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The Gainesville Oak Hall Eagles lacrosse teams had an impressive run during their 2023 Spring season. The girls varsity team held an 11-5 record and the boys team finished 19-2. The District Champion teams put up a fight during regionals only to face tough losses early on in the State Championship Tournament.
Girls Lacrosse
Unfortunately, the path to regionals was very short-lived for the girls team. After a needed triumph over Menendez to win districts, the Eagled had high hopes for their first playoff game in the 2023 FHSAA Girls Lacrosse State Championship Tournament. Matched up against the St. Augustine Yellow Jackets (16-6), who Oak Hall lost to earlier this season, the Eagles had their work set out for them. #18 sophomore midfielder Leila Sims put up 2 goals against the Yellow Jackets with other players allowing an additional 5. However, this wasn’t enough to defeat St. Augustine and the Eagles fell 17-7 after round 1 of regionals.
Boys Lacrosse
The boys team entered the 2023 FHSAA Boys Lacrosse State Championship Tournament as the No. 2 seed in Region 1. The Eagles breezed past their quarterfinal competitor, the No. 7 South Walton Seahawks, 17-1 on the 22nd. After this, their semifinal competition, the Episcopal School of Jacksonville Eagles fell short 10-8, giving Oak Hall a chance at the Regional Championship.
However, the Eagles had their work cut out for them on Saturday. Oak Hall faced the 21-2 Bolles Bulldogs in the Regional Finals. According to FHSAA, Bolles is tied for the No. 1 boys lacrosse team in Florida and is No. 7 nationally. Oak Hall fell 18-3 in a disappointing regional championship. The Bulldogs maintained a .652 face-off percentage, giving themselves possession of the ball for most of the game. Oak Hall couldn’t keep up with the aggressive offense, allowing Bulldogs’ star Daylin John-Hill to score four goals and four other offensive players three goals each.
Season Under Wraps
These two losses mean the end of the road for the Oak Hall Eagles Boys and Girls Varsity Lacrosse teams. They had incredible seasons and made leaderboards in the state of Florida. Both teams have the potential to go further in the championships next year and are definitely players to keep an eye out for. To stay updated on Oak Hall lacrosse and other sports, follow @oakhallschool on Instagram.
