By Nathan Max
WSL Executive Editor

Junior middie Peter Stoll scored a game-high five goals to lead Creighton Prep to a 9-2 victory over Millard West in the Nebraska High School Lacrosse Association state championship game Saturday night at Tranquility Park in Omaha.

Senior attackman Billy Dineen added four points on three goals and an assist, and junior attackman James West finished with a goal and an assist to help the Junior Jays (14-2) win their fourth state title. With the win, Creighton Prep avenged its only in-state regular-season loss and got payback for last year’s championship game defeat.

“This year’s senior leaders were an incredible bunch of guys,” Creighton Prep head coach Steve Haney said. “Even the guys who didn’t play much were always there pushing the team. I was just very impressed.”

This was the sixth season of high school lacrosse in the Cornhusker State, and Creighton Prep has reached the title game every year. In five of those six years, the Junior Jays have squared off against Millard West, and Creighton Prep now has a 3-2 record against the Wildcats in title games.

On Saturday, senior middie Alex Salcedo, sophomore attackman Max Gier and sophomore middie Mike Jurke all dished an assist to round out the offense for the champs.

In defeat, senior attackman Connor Swanson and senior attackman Carl Vennerstrom each scored once for Millard West, which finished the season 13-3.

Creighton Prep’s offense built an early lead, but it was the defense that didn’t give an inch. Junior defensemen Santo Marasco, Will Thedinger and Emmitt Nelson, and sophomore long-stick middie Jared Pritchard dominated Millard West’s attack.

The Junior Jays led 4-0 at the end of the first quarter, 6-0 at halftime and 8-0 at the end of the third quarter. Dineen’s goal with 6:55 remaining in the third quarter capped Creighton Prep’s amazing eight-goal run to start the title game.

Millard West finally cracked the Junior Jays’ defense in the fourth quarter, but Stoll answered with his fifth of the night to make it 9-1 with 6:42 to play in regulation.

“Our defense had a very tall task in keeping the Millard West offense in check,” Haney said. “We realized we had to play really aggressive, even off the ball, and be in their faces.”