Rock Hill area schools eye South Carolina high school lacrosse finals
Nation Ford will play for its fourth straight boys’ lacrosse state championship berth Tuesday night, when the Falcons visit Greenville in the 5A/Division 1 Upper State regional finals.
Fresh off a dramatic 11-10 victory Saturday over neighborhood rival Fort Mill, the Falcons will face an opponent that also has state championship game experience.
Greenville (10-5), which has won seven straight games, lost to Lucy Beckham in the 4A finals last year. The Raiders moved up to Class 5A/Division 1 this year.
Nation Ford (11-7) lost in the 5A title game a year ago, falling 18-7 to Wando. It was the third consecutive state championship game between the two schools, with Nation Ford winning in 2023 and Wando in ‘22.
A fourth rematch isn’t coming, as Wando is in Class 5A/Division 1 (and playing Tuesday for a Lower State regional title).
Nation Ford earned its dramatic victory Saturday on a goal by Trevor Keaton with 11 seconds remaining. Keaton, a 6-5 senior, is among five all-district players on the Falcon roster. The others are leading scorer Josh Ameo, Holden Kestnbaum, Caleb Nickola (who scored three goals in last year’s state finals) and Dylan Ross.
Greenville has four players who have scored 20 or more goals, led by senior Christian Carbonell (25 goals, 13 assists). The others are senior Will Wright (24-21) and juniors Rhodes Schaefer (21-12) and Capers Gross (20-8).
Tuesday’s Upper State winner will play for the 5A/Division 2 championship at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Irmo High.
Fort Mill girls in regional final
Fort Mill plays Monday night at T.L. Hanna for the Class 5A/Division 2 girls’ Upper State lacrosse championship.
The winner faces either defending 4A state champ Lucy Beckham or Socastee in the state finals at noon Saturday at Irmo High.
Fort Mill’s girls (8-7) are a young team, led by sophomore Cece Shia (56 goals) and junior Molly Bennett (45). The Yellow Jackets face a powerhouse, as T.L. Hanna is 16-0.
Boys’ lacrosse playoffs
CLASS 5A/DIVISION 1
Tuesday’s regional finals
Upper State
Boiling Springs (13-4) at Dorman (14-3)
Lower State
James Island (10-6) at Wando (14-2)
CLASS 5A/DIVISION 2
Tuesday’s regional finals
Upper State
Nation Ford (11-7) at Greenville (10-5)
Lower State
Lucy Beckham (16-3) at Chapin (11-7)
CLASS 4A
Tuesday’s regional finals
Upper State
May River (12-5) at A.C. Flora (14-3)
Lower State
Bishop England (9-8) at Oceanside Collegiate (14-3)
Girls’ lacrosse playoffs
CLASS 5A/DIVISION 1
Tuesday’s regional finals
Upper State
J.L. Mann (13-4) at Spartanburg (13-2)
Lower State
River Bluff (10-7) at Lexington (14-1)
CLASS 5A/DIVISION 2
Monday’s regional finals
Upper State
Fort Mill (8-7) at T.L. Hanna (16-0)
Lower State
Socastee (10-8) at Lucy Beckham (11-5)
CLASS 4A
Monday’s regional finals
Upper State
Oceanside Collegiate (13-4) at Christ Church (13-5)
Lower State
Hilton Head Island (14-4) at Bishop England (15-2)
Boys’ tennis playoffs
CLASS 5A/DIVISION 1
Tuesday’s first round
Upper State
Wade Hampton at Blythewood
Byrnes at Rock Hill
Clover at Dorman
Dutch Fork at Mauldin
Lower State
Cane Bay at West Ashley
Fort Dorchester at Summerville
Stratford at Sumter
Thursday’s second round
Upper State
Wade Hampton-Blythewood winner at J.L. Mann
Byrnes-Fort Mill winner at Lexington
Clover-Dorman winner at Spartanburg
Dutch Fork-Mauldin winner at River Bluff
Lower State
Cane Bay-West Ashley winner at Wando
Ashley Ridge at Carolina Forest
Fort Dorchester-Summerville winner at James Island
Stratford-Sumter winner at Spring Valley
CLASS 5A/DIVISION 2
Tuesday’s first round
Upper State
Indian Land at Gaffney
Easley at Catawba Ridge
Woodmont at T.L. Hanna
Lower State
North Myrtle Beach at St. James
White Knoll at Socastee
Lugoff-Elgin at Irmo
Thursday’s second round
Upper State
Indian Land-Gaffney winner at Nation Ford
Greenwood at Greenville
Easley-Catawba Ridge winner at Riverside
Woodmont-T.L. Hanna winner at Fort Mill
Lower State
North Myrtle Beach-St. James winner at Myrtle Beach
Berkeley at Chapin
White Knoll-Socastee winner at West Florence
Lugoff Elgin-Irmo winner at Lucy Beckham
CLASS 4A
Tuesday’s first round
Upper State
A.C. Flora, bye
Blue Ridge at Chapman
Emerald at Dreher
Southside at Wren
Travelers Rest at Seneca
York at Daniel
Westside at Fountain Inn
Pickens at Laurens
Lower State
Bishop England, bye
South Florence at Hilton Head Island
Lower Richland at Brookland-Cayce
Gilbert at Bluffton
May River at Hartsville
Airport at Wilson
North Augusta at Aiken
Darlington at South Aiken
CLASS 3A
Tuesday’s first round
Upper State
Chapman, bye
Southside Christian at Batesburg-Leesville
Broome at St. Joseph’s Catholic
Landrum at Clinton
West-Oak at Christ Church Episcopal
Union County at Belton-Honea Path
Powdersville at Woodruff
Walhalla, bye
Lower State
Waccamaw, bye
American Leadership Academy at Newberry
Columbia at Governor’s School
Hanahan at Phillip Simmons
Fox Creek, bye
Hannah-Pamplico at Green Sea-Floyds
Williston-Elko at Academic Magnet
Oceanside Collegiate, bye