BOCA RATON – There likely won’t be much of a pregame speech needed from head coach Tom West before Ponte Vedra takes the field Friday night in the FHSAA Boys Lacrosse Final Four in Boca Raton.
Fourth ranked Ponte Vedra (17-5) and third ranked Bishop Moore (18-2) face off in the state semi-finals at Boca Raton High School.
Fifty-five days ago the Hornets handed the Sharks their second loss of the season a 7-6 setback March 17 in Orlando. Ponte Vedra led 6-2 only to see Bishop Moore reel off five straight unanswered goals and stun the visiting Sharks on St. Patrick’s Day.
That should serve as plenty of motivation for the Sharks who are trying to not only win their first state title but the area’s first state title as well.
Two years ago, the Sharks nearly ended that drought but came up short in a 13-11 loss to St. Thomas Aquinas in the title game. A year after coming off the first state title appearance, the Sharks (19-2) were stunned by Lake Mary in the second round last season.
Yet a schedule, which has featured games against state powers Lake Highland Prep (11-10, OT), IMG Academy (11-10, OT), Jupiter (8-9), No. 6 Oxbridge (5-6) and No. 9 St. Augustine (7-4/12-6) as well out of town teams Gonzaga, MD (6-9), Calvert Hall, NC (7-16) and Wando, NC (14-4) has them well prepared for the Final Four.
Ponte Vedra is playing for not just themselves but for all of North Florida (Pensacola to Daytona) as no team above Orlando has ever won a state title; however the Sharks are looking to change that stat as well.
Ponte Vedra is two wins away from their first state title. Photos courtesy from St. Augustine Record.
At a glance
Who: No. 4 Ponte Vedra (17-5) vs No. 3 Bishop Moore (18-2)
Where: Boca Raton High School
When: Friday, 5 p.m.
How they got here: Ponte Vedra def. Bartram Trail 16-1 (Dst. Semis), def. Nease 15-2 (Dst. Title), def. Fletcher 21-4 (1st Rd.), def. St. Augustine 12-6 (Reg. Semis) and Oak Hall 11-9 (Reg. Final). Bishop Moore def. Edgewater 19-1 (Dst. Semis), def. First Academy 12-6 (Dst. Title), def. West Orange 16-1 (1st Rd.), def. Winter Park 16-3 (Reg. Semis) and def. Jesuit 8-3 (Reg. Final).
Winner gets: Winner plays winner of No. 1 St. Andrews (17-2) and No. 2 Jupiter (19-2) in state championship game Saturday at 8 p.m.
Glance: The odds are against Ponte Vedra to advance to the title game, but that might play into their hands as well, as having already knocked off the Sharks the Hornets might have all the pressure on them. If the Sharks can get by the Hornets, they would face off against either No. 1 St. Andrews (17-2) or No. 2 Jupiter (19-2) in the final. Jupiter handed the Sharks their third loss of the season 9-8 at Ponte Vedra, six days after the loss to the Hornets. Four of their five losses this season were by three goals or less, including three by one goal each. One player to keep an eye is three year senior goal keeper Wyatt Schupler, who made seven saves on 26 shots on goal and has only allowed 22 goals in 5 playoff games (average of 4 goals a game). The odds are even greater they won’t win the state title as well; as nobody north of Orlando has ever won a state title. As since the sport was introduced in 2008 only Boca Raton St. Andrews, Orlando Lake Highland Prep and Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas have won state titles and with St. Andrews playing in their home city it’s a safe bet the Scots will be heavy favorites to win their fifth state overall title.
Boys State Champions
2017: St. Thomas Aquinas 12, Lake Highland Prep 7
2016: St. Thomas Aquinas 13, Ponte Vedra 11
2015: Lake Highland Prep 13, St. Thomas Aquinas 11
2014: Lake Highland Prep 9, Benjamin 2
2013: Lake Highland Prep 8, St. Andrews 7
2012: St. Andrews 16, Lake Highland Prep 10
2011: Lake Highland Prep 11, St. Andrews 10
2010: St. Andrews 14, Lake Highland Prep 8
2009: St. Andrews 19, Lake Brantley 5
2008: St. Andrews 16, Lake Brantley 8
2018 Ponte Vedra Sharks
Game 1: Ponte Vedra 10, Hagerty 3 (1-0)
Game 2: Ponte Vedra 17, Menendez 0 (2-0)
Game 3: Ponte Vedra 15, Fleming Island 2 (3-0)
Game 4: Ponte Vedra 11, IMG 10 (OT) (4-0)
Game 5: Ponte Vedra 11, Lake Highland Prep 10 (OT) (5-0)
Game 6: Ponte Vedra 17, Nease 11 (6-0)
Game 7: Ponte Vedra 19, Bartram Trail 3 (7-0)
Game 8: Ponte Vedra 14, Wando, NC (8-0)
Game 9: Calvert Hall, NC 16, Ponte Vedra 7 (8-1)
Game 10: Ponte Vedra 20, Creekside 4 (9-1)
Game 11: Bishop Moore 7, Ponte Vedra 6 (9-2)
Game 12: Ponte Vedra 14, Bolles 6 (10-2)
Game 13: Jupiter 9, Ponte Vedra 8 (10-3)
Game 14: Oxbridge 6, Ponte Vedra 5 (10-4)
Game 15: Ponte Vedra 7, St. Augustine 4 (11-4)
Game 16: Gonzaga 9, Ponte Vedra 6 (11-5)
Game 17: Ponte Vedra 13, Oak Hall 7 (12-5)
Game 18: Ponte Vedra 16, Bartram Trail 1 (13-5)
Game 19: Ponte Vedra 15, Nease 2 (14-5)
Game 20: Ponte Vedra 21, Fletcher 4 (15-5)
Game 21: Ponte Vedra 12, St. Augustine 6 (16-5)
Game 22: Ponte Vedra 11, Oak Hall 9 (17-5)
