Senior
McAllister Hobbs scored the game-winning goal with 58 seconds remaining in regulation, completing a stunning Jesuit comeback that saw the Rangers come storming back from a three-goal deficit with 4:48 remaining to defeat ESD, 11-10, in the Texas High School Lacrosse League (THSLL) Class AA State Championship game on Sunday in Dripping Springs.
The Rangers outscored the Eagles, 7-3, in the second half to secure their second straight Class AA crown. Hobbs was named the Tournament MVP following his last-minute heroics, junior
Max Fernandes was named the Tournament Defensive MVP after securing three ground balls and causing three turnovers on Sunday, and senior
Will Reading was named the Tournament Offensive MVP following another stellar outing. Reading went 15-of-17 at the face-off "x", including five wins in the fourth quarter, and started the Ranger rally with 4:43 remaining in regulation.
Senior
Connor Knight clinched the win for the Rangers with a phenomenal kick save in the final seconds of regulation, finishing the game with 17 saves en route to picking up his second state championship. Junior
Charlie Schmidt and sophomore
Beckett Foley scored two goals apiece as additional tallies were recorded by Hobbs, Reading,
Nate Duncan,
Charlie Metz,
Charles Moran and Fernandes. Moran added a team-high two assists and secured three ground balls.
Metz began the momentum shift late in the first half, scoring with nine seconds remaining in the second to send Jesuit into the halftime break trailing by three goals. The third quarter was a stalemate as neither team found back of the net until Fernandes scored unassisted at the 4:21 mark to cut the Eagle lead to two. Moran would follow with a goal at the 2:32 mark to cut the lead to one, but back-to-back goals by ESD returned the lead to three with 6:41 remaining in the fourth.
Duncan fought his way to the net and sent a shot past the Eagles' netminder to bring the score to 9-7 with 5:53 remaining in the fourth quarter. ESD scored its final goal of the game with 4:48 left in the fourth to take a 10-7 lead.
Reading won the face-off moments after the Eagles' 10th goal, raced down the field and bounced a shot home to begin the championship-clinching rally. After ESD scored an own goal at the 3:51 mark to cut its lead to one, Foley tied the game with 2:18 left off of a feed by Moran.
Jesuit regained possession after a loose ball went out of bounds on the ensuing face-off, and Hobbs gave Jesuit its first lead of the contest with a quick release from the point after rushing past several ESD defenders. The Rangers held on over the final 58 seconds, withstanding a late flurry of shots from the Eagles to clinch the championship.
The nationally-ranked Rangers close the 2022 season with a 14-2 record and an unblemished 12-0 mark against teams in the Lone Star State. Jesuit, which entered the week ranked atop the
USA Lacrosse Magazine South Regional rankings, has not dropped a game to a Texas-based opponent since March 11, 2021 and have pieced together an impressive, 20-0 record since that date.
