Warrior’s Surge Late, Fall Short in Division 1 State Finals
June 13, 2026
WORCESTER, MA — For 59 seconds Saturday afternoon, Lincoln-Sudbury made the impossible look almost inevitable.
Trailing 10-6 with under three minutes remaining in the Division 1 state boys lacrosse championship, the Warriors ripped off three consecutive goals — two of them within 25 seconds of each other — to pull within 10-9. But BC High won the ensuing draw and ran out the clock, holding on for a 10-9 victory at Coughlin Memorial Field at Worcester State University. It was the Eagles’ first state title since 2018.
Lincoln-Sudbury entered the game on a dominant run, outscoring opponents 61-17 across the playoffs. The Warriors had lost to just one in-state team all season — St. John’s Prep — and had tested themselves against competition from New Hampshire, New York, and New Jersey. None of that regular-season dominance translated early. The Eagles jumped out to a 5-0 lead and eventually stretched it to 8-2, with BC High goalie TJ Emsing making several timely stops to extinguish any Warrior momentum. Faceoff specialist Jackson Ketchen also proved difficult to contain throughout the afternoon.
With 2:47 remaining, defender Caleb Elenbaas — an unlikely offensive contributor — scored to cut the deficit to 10-6 and ignite a stunning final sequence. Senior Brendan Dooley added a hat-trick goal at the 1:49 mark, Brady Malo found the net at 1:15, and Kaeden Ryan spun and fired home with 50 seconds left to make it a one-goal game. The Warriors could not secure the ball on the final draw, and BC High ran down the clock to secure the crown.
