Division 1 – Boys, Marist 11, Allatoona 5
Marist turned its first-ever state title appearance into its first state championship. The War Eagles battled with perennial powerhouse Allatoona in a close, physical match, using a huge second-half surge to come away with an 11-5 victory.
Early on, it looked like Allatoona was going to control the game, outscoring the War Eagles 2-1 in the first quarter. The second quarter was much of the same, with both teams battling evenly and Allatoona heading into halftime with a 4-2 lead. The second half started off in favor of the Buccaneers, who scored within the first minute of the third quarter to extend their lead to 5-2. But that would be Allatoona’s final goal of the game. From that point on, Marist took over, scoring nine straight goals to put the game out of reach. Leading the charge was sophomore Jake McClaren, who scored four consecutive goals during that run to spark the comeback and seal the championship.
Marist will enter next season as the heavy favorite, returning nearly all of its key players and graduating only three seniors. The team will bring back most of its starters, including championship game standout Jake McClaren.
Allatoona, on the other hand, will face another offseason of regrouping after yet another near-miss. Despite being one of the state’s top programs for years, the Buccaneers have not won a title since 2016, a drought that now includes two championship losses in the past three seasons, a streak the Buccaneers will look to break next season.
Division 2 — Boys, Roswell 13, Lassiter 12
Roswell scored four unanswered goals to tie the match at 12-12 at the end of regulation before securing the sudden death victory in overtime, securing the program’s fifth title.
The Hornets previously won championships in 2014, 2015 and the past two seasons. Lassiter was trying for the team’s third championship after winning in 2006 and 2017.
Roswell scored two goals in the final 12 seconds of the first quarter to lead 3-1 and enjoyed a 6-4 lead at the half. Roswell was nursing a 9-8 advantage at the end of the third quarter before falling behind and mounting the four-goal comeback.
Division 2 – Girls, Cambridge 17, Blessed Trinity 5
For the second year in a row, the Cambridge Bears proved to be too much for Blessed Trinity. The Bears extended their winning streak against the Titans to four games, dating back to last year’s regular season. Cambridge dominated the first three quarters, entering the fourth with a commanding 14-2 lead and eventually winning 17-5.
Cambridge pushed the game to a running clock late in the third quarter but had controlled the game since the midpoint of the first. The Titans opened the scoring with the first goal of the game, but Cambridge responded with six straight to seize control, heading into halftime up 8-2. They went on to score nine of the final 12 goals, capping off a dominant season.
The Bears’ dominance started at every faceoff. During Cambridge’s 14-1 scoring run, they won nearly every faceoff, if not all, granting themselves possession repeatedly, often immediately after scoring. This allowed them to score multiple goals without Blessed Trinity even touching the ball.
Blessed Trinity has long been one of the premier programs in the state, winning six championships over the past nine seasons, second only to the dynasty of Milton. The Titans will return much of their roster next year. As a program that has reached the finals in eight of the last nine seasons, expectations remain high, and they should continue to be a top contender in the class.
Division 2 – Girls, Milton 17, Creekview 5
The Milton Eagles made it eight straight, extending their dynasty to 20 seasons and 18 championships. Since lacrosse became a GHSA-sanctioned sport 21 years ago, Milton has reached the finals every year. The Eagles defeated Creekview 17-5 in a game that was more competitive than the final score suggests.
Milton opened the game strong, scoring seven of the first nine goals and holding a 7-2 lead late into the second quarter. The Grizzlies mounted a serged at the end of the half, scoring two quick goals to cut the deficit to 7-4 and holding Milton to just two goals in the second period. However, the Eagles made adjustments at halftime and came out firing in the third quarter, scoring six unanswered goals to put the game out of reach. They eventually triggered a running clock in the fourth and closed the game on a dominant 10-1 run.
Milton will head into next season as the heavy favorite to extend its championship streak to nine. The Eagles have been nearly unstoppable, winning all but two titles since the sport’s inception in Georgia.
On the other side of the field, Creekview returns to the drawing board. The Grizzlies have been one of the most consistent programs in the state in recent years, but have fallen to the state’s two longest-running dynasties, Blessed Trinity and Milton, in each of the past four seasons. The team will undoubtedly remain in the championship conversation next year, but breaking through and winning their first remains their biggest challenge.
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