Senior midfielder Evan Williams scores the first of two goals for LaPorte Lacrosse, as Mason Alvarado looks on, in state semifinal action against Westfield the weekend of May 29.
LaPorte’s varsity club lacrosse team played in the Class B Indiana State Final Four the weekend of May 29, 2010, in Indianapolis.
In the semifinals, held at the IUPUI Track & Field Stadium, LaPorte played a tough game against a very solid Westfield High School team, but came up on the short end of a 6-5 contest.
After falling behind 2-0, senior Evan Williams got LaPorte on the board with a goal from 35 feet after fellow senior Cody Tarpley found him open from behind the goal and hit him with a perfect pass to pick up the assist. LaPorte tied the game at two when defenseman Greg Wedow scooped up a loose ball and ran the length of the field, hitting Jake Fetterer with a nice pass, which Fetterer turned into the tying goal. Williams got on the board again with his second goal of the game, starting the seesaw battle that saw Mason Alvarado and Andrew Taschler, assisted by Neil Weston, also pick up goals for LaPorte. That resulted in a 5-3 LaPorte advantage in the second half.
The turning point of the game occurred when Max Kessler broke away for a goal and what looked to be a 6-3 lead, only to have the goal canceled on a questionable crease violation call. Westfield took advantage of the momentum switch and using crisp passing and precise ground ball scooping, crept back into the game, finally taking the lead with seven minutes left in the contest.
The loss ended one of the most successful seasons in the program’s history as the team finished the year at 13-4 and ranked No. 10 in the state by laxpower.com.
LaPorte graduates nine seniors: Alvarado, Angel Almaraz, Dan Brown, Zack Davis, John Decker, Tarpley, Wedow, Weston, and Williams. Despite the losses in personnel, Coach Nigel Lockett expressed optimism about the returning core of juniors that includes the high-scoring quartet of Fetterer, Kessler, Taschler and Trent Fara, and defensemen O’Brien Alcorn, Jake Maxey, Cody Reuer and Austin Tarpley. This group will lead the team into next season as Lockett and assistant coach Rob Holub look for important contributions from players who will move up from the junior varsity.
In related lacrosse news, five LaPorte players received post-season All-State accolades from the Indiana High School Lacrosse Association. Senior Evan Williams was named to the Academic All-State Team, while juniors Trent Fara and Andrew Taschler received Indiana All-Academic Honors. Senior goalie Zack Davis, who is continuing his lacrosse career at Concordia (WI) College, and junior face-off specialist Kane Neff were each named Honorable Mention to the Indiana State High School team.
LaPorte players Andrew Taschler, Trent Fara and Evan Williams were awarded All-State Academic status by the Indiana High School Lacrosse Association.
