Junior Peyton Wainman and freshman Brooke Goldstein each had three goals to lead the American Heritage School Boca/Delray girls’ lacrosse team to its second state championship in school history.
The Stallions (16-1), ranked No. 1 by MaxPreps in the country, avenged its only defeat of the season with an 11-9 victory over rival Lake Highland Prep at Austin-Tindall Sports Complex in Kissimmee in the FHSAA Class 1A title game.
Lake Highland Prep (20-1), ranked No. 2 in the state, entered as the defending champion after winning in 2019. The Stallions won in 2018. There was no championship due to COVID-19 last year.
“It has been an amazing rivalry with Lake Highland Prep,” said Stallions coach John McClain, whose team fell 7-6 to Lake Highland Prep, 7-6 on March 6. “They are a great team that is very well-coached. These young Heritage girls played with so much grit that day that it was very exciting to come away with the win.”
Stallions sophomore Payton Bezjak scored an insurance goal with 5:48 left to play to ice the contest. The Stallions’ also received two goals from senior Ainsley Huizenga and a goal each from junior Casey Roberts and sophomore Alex Dorr. Sophomore goalie Brianna Valdivieso had five “incredible” saves, according to McClain.
Added McClain, who also serves as the director for Florida Select Lacrosse and Madskillz Lax, a club in the Boca Raton-Delray Beach area: “I am super excited for this team to overcome all of the odds and really go out on that Championship field and play hard and fast. We only had four returning starters from last year and to compete at this level and take home the championship speaks volumes.”
