hocker had four goals at halftime and finished with a game-high six.

"My teammates found me in the right spots at the right times," Hocker said.

The Bombers were outshot 15-10 in the opening quarter, but jumped on possessions in the second, out-shooting Liberty 14-8 and outscoring the Patriots 6-3.

"I think when it comes to these schools in Cincinnati, they're a little bit more physical and they play a little bit harder," Kuhns said. "They're bigger. They're quicker a majority of the time. When it comes to Columbus, you've got guys with better stick skills and quicker play style sometimes.

"X, they're able to have both of those things with their guys and they're able to play with full strength everywhere."

Liberty breaks ahead in the final quarter

When Hocker scored in the second quarter to cut St. Xavier's deficit from 8-6 to 8-7, neither team secured a multiple-goal advantage until Brian Savage scored for a 14-12 Liberty lead with seconds left in the third quarter. Quickly into the final quarter, Luca Minniti scored for a 15-12 Liberty advantage.

St. Xavier scored the next two on goals from Daniel Vollmer and Brady Bennett, but the fast pace of the game disappeared and both teams went scoreless for the final 8:12 to fall by a goal.

"Really?" Liberty head coach Jason Godwin said about the scoring drought. "I think both teams ran out of gas."

Liberty dominated the possession for the last stretch of the game, holding off chances for the Bombers until only seconds were left on the clock.

"They were holding the ball and at some point, it is a decision by the referees on whether they are holding it too long," Sprong said. "I think they probably made the right decision, but it was getting to that point. We just stayed patient and ended up getting a turnover."

St. Xavier's senior sendoff

Seven Bombers recently graduated and now depart the program.

Seniors Gus Folke, Alex Sharma, Brady Bennett, Tyler Stegbauer, Michael Rouse, Leo Tombragel and Carter Grubb were state qualifiers in all four years, state finalists twice and state runner-up finishers twice, in 2023 and 2024.

Those seniors led a talented group, including a junior class of 16 members on the roster with six sophomores.

"I think throughout the season it was commonly said that we play for memories, not for trophies," sophomore Daniel Vollmer said. "I think throughout the season we developed a brotherhood. Since last year it's grown stronger and stronger. We always have good senior leaders. We have a strong junior class and I think a lot of leaders for next year.

"I think for the coming years, it is just going to get better."

Olentangy Liberty 15, St. Xavier 14

Goals: OL- Keegan Kuhns 5, Jake Struck 5, Luca Minniti 3, Brian Savage, Broc Fitzpatrick; SX- Khalif Hocker 6, Brady Bennett 2, Spencer Stegbauer 2, Luke Sprong, Johnnie Guttman, Daniel Vollmer, Brian O'Connor.

Assists: OL- Jake Struck 3, Luca Minniti, Justin Sebert; SX- Brendan Deeley 2, Magnus Violet, Johnnie Guttman, Khalif Hocker.

Saves: OL- Ben Godwin 16; SX- Trent Yelton 8.

Records: OL 23-1, SX 20-4.

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Players Mentioned

#17 Brian O'Connor: Midfield; Sophomore

#1 Trent Yelton: Goalie; Junior

#2 Gus Folke: Midfield; Senior

#3 Luke Sprong: Attack; Junior

#4 Magnus Violet: Midfield; Junior

#5 Johnnie Guttman: Attack; Junior

#6 Khalif Hocker: Attack; Junior

#8 Alex Sharma: Midfield; Senior

#11 Brady Bennett: Midfield; Senior

#12 Spencer Stegbauer: Midfield; Sophomore

#13 Tyler Stegbauer: Defense; Senior

#14 Brendan Deeley: Midfield; Junior

Players Mentioned

#17 Brian O'Connor
: Sophomore
: Midfield

#1 Trent Yelton
: Junior
: Goalie

#2 Gus Folke
: Senior
: Midfield

#3 Luke Sprong
: Junior
: Attack

#4 Magnus Violet
: Junior
: Midfield

#5 Johnnie Guttman
: Junior
: Attack

#6 Khalif Hocker
: Junior
: Attack

#8 Alex Sharma
: Senior
: Midfield

#11 Brady Bennett
: Senior
: Midfield

#12 Spencer Stegbauer
: Sophomore
: Midfield

#13 Tyler Stegbauer
: Senior
: Defense

#14 Brendan Deeley
: Junior
: Midfield

ST. XAVIER BOMBERS ATHLETICS

In 'one of the better Ohio state championship games,' St. Xavier lacrosse bows to Liberty

Liberty jumps out big in the first half over St. Xavier

Players Mentioned

#17 Brian O'Connor

#1 Trent Yelton

#2 Gus Folke

#3 Luke Sprong

#4 Magnus Violet

#5 Johnnie Guttman

#6 Khalif Hocker

#8 Alex Sharma

#11 Brady Bennett

#12 Spencer Stegbauer

#13 Tyler Stegbauer

#14 Brendan Deeley

Players Mentioned

#17 Brian O'Connor

#1 Trent Yelton

#2 Gus Folke

#3 Luke Sprong

#4 Magnus Violet

#5 Johnnie Guttman

#6 Khalif Hocker

#8 Alex Sharma

#11 Brady Bennett

#12 Spencer Stegbauer

#13 Tyler Stegbauer

#14 Brendan Deeley

Scoreboard