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The entire Cincinnati lacrosse season has been leading to this: the OHSAA regional finals. Teams from across Southwest Ohio have battled through the postseason bracket, and now the area's top eight teams across boys and girls lacrosse have one final hurdle to reach state.
With Division I and II action in both girls and boys lacrosse taking place over two days, some teams are seeking their first-ever trip to state, while other units look for repeat regional final victories.
Day one of the regional finals saw Division I girls top seeds Springboro and Kings face off, while Division II boys saw defending champs Mariemont hold court against Fenwick. Here's who's moving on to the OHSAA state tournament.
The top two seeds in Division I girls lacrosse had anything but a cake walk to the regional finals. Both Springboro and Kings had their own demons to overcome in the semifinals.
For Springboro, that meant a chance for revenge against Sycamore in a familiar spot. Springboro entered the 2025 tournament as the one seed as well, and fourth-seeded Sycamore spoiled the Panthers' season in the regional semis. This year, Springboro senior Ashley Filburn led the charge to avoid a repeat. She scored seven goals as the Panthers buried the Aviators, 18-8, to reach the regional finals.
Kings, on the other hand, had a rematch of its own with Eastern Cincinnati Conference foe Milford. The two top teams in the league had met earlier in the season, playing to a near draw as Kings ultimately escaped with a 7-6 overtime victory. After a hot start in the regional semis, found themselves with serious adversity to overcome as leading scorer Marin Bode left the game with a knee injury in the third quarter. Where some teams may have crumbled without their leader, Kings held together and outlasted Milford, 12-9.
Kings head coach Brian Schuckman said the team played with extra fire for their senior leader.
"We talked at the end of the third quarter," Shuckman said. "Every ounce, every piece of your soul, you're giving it for Marin."
It was a third straight trip to the regional finals for Kings, which sought to end Springboro's quest for a first-ever state tournament appearance. As action got underway at Springboro's Wade Field, the Panthers' Filburn got right to work. She scored a quick pair of goals to set the tone offensively, then added three more in the second quarter to take a 9-6 advantage into halftime.
Springboro sophomore Cam Walters continued the momentum out of the break, scoring two goals in less than 30 seconds to go up 11-7. The Panthers seemed to be in complete control, but Kings wouldn't go away quietly. Led by senior Kiley Beck, who finished with eight goals, the Knights led a furious fourth-quarter comeback to find themselves with a chance to tie with under two minutes to play. The comeback bid would fall just short, however, as Springboro forced a critical turnover with 30 seconds remaining.
Springboro head coach Jamie Ling said even without a perfect performance, the team reaching the state tournament was a huge accomplishment.
"We've been close and to finally get over the hump to get to the regional game, and then win it, it's great," Ling said.
Filburn echoed many of her coaches sentiments after the game, emphasizing that the job wasn't finished.
"We still have work to do," Filburn said. "This isn't finished. We still have two more games to reach our final goal."
For the Knights, the loss brings an end to a great season and an accomplished senior class. The senior class's third straight trip to the regional finals, with one trip to state in 2024, took the Knights to new heights. The ECC champions graduate 10 seniors: Anna Wiery, Kiley Beck, Paiten Volz, Sarah Miller, Aubrey Davis, LilyAnn Takle-Flach, Marin Bode, Averi Taylor, Addison Schuckman and Allison Cukovecki.
Bode made a special point to thank her coaching staff for a special career.
"I would just like to thank our coaches, especially Brian (Schuckman) and Haley (Rayburn). They have been amazing coaches and helped build this program, and I just want to say I'm very, very loved."
The victorious Panthers now move on to face Upper Arlington in the state tournament on June 2. Filburn was thrilled with the opportunity to represent Springboro in the state tournament for the first time.
"I think it's a huge deal to make history with this team," Filburn said. "All of us working together to reach this goal, it's like a dream."
All season long, Mariemont proved itself to be the best team in Division II boys lacrosse across Greater Cincinnati. As the Warriors ripped through the first three rounds of the playoffs without much resistance, it was only a question of who would face them in the finals.
Third-seed Fenwick found itself with a daunting rematch in the semifinals, taking on a Bellbrook team which the Falcons had fallen to all the way back in the season opener. Throughout the game, neither team could find separation but Fenwick held the slight early advantage. When Bellbrook tied the game with just under two minutes to play, the Falcons needed a hero to step up.
That hero came from junior D.J. Berning. As the clock wound down under 30 seconds to go, Berning weaved through multiple defenders and fired a rocket as he absorbed serious contact. His shot found the back of the net to send Fenwick on to the regional finals.
In the finals against defending champs Mariemont, Berning came out swinging once again. The junior quickly secured a hat trick in the first quarter, putting the Falcons up over the Warriors.
Facing its first serious adversity of the regional tournament, Mariemont responded with force. Senior Vince Fiorina led the first-half charge with three goals of his own as the Warriors' offense fired on all cylinders, taking a 10-4 lead into the break.
The Warriors never looked back after the break. Fiorina finished with seven goals as Mariemont downed Fenwick, 17-6, securing back-to-back trips to the state tournament. Mariemont advances to face the winner of Bishop Watterson and St. Francis DeSales on June 2.
Fenwick closes the year with a 15-4 record as champions of the Greater Catholic League Co-ed. The Falcons will say goodbye to 10 seniors: John Vossler, Jackson Howard, Arinze Okere, Anderson Briggs, Shane Yeager, Gavin Polomsky, Blake Daviaux, Zach Roberson, Matthew Sebralla, and Carter Germann.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Lacrosse regional finals results, Springboro and Mariemont advance
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With Division I and II action in both girls and boys lacrosse taking place over two days, some teams are seeking their first-ever trip to state, while other units look for repeat regional final victories.
