After heartbreaker last year, Bishop boys’ lax aim for state crown

The Bishop England High School boys’ lacrosse team experienced much success last spring in Josh Lesko’s first year as coach.

 

The team went 13-3 in 2023, winning the Class AAAA Lower State regular season crown with a 7-0 record. 

 

But it was a loss that made the Bishops more motivated, more focused as they prepared for this season. 

 

The Bishops’ season came to a painful halt last spring when they lost a second-round playoff heartbreaker to May River High School of Bluffton, a team they had already defeated in the regular season.

 

The Sharks led 9-6 after three stops, but the Bishops rallied in the final stanza to forge an 11-11 tie and force overtime. However, the Bishops’ dream of a state title ended when May River scored the only period in overtime to gain a 12-11 decision.

 

“We had success last year, but we lost a couple of key players who had key roles on offense: Brian Noone and Jack Walsh,” Lesko said. “This year, we have a very strong senior class. I’ve noticed a great growth in the players as individuals and growth as a team. The kids work hard, are motivated, and want to learn.”

 

Noone and Walsh provided leadership and impressive results last season. The duo combined for 93 goals and 44 assists, which was a big part of the team’s attack.

 

But there’s still plenty of talent on campus for the Bishops, who are aiming for their third state championship.

 

The Bishops won state titles in 2017 and 2021, and their goal remains the same.

 

Lasko, a Connecticut native, has an impressive resume as a player and coach. He was a two-time All-America selection in high school and followed that up with an impressive career at Princeton University, where he starred for four years after being one of the top 10 recruits in the country.

 

His coaching career began in Chicago, continued in Connecticut, and Lesko eventually headed south landing the Hilton Head High School job in 2020.

 

The team’s record is impressive at 8-4, including 4-1 in league play. The team has faced a challenging schedule with numerous Class AAAAA teams providing competition.

 

The Bishops, ranked No. 14 in the state by MaxPreps.com, dropped one-goal decisions to Benedictine Military School out of Savannah and Christ Church Episcopal School from Greenville.

 

Michael Ugan, who led the team in scoring last season, is having another strong season. He leads the team with 41 goals and 18 assists.

 

A pair of sophomores, Tommy King and Cole McCormack, have bright futures. King and McCormack are tied for second on the team with 16 goals apiece. King is second with six assists, and McCormack has five assists.

 

Seniors Michael King, Joe Romano, Corey Hoff and Zachary Cubello join Ugan as captain.

 

Cubello is one of the top goalkeepers in the state with 81 goals after recording 154 last spring.

 

“We had some graduation losses,” Lesko said. “We’ve filled the gaps with younger players. We’ve played a tough schedule and came up just short in a couple of games. We just have to get better every time out.”