5A Boys Lacrosse: Valor Christian Wins Third Title, First Since 2017

DENVER – Valor Christian’s first state championship since 2017 turned out to be the most dominant performance of any since high school boys lacrosse became a sport in Colorado.

On Monday night, at the University of Denver’s Peter Barton Stadium, the third-seeded Eagles scored early and often on their way to a 22-6 victory over No. 1 Arapahoe in the Class 5A state championship game.

It was the largest margin of victory in state championship game history.

“This is special for our seniors,” Eagles head coach Jeremy Noble said. “We had a motto this year and we talked about celebrating everyone else’s success before your own. This is our first 5A state championship but, hands down, this is the best high school lacrosse team Colorado has ever seen, without a doubt. I know the game. I’ve been around the game at the highest levels and they are one of the best teams that’s come through Colorado lacrosse.”

The Eagles also broke their own record for most goals in a state championship game, set when they won 20-12 over Dawson School in 2017.

The Eagles opened the game on a 3-0 run, which included a goal from James Riches and two more from Geordy Reider. Arapahoe’s Nicholas Parker put the Warriors on the board before the Eagles – Rush LaSelle, JT Cross, and Baden Brown twice – scored four more consecutive goals to finish the first quarter with a 7-1 lead.

Cross, Reider, Harry Luong and Ashton Hutter outscored Arapahoe’s Brody Nelson (2 goals) in the second quarter and Valor Christian led 11-3 at halftime. Things really got out of hand in the third quarter, during which Arapahoe’s Eli Backer scored before     the Eagles – Brown (4), Reider (2) and LaSelle – scored seven more goals.

With an 18-4 lead to start the fourth quarter, the Eagles scored six goals – Goodwin (2), Brown and Riches – to Arapahoe’s two – Wesley Foa and Michael Moynihan.

“They wanted to be coached and they wanted to be corrected and they believed in themselves,” Noble said. “Honestly, we didn’t have too much adversity this season with the teams in Colorado that we played. But that’s a testament to how hard they worked, starting in August. They worked hard every day and they went above and beyond. And it was earned, it wasn’t given.”

Brown led all scorers with seven goals and Reider had five.

Monday’s victory marked Valor Christian’s third state title and first in 5A. The Eagles won back-to-back titles in 2016 and 2017 back when they were still in 4A.

Arapahoe has won four boys lacrosse titles, and were champions as recently as 2022.

Either Valor Christian or Arapahoe has played in each of the last four 5A state championship games.