Coach Rob Ambrose’s Warriors went on a five-goal, two-and-a-half-minute rampage midway through the second quarter to shock the Shamrocks and wipe away thoughts CC might have had of pulling a major upset they narrowly missed accomplishing a couple of weeks earlier, losing an overtime thriller to Brother Rice.
“It’s always on our minds,” senior J. P. Forester told reporters about the streak after the game on a bitterly cold evening on the Pontiac Notre Dame Prep turf. “It means a lot to us.”
Forester almost single-handedly guaranteed the streak would remain intact with a pair of goals late in the first quarter to give Rice a 3-2 lead, then contributing two of the five goals in a frenetic 150 seconds that boosted the Warriors to a five-goal advantage, 8-3.
Catholic Central never got closer than four goals the rest of the game. Only sensational goaltending by Shamrocks senior Jon Conley prevented the game from becoming more of a blowout.
Forester finished with five goals. Graham Macko and Sergio Perkovic each had three. Junior Ben Senkowski led the CC attack with three goals.
The last time Brother Rice lost a lacrosse game to a team from Michigan was 2002, to Birmingham United in the championship game of the old Michigan Lacrosse League.
Win-loss records for the 2003 and 2004 seasons are unavailable. However, from 2005, Rice has defeated 125 schools from the state, including 64 against its fellow Catholic League first division partners: Detroit U-D Jesuit 21, CC 20, Warren De La Salle 13 and Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 10.
The Warriors are 55-17 playing schools from Canada and surrounding states, giving them an overall 180-17 record and national recognition as a powerhouse.
The next challenge to the streak begins this weekend with the start of state tournament action, concluding with the championship June 8 in East Grand Rapids. Since the MHSAA recognized lacrosse as a varsity sport in 2005, Brother Rice is the only name engraved on eight consecutive state Division 1 trophies.
In other championship games:
Notre Dame Prep 14, Madison Heights Bishop Foley 7: The Fighting Irish won their fifth CHSL Division 2 boys lacrosse title in the last six years. Senior Kyle Beauregard had four goals and Jacob Jeszke three to lead Notre Dame. Stephen Redding and Gabe O’Neil scored three each for the Ventures.
Bloomfield Hills Marian 10, Farmington Hills Mercy 9: Marian has a streak of its own going, holding off the Marlins for its seventh CHSL Division 1 girls lacrosse championship in a row. The nip-and-tuck game was tied seven times, the last at 8-8 midway through the second half when Caroline Forrester and Courtney Hallyar found the back of the net for a 10-8 Marian lead, to which it clung the rest of the way.
“We’re used to coming from behind,” said coach Jamie Francek. “Most of our games we’ve had to battle back.”
Forrester had five goals. Maddie McClain and Lexi Kahler had two each for Mercy.
Livonia Ladywood 13, Notre Dame Prep 11: The Blazers seemingly had the game in control with a 10-4 lead with 12 minutes left to play. Notre Dame rallied down the stretch, outscoring and outhustling Ladywood, 7-3, before time ran out to assure Ladywood a successful defense its CHSL Division 2 girls lacrosse title.
Jessica Snyder had four goals, and Christina Riggs and Rachel Donabedian three apiece to lead Ladywood’s attack.
Caroline Wood’s five goals represented nearly half of Notre Dame’s offensive output.
