By Nathan Max
WSL Executive Editor

Senior goalie Andrew Parker saved 23 shots to lead No. 7 Oregon Episcopal School to a 13-11 victory over No. 10 Lincoln in the Oregon High School Lacrosse Association state championship game Saturday night at Lake Oswego High School.

Senior middie Michael Gale added four points on two goals and two assists to help the Aardvarks (20-0) win their second state title and first since 2004. OES finished the year with the Western United States’ longest current winning streak.

“It feels great to win a gold medal on such an amazing team,” Parker said. “I wouldn’t have wanted to do it with any other group of guys.”

The victory capped a perfect season and helped erase the memories of several devastating state-title-game defeats that many current OES players experienced. The Aardvarks had been the region’s hard-luck team over the last several years, having lost four straight state championship games by a combined five goals, including back-to-back-to-back one-goal losses.

“We spent a lot of time talking about those one-goal losses and having this not be one of those,” OES senior attackman Sam Baker said. “It started with our senior class that had been around to see those losses.”

Added Gale: “We have a lot of guys who have been playing on varsity since their freshmen year. As our coach says, it’s sort of been fermenting.”

And it wasn’t just the seniors. Junior attackman Peter Williams and freshman attackman Trevor Garner each added a team-high three goals for the Aardvarks.

Baker finished with three points on two goals and one assist, senior middie Isaac Horenblas registered a goal and an assist and senior attackman Geoff Groner and sophomore middie Zach Shainsky both scored once to round out the offense.

In defeat, Colgate-bound senior middie Peter Baum had four points on two goals and two assists, and junior attackman Matt Fettig scored three goals for Lincoln (19-5), which fell short in its attempt to win back-to-back state championships.

Lincoln lost to OES for the third time this season.

“It was a great game,” Lincoln head coach Will Harris said. “I’m real proud of the way my guys played. Their goalie was the difference in the game.”

OES led 4-2 at the end of the first quarter and 4-3 at halftime before busting it open in the third quarter.

The Aardvarks scored seven goals in 12 minutes, as Parker shut the door on Lincoln’s offense. By the time the fourth quarter started, OES led 11-5.

“I saw the ball really well, and I’ve got to give it up to my defense,” Parker said. “They played a great game, and I owe a lot of my saves to them.”

Lincoln staged a late comeback in the final period, coming within 12-10. But Horenblas helped seal it when he intercepted a pass on a ride and fed Baker, who restored OES’s three-goal lead with 1:28 remaining in regulation.

The Cardinals pulled one back in the final minute, but there was not enough time left to get any closer.

“This is the most complete team I’ve ever been on in any sport,” Gale said. “From No. 1 to No. 30, we’re a brotherhood. It’s been a great season with these guys.”