Ponte Vedra boys lacrosse team rolls to state title

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Number 1 in the country. Now, Number 1 in the state. 

The Ponte Vedra boys lacrosse team crushed Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas 19-7 on Saturday night in Boca Raton for the first championship by an area program. 

Another quick start set the tone for the Sharks, who scored twice in the first 62 second and then coasted to a championship a long time in the making. They sewed things up after the break, including a 10-goal blitz over the third and fourth quarters that triggered a running clock.  

Ponte Vedra, already ranked No. 1 in the nation by MaxPreps, had played for a title just once before, losing to Aquinas. This time, there was no doubt and the Sharks have a state championship to package with their national ranking. 

The Sharks (24-1) jumped out just as quickly a day earlier in its semifinal win over defending state champion Jupiter, leading 5-0 before it got on the board. Aquinas cut the deficit to 8-5 late in the second quarter, but the Sharks answered with a surge that left no doubt. Ten straight Ponte Vedra goals followed, turning a two-score game into a running clock blowout that delivered the Sharks their historic championship. 

St. Andrews and Lake Highland Prep have owned state lacrosse since the first recognized state championship in 2008, combining to win eight state titles. Aquinas has two and Jupiter one.