TEX BOYS: No. 1 Highland Park Wins 2nd Straight District Title

Junior goalie Jordan Lee saved 14 shots to lead top-ranked Highland Park to a 6-3 victory over No. 5 St. Mark’s in the Texas High School Lacrosse League North District championship game Wednesday night.

Senior middie Dillon Zweiffel scored a pair of goals, and senior middie Austin Mai dished two assists, as the Fighting Scots (16-1) won the North District title for the second straight season.

Senior attackman Will Ziegler, senior attackman Kevin Fritts, junior middie Josh Francis and junior defenseman Chris Hipps all had a goal to round out the scoring for Highland Park, which has won 11 straight games and is 11-0 this season against Texas competition.

Highland Park has now won 22 straight against Texas teams.

In defeat, three players scored once for St. Mark’s, which fell to 16-3. Two of the Lions’ three losses came against Highland Park.

Both teams will advance to Saturday’s Division I semifinals. Highland Park will face Central District champion Bowie and St. Mark’s will take on South District champion Strake Jesuit.

“It’s the time of year when you play for careers,” Highland Park head coach Derek Thomson said. “We’re sure, no matter who we play, it’s going to be a tough game. Everything we’ve done this year has been building toward this weekend.”

On Wednesday, the game was tied, 1-1, at the end of the first quarter before Highland Park scored three unanswered goals in the second to take control. The Fighting Scots led 4-1 at halftime and 6-3 at the end of the third before the teams’ played scoreless lacrosse throughout the fourth.

“I’m pleased for the team, because we accomplished one of our goals,” Thomson said. “It thought tonight both teams played rather sloppy, and we know, in our case, we’re going to have to play better if we hope to win this weekend, especially if we see St. Mark’s again.”