After a seven-year wait, Ponte Vedra boys lacrosse is back on top.
The Sharks chomped past St. Thomas Aquinas 9-8 in the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 2A boys lacrosse championship, winning the second title in Northeast Florida history on May 9.
Ponte Vedra, which finished the regular season atop the FHSAA boys lacrosse rankings, lived up to the numbers at Paradise Coast Sports Complex in Naples. The reward for the Sharks and head coach Chris Polanski: the school’s second FHSAA trophy in the sport and the first since 2019.
Goalie Charlie Nolan came up big in the second half, and Carson Gunnell’s goal off a forced turnover snapped a 7-7 deadlock in the final three minutes. The Sharks extended their edge when Hudson Hauseman forced Aquinas out of bounds on an attempted clear, setting up an empty-net insurance goal by JP Dolan when the senior fought through a double-team.
Diego Salazar gave Aquinas hope with 26 seconds remaining, kindling memories of the Raiders’ rally past Ponte Vedra in the 2022 final, but Luke Greco secured the ensuing face-off to wrap up the contest.
The FHSAA credited Ponte Vedra freshman Will Cavanaugh with a team-high three goals, plus one each for Dolan, Greco, Gunnell, Hauseman, Jack Larkin and Matthias Schulz. Jack Lancelot led Aquinas with four goals.
Ponte Vedra (21-2) had its only losses this year by a combined four goals to Jupiter and St. Andrew’s (the latter in quadruple overtime).
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Ponte Vedra champions: Boys lacrosse earns second FHSAA title
Reporting by Clayton Freeman, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
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