dave purpura, columbus dispatch
·4 min read
Three state championship players and six All-Americans are among the 12 honorees on the 2024 Dispatch All-Metro boys lacrosse team.
Jake Struck of Olentangy Liberty was named Boys Lacrosse Athlete of the Year at theCentral Ohio High School Sports Awards on June 20 at Mershon Auditorium. The show, which was produced with the support of Middlefield Bank and Ohio Athletic Performance,honored athletes from 30 sports.
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Here are the boys lacrosse honorees:
Blake Carawan, DeSales
The senior attacker tied for the team lead in goals (57) and paced the Stallions (16-3) in assists (35) as they won the Division II state championship. Carawan earned first-team all-Region 7 and all-state and was voted regional Attacker of the Year.
Joey Clifford, Hilliard Davidson
The senior was the top defender for a Wildcats team (15-7) that reached its third consecutive Division I, Region 3 final. Clifford caused 53 turnovers, picked up 105 ground balls and had three goals and four assists in earning regional Long Stick Midfielder of the Year and first-team all-state honors.
Cole Fisher, Worthington Kilbourne
The junior attacker already is the Wolves’ all-time leader in goals and points with a season to go. Fisher had 68 goals and 40 assists this spring in leading the Wolves (11-10) to a Region 3 semifinal. He was named first-team all-region and second-team all-state. Kilbourne’s goals and points records had stood since the late 1990s.
Ty Hampton, DeSales
The senior attacker overcame an early season injury to amass 57 goals and 19 assists, playing a major role in the Stallions’ run to the Division II state championship. Hampton, who had five goals and three assists in the state final, was named second-team all-region.
Preston Hawkins, Worthington Kilbourne
A junior who has committed to Penn State, Hawkins stopped 260 of 383 shots (57.4%) as the Wolves won the OCC-Capital and reached a regional semifinal. Hawkins, who was named Region 3 Goalkeeper of the Year, first-team all-state and an All-American, picked up 40 ground balls and scored one goal in limited time as a field player.
Tommy Janowicz, Upper Arlington
The senior attacker and Ohio State signee became UA’s all-time leading scorer and points leader this spring as the Golden Bears (19-4) reached a Division I state semifinal. Janowicz had 69 goals and 29 assists as a senior and finished his career with 264 points (187 goals, 77 assists). Janowicz was Region 3 Attacker of the Year, first-team all-state and an All-American.
Xander Johnson, Dublin Jerome
The senior midfielder and Massachusetts-Amherst signee had 52 goals, five assists and 28 ground balls in helping lead the Celtics (15-5) to a Division I, Region 1 runner-up finish. Johnson, who earned first-team all-region and all-state and is an All-American, is only the second Jerome midfielder to score 50 goals in a season, according to former coach Andy Asmo, who stepped down after this season.
Angelo Lamatrice, Watterson
A senior midfielder and Ohio State signee, Lamatrice amassed 76 goals and 21 assists in leading the Eagles (18-2) to the Region 7 final. Lamatrice was Player and Midfielder of the Year at both the regional and state levels, a three-time first-team all-state honoree and an All-American.
Ryder Lewis, Dublin Coffman
The senior midfielder, who has committed to Drexel, had 54 goals and 11 assists to pace the Shamrocks (12-9) to a Region 1 semifinal. Lewis, a four-year letterwinner, is second all-time at Coffman in goals (174) and fourth in points (228). He was named first-team all-region and honorable mention all-state.
Aaron Nebraska, Olentangy Berlin
The senior joined Clifford as one of two long-stick midfielders to earn first-team all-state honors in Division I. Nebraska had 21 goals, five assists, 84 ground balls and 52 caused turnovers for the Bears (13-4) and unanimously was named position player of the year in Region 1.
Dominic Shaw, Pickerington Central
A senior attacker and midfielder, Shaw is Central’s all-time assists (162) and points (367) leader. The Ohio State signee had 69 goals, 37 assists, 70 ground balls and 27 caused turnovers this year and was named Region 3 Player and Midfielder of the Year, first-team all-state and an All-American. The Tigers (16-5) reached their first regional semifinal.
Jake Struck, Olentangy Liberty
The Region 1 and state Midfielder of the Year and an All-American selection, Struck enjoyed a record-breaking season in leading the Patriots (23-1) to their first Division I state championship. He set a single-season program record in goals with 78 and also had 41 assists and 87 ground balls. He had five goals and three assists in a 15-14 state final win over Cincinnati St. Xavier.
dpurpura@dispatch.com
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: High school boys lacrosse: 2024 Dispatch All-Metro team
