Winning the district title was not only a goal for the Bishop Moore men’s lacrosse team this season – it was a requirement if the team looks to exceed last year’s state title game run. Playing host to Edgewater, Dr. Phillips and The First Academy, the Hornets not only had the advantage, but also took full advantage of the inferior nature of the district’s makeup. Then again, the Hornets have shown their superiority to almost all of Central Florida, defeating every scheduled opponent from the region aside from Winter Park.
The Hornets will host Windermere High School at Bishop Moore on Friday at 7PM in the first round of the Region 2 portion of the state playoff bracket. The winner will advance and face either Lake Highland Prep or Winter Park, who also face off on Friday at 7PM at Lake Highland.
District Semifinal
Bishop Moore 19, Dr. Phillips 2
Freshman midfielder Riley Mulligan scored his second goal of the game in the third period before junior midfielder Seamus Gavin added the final goal in the fourth period.
Eleven different Hornets found the back of the net in an overwhelming 19-2 win over the Dr. Phillips Panthers in the district semifinals. Attackmen RJ Sanfilippo and Jake Kiefer scored five of their eight combined goals in the first period which saw the Hornets grab a 9-1 lead. Junior attackman Brooks Rask dished an individual season-high seven assists in the first half. Leading 17-1 at halftime, a running clock in the second half led to just three goals by both teams.
District Championship
Bishop Moore 20, The First Academy 5
After being held scoreless for the first four minutes of game time, junior midfielder Jack McKeever’s goal opened the flood gates for the Hornets against the outmatched First Academy Royals. Junior’s RJ Sanfilippo and Brooks Rask scored or assisted on five of the teams seven goals in a first period that saw 16 shots total. Sanfilippo and Rask finished with eight goals and three assists between them.
Senior Jake Kiefer, who Royals coach David Oliver said, “couldn’t be stopped”, added three goals and three assists. Kiefer’s goal at the beginning of the second half led to yet another running clock situation.
David Prinsell, the state’s second leading scorer, was the lone bright spot for the Royals – adding three more goals to his season total.