Boys lacrosse: St. Viator’s season comes to end in heartbreaking supersectional setback
St. Viator coach Geoff Harty repeated the same message to his team throughout the season: Play like the score is 0-0.
No matter the advantage, deficit, or heartbreaking opponent goal, the Lions need to reset, clear their heads, and play with the mindset that nothing happened.
After giving up a three-goal lead to Lake Forest in the supersectional matchup Tuesday at Stevenson, St. Viator responded to every setback, some in less than a minute during a back-and-forth second half. The Lions (20-4) just ran out of time, failing to score in the final minute and falling to the Scouts (22-2), 10-9.
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of from our group,” Harty said. “Just four quarters, back and forth. Unfortunate it didn’t go our way. But that’s sports.”
Lake Forest will play Neuqua Valley in the state semifinal matchup on Thursday at Hinsdale Central High School. Senior midfielder Lucas Kroner led the squad with four goals, including the go-ahead score with 2:34 remaining. Teammate William Manley added insurance with another goal about 40 seconds later.
St. Viator midfielder Dylan Bergt responded quickly, finding the back of the net in less than 10 seconds to cut the deficit to one. Teammate Michael Tauscher won the ensuing faceoff and raced down the middle of the field as the Lions threatened to strike in the clutch once again. The senior was hit from behind by a Lake Forest defender and hit the turf, but the referees ruled no penalty. The Scouts held on from there to advance.
“Really just hang in there and stop that last gasp,” Lake Forest coach David Hone said. “Viator, they’re a high-powered offense, and they dug in. We won that last rep.”
Bergt’s quick-response goal was a pattern for St. Viator in the second half. Coming out of halftime with a 4-4 tie, the Lions never let the Scouts push ahead in the third quarter, as Tauscher and Wesley Starr knotted the contest at five and then six goals apiece.
“We put our hearts on the line today,” St. Viator senior goaltender Jack Hartman said. “We gave it our all. The outcome wasn’t what we wanted, but we did everything that we could to try to win that game.”
St. Viator gained an 8-7 lead in the fourth off another Bergt goal, but Lake Forest freshman Dante Federighi answered on the other end.
For Hartman and St. Viator’s other seniors, the loss marked the end of the road for the class of 2025, who Harty said graduated with a 76-17 record, including a state title game appearance, three sectional championships, and four conference trophies.
“[A state title] would’ve been an amazing way to end it,” Hartman said. “But I’m just happy to have ended it with these guys.”