Day one of the regional finals saw Division I girls top seeds Springboro and Kings face off, while Division II boys saw defending champs Mariemont hold court against Fenwick. Here's who's moving on to the OHSAA state tournament.
Springboro holds off Kings comeback for first state appearance
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The top two seeds in Division I girls lacrosse had anything but a cake walk to the regional finals. Both Springboro and Kings had their own demons to overcome in the semifinals.
For Springboro, that meant a chance for revenge against Sycamore in a familiar spot. Springboro entered the 2025 tournament as the one seed as well, and fourth-seeded Sycamore spoiled the Panthers' season in the regional semis. This year, Springboro senior Ashley Filburn led the charge to avoid a repeat. She scored seven goals as the Panthers buried the Aviators, 18-8, to reach the regional finals.
Kings, on the other hand, had a rematch of its own with Eastern Cincinnati Conference foe Milford. The two top teams in the league had met earlier in the season, playing to a near draw as Kings ultimately escaped with a 7-6 overtime victory. After a hot start in the regional semis, found themselves with serious adversity to overcome as leading scorer Marin Bode left the game with a knee injury in the third quarter. Where some teams may have crumbled without their leader, Kings held together and outlasted Milford, 12-9.
Kings head coach Brian Schuckman said the team played with extra fire for their senior leader.
"We talked at the end of the third quarter," Shuckman said. "Every ounce, every piece of your soul, you're giving it for Marin."
It was a third straight trip to the regional finals for Kings, which sought to end Springboro's quest for a first-ever state tournament appearance. As action got underway at Springboro's Wade Field, the Panthers' Filburn got right to work. She scored a quick pair of goals to set the tone offensively, then added three more in the second quarter to take a 9-6 advantage into halftime.
Springboro sophomore Cam Walters continued the momentum out of the break, scoring two goals in less than 30 seconds to go up 11-7. The Panthers seemed to be in complete control, but Kings wouldn't go away quietly. Led by senior Kiley Beck, who finished with eight goals, the Knights led a furious fourth-quarter comeback to find themselves with a chance to tie with under two minutes to play. The comeback bid would fall just short, however, as Springboro forced a critical turnover with 30 seconds remaining.
Springboro head coach Jamie Ling said even without a perfect performance, the team reaching the state tournament was a huge accomplishment.
"We've been close and to finally get over the hump to get to the regional game, and then win it, it's great," Ling said.
Filburn echoed many of her coaches sentiments after the game, emphasizing that the job wasn't finished.
"We still have work to do," Filburn said. "This isn't finished. We still have two more games to reach our final goal."
For the Knights, the loss brings an end to a great season and an accomplished senior class. The senior class's third straight trip to the regional finals, with one trip to state in 2024, took the Knights to new heights. The ECC champions graduate 10 seniors: Anna Wiery, Kiley Beck, Paiten Volz, Sarah Miller, Aubrey Davis, LilyAnn Takle-Flach, Marin Bode, Averi Taylor, Addison Schuckman and Allison Cukovecki.
Bode made a special point to thank her coaching staff for a special career.
"I would just like to thank our coaches, especially Brian (Schuckman) and Haley (Rayburn). They have been amazing coaches and helped build this program, and I just want to say I'm very, very loved."
The victorious Panthers now move on to face Upper Arlington in the state tournament on June 2. Filburn was thrilled with the opportunity to represent Springboro in the state tournament for the first time.
"I think it's a huge deal to make history with this team," Filburn said. "All of us working together to reach this goal, it's like a dream."
Mariemont tops Fenwick for back-to-back state trips
All season long, Mariemont proved itself to be the best team in Division II boys lacrosse across Greater Cincinnati. As the Warriors ripped through the first three rounds of the playoffs without much resistance, it was only a question of who would face them in the finals.
Third-seed Fenwick found itself with a daunting rematch in the semifinals, taking on a Bellbrook team which the Falcons had fallen to all the way back in the season opener. Throughout the game, neither team could find separation but Fenwick held the slight early advantage. When Bellbrook tied the game with just under two minutes to play, the Falcons needed a hero to step up.
That hero came from junior D.J. Berning. As the clock wound down under 30 seconds to go, Berning weaved through multiple defenders and fired a rocket as he absorbed serious contact. His shot found the back of the net to send Fenwick on to the regional finals.
In the finals against defending champs Mariemont, Berning came out swinging once again. The junior quickly secured a hat trick in the first quarter, putting the Falcons up over the Warriors.
Facing its first serious adversity of the regional tournament, Mariemont responded with force. Senior Vince Fiorina led the first-half charge with three goals of his own as the Warriors' offense fired on all cylinders, taking a 10-4 lead into the break.
The Warriors never looked back after the break. Fiorina finished with seven goals as Mariemont downed Fenwick, 17-6, securing back-to-back trips to the state tournament. Mariemont advances to face the winner of Bishop Watterson and St. Francis DeSales on June 2.
Fenwick closes the year with a 15-4 record as champions of the Greater Catholic League Co-ed. The Falcons will say goodbye to 10 seniors: John Vossler, Jackson Howard, Arinze Okere, Anderson Briggs, Shane Yeager, Gavin Polomsky, Blake Daviaux, Zach Roberson, Matthew Sebralla, and Carter Germann.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Lacrosse regional finals results, Springboro and Mariemont advance
Continue reading...
