By Nathan Max
WSL Executive Editor

Senior middie Austin Mai scored the game-winning goal in the opening minute of sudden-death overtime to give No. 3 Highland Park a stunning, 12-11 upset victory over national power Lawrenceville on Sunday afternoon in New Jersey.

In the second game of a weekend trip to the Garden State, the Fighting Scots pulled off a landmark victory for the lacrosse community in the state of Texas and the Western United States.

“This is the biggest win in the history of our program,” Highland Park head coach Derek Thomson said. “I think it’s a good lesson to all of our Texas programs that we do belong, because from the opening whistle we expected to win.”

With the game tied, 11-11, Highland Park senior middie Briggs Montgomery won the face-off to start overtime. Highland Park immediately called timeout, and coming out of it, junior middie Chase Prospere fed Mai, who was situated about 10 yards away from the cage.

Mai fired a high shot, off-stick side, into the cage, setting off a delirious scene on the field and the Highland Park sideline.

“It was quite a celebration,” Thomson said.

Prospere finished with a team-high four points on a goal and three assists, Montgomery scored three goals and Mai and senior attackman Kevin Fritts each finished with three points on two goals and an assist for the Fighting Scots (11-1), who have won six straight since dropping a game to St. Mary’s Annapolis (Md.) on March 20.

Senior attackman Cody Crews added a pair of goals, senior attackman Will Ziegler finished with a goal and an assist and junior middie Campbell Powers had a goal to round out the scoring for Highland Park, which led by as many as four.

Defensively, junior goalie Jordan Lee saved 15 shots.

In defeat, senior attackman Luke Armour scored a game-high six goals for Lawrenceville, which fell to 3-2.

The Big Red scored the game’s first goal, but Highland Park answered with five straight to take its biggest lead, 5-1, in the first quarter.

Highland Park led 5-2 at the end of the first, 8-5 at halftime and 9-6 going into the fourth quarter. Midway through the fourth, the Fighting Scots led 11-8 and appeared heading for an unlikely victory.

But Lawrenceville came back, scoring three unanswered goals in the final six minutes to pull even and force overtime.

“Unlike the game in March against St. Mary’s, when our kids lost their composure, this time we learned from it,” said Thomson, whose team opened the weekend with a 13-5 victory over Montgomery (N.J.).

Highland Park struck fast in the overtime, leaving the hosts from New Jersey in disbelief.

“Coming into the weekend, I told the kids it was all about a matter of opportunity and what they make of it,” Thomson said. “I think they did a great job this weekend of rising to the challenge and showing the competitive nature of our team.”