TEX BOYS: THSLL Semifinals: St. Mark's Edges Strake Jesuit

Junior attackman Jeff Perkins registered a game-high seven points on four goals and three assists to lead No. 5 St. Mark’s to a 15-13 victory over Strake Jesuit in a suspenseful Texas High School Lacrosse League Division I semifinal Saturday night in Austin.

Playing without six key players, two of whom were injured and four of whom were in Dallas at a school function, St. Mark’s overcame a two-goal, fourth-quarter deficit to advance to Sunday’s Division I state championship game.

St. Mark’s, which played the semifinal with just one senior, will face No. 1 Highland Park on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m., CDT, at House Park in Austin.

“I have never been more proud of a group of kids than I am of the group of kids that took the field tonight,” St. Mark’s head coach Hayward Lee said.

Junior attackman Charles Branch added seven points on two goals and five assists, junior middie Fred Addy had four points on three goals and one assist and freshman attackman Will Perkins scored three times, including the go-ahead goal late in regulation.

Sophomore attackman Matt Murphy added a goal for the Lions, who improved to 17-3.

“That was maybe as great a win as the St. Mark’s lacrosse program has ever had,” Lee said. “I am so proud of our kids. They never gave up. I give all the credit in the world to Strake. They pushed us to our limits.”

In defeat, senior middie Andrew Martin had a team-high five points on four goals and one assist, junior middie Tyler McLamb added four points on three goals and one assist and senior middie Ed Lee had three points on two goals and one assist for Strake Jesuit, which finished the season 13-9.

Senior attackman Mark Allison scored a goal and dished two assists, and senior attackman Conor Wilson finished with a goal and an assist for the Crusaders.

St. Mark’s led 4-2 at the end of the first quarter and 6-3 at halftime before Stake Jesuit came back to tie it, 10-10, by the end of the third quarter.

The Crusaders took a 12-10 lead to start an eight-goal fourth quarter before St. Mark’s came back to tie it, 12-12. The game was tied, 13-13, when Will Perkins scored the go-ahead goal with about two minutes to play.

Addy added an insurance goal with 20 seconds remaining to seal it for St. Mark’s.

“I can’t be any prouder of our guys,” said Strake Jesuit head coach Mike Block, whose program was making its first appearance at the Division I state tournament after losing a player in a car accident in February. “We faced a lot of adversity all year and did a great job.”