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Wolves 2016 Season Wrap Up
Wolves 2016 Season Wrap Up
BARBARA J. PERENIC/THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Wolves goalkeeper Chris Reynolds looks to make a pass as Max Johnston of St. Francis defends during the state final. Reynolds made nine saves
The Worthington Kilbourne High School boys lacrosse team's record was never above .500 during the regular season. The Wolves entered the postseason 8-10, but won six consecutive tournament games to capture their second state title and first in Division II. They defeated Toledo St. Francis 11-7 in the championship game June 4 at Thomas Worthington to finish 14-10 overall. "This is a great feeling and a great experience to be able to do something like this," said senior attacker Luke LeVette, who scored five goals against St. Francis and was named Offensive Player of the Game. "We have a really close senior class and we overcame some adversity because people doubted us due to our record. But we played hard every game, and to win it all is a testament to this team sticking together." Kilbourne had the third-toughest schedule in the state regardless of division, according to LaxPower.com. Among the teams the Wolves lost to were Upper Arlington (10-9 on May 10), Cincinnati St. Xavier (8-5 on April 2), Cleveland St. Ignatius (8-7 in triple overtime May 6), Dublin Coffman (14-12 on April 27), Olentangy Liberty (13-3 on April 20) and Dublin Jerome (12-8 on March 30 and 9-5 on May 7). Those six Division I teams were ranked No. 1 through No. 6, respectively, in the final state computer ratings by LaxPower.com. UA beat St. Ignatius 17-5 in the Division I state final, and St. Xavier and Coffman were regional finalists. The Wolves also lost to two highly regarded programs outside Ohio in Bloomfield Hills (Michigan) Brother Rice (9-7 on April 17) and Pittsford (New York) Sutherland (12-8 on March 25). In all, Kilbourne played 10 teams that finished with 16 or more victories. "You don't win a state championship in the regular season, but you prepare for the tournament and make all your adjustments as you try to peak at the right time," coach Drew May said. St. Francis scored twice early in the second period to tie the score at 2 before Kilbourne scored the next three goals, including two in the final 2 minutes, 40 seconds of the first half, to take a 5-2 lead into halftime. St. Francis cut its deficit to 5-4 before LeVette scored on an assist from senior midfielder Jared Happ. Then, with the Wolves leading 6-5, LeVette scored again to begin a 5-0 run, and senior midfielder Connor Alley scored to give Kilbourne an 8-5 lead through three quarters. A staunch defensive effort led by senior long-stick midfielder Alex Cash and senior goalkeeper Chris Reynolds locked down the Silver Knights in the fourth quarter. "We heard how great their attack was and we just held our ground and made them work for everything they got," said Cash, who was named Defensive Player of the Game. Senior midfielder Jack Maloney had two goals and Happ had four assists for the Wolves, who won the Division I state title in 2009. Reynolds, who missed most of the season with a knee injury, had nine saves. "It was frustrating being out with the ACL, but once I got back, our defense and offense began to click," said Reynolds, who was named Division II Goalkeeper Player of the Year. "We settled in and got hot at the right time." The Wolves were seeded third in the Central Region tournament and beat 14th-seeded Dayton Miami Valley School 24-2 on May 19, seventh-seeded Kettering Alter 19-2 on May 21 and second-seeded Dublin Scioto 14-4 on May 25 and top-seeded DeSales 14-8 on May 28 to win the regional title. Kilbourne then defeated Cincinnati Summit Country Day 16-3 in a state semifinal June 1 at Centerville. The Wolves are losing 12 seniors, including six starters in Happ, Maloney, Cash, LeVette, Reynolds and midfielder Jake Weirick. The other seniors are Alley, Keegan Bartok (midfielder), Nick Catanzarite (goalie), Garrett McCarthy (attacker), Christian Nestingen (defender) and Grant Snodgrass (midfielder/faceoff specialist). Happ, LeVette and Reynolds made first-team all-state and all-region, Cash was first-team all-region and second-team all-state and Weirick was first-team all-region. Maloney and Snodgrass were second-team all-region. Expected to return are juniors Curt Grawe (defender) and Jack Trombetti (defender), sophomores Sam Biglin (midfielder), Nick Clay (attacker), Liam Nehring (defender) and Ryan Wesolowski (attacker) and freshmen Dane Jackson (goalie) and Jake LeVette (attacker). Trombetti was second-team all-state and first-team all-region, Grawe was second-team all-region and Nehring and Jackson were honorable mention all-region. The Wolves went 3-4 in the OCC-Buckeye Division to finish fifth, behind UA (7-0), Jerome (6-1), Coffman (5-2) and Liberty (4-3) and ahead of Thomas, Hilliard Davidson and Olentangy (all 1-6). Making all-league honors were Happ (first team), Trombetti (second team), Cash (second team) and Luke LeVette (honorable mention).
*Record: 14-10 overall, 3-4 (fifth) in OCC-Buckeye
*Seniors lost: Connor Alley, Keegan Bartok, Alex Cash, Nick Catanzarite, Jared Happ, Luke LeVette, Jack Maloney, Garrett McCarthy, Christian Nestingen, Chris Reynolds, Grant Snodgrass and Jake Weirick
*Key returnees: Sam Biglin, Nick Clay, Curt Grawe, Jake LeVette, Liam Nehring, Jack Trombetti and Ryan Wesolowski
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