There was no way Brother Rice was not going to beat Novi Detroit Catholic Central for the CHSL lacrosse championship.
On the state level, no high school in Michigan has dominated a sport like the Bloomfield Hills-based Warriors have lacrosse: 12 state Division I championships in a row since the MHSAA sanctioned lacrosse in 2005.
A record of 181-1 against 35 in-state schools since 2005: starting out with a string of 133 consecutive victories until an OT loss to Detroit Country Day in 2014 and resuming with a run of 48 wins.
In the Catholic League, with its 15-10 win last Saturday night on the Shamrocks’ turf, that’s 15 Division A titles in a row, 29 straight over CC, and 92-0 against all CHSL opponents combined.
Above and beyond all of this history, the Warriors had a much more compelling reason not to lose: a tribute to one of their own teammates, junior midfielder Billy Nelson, whose father, Bill, had unexpectedly died the day earlier.
CC athletic director Aaron Babicz led a moment of silence before the game started. Brother Rice coach Ajay Chawla revealed later that it was Billy’s decision to dress for the game. He handled the opening faceoff.
Mr. Nelson, 51, leaves behind his wife, Julie, and three other sons — C. J., a sophomore at Rice, and twin eighth-graders, Tim and Jack. He was a 1984 graduate of Brother Rice as were brothers Pete, Drew, Jim and Tim. His sister, Mary Beth, is a 1988 alumna of Bloomfield Hills Marian.
Catholic Central came into the game with high expectations of upsetting their archrivals, feeling good about a one-goal overtime loss to Brother Rice two weeks earlier. The squads traded goals for the first 15 minutes, producing a 4-4 tie. Junior attacker Peter Thompson accounted for three of the Shamrocks’ scores.
Their hopes were dashed by a combination of a stifling Rice defense and net-seeking missiles fired by senior Jack Kelly — four in the second quarter to build an 8-4 Rice halftime advantage, then three more in the third quarter to pretty much decide the outcome.
Senior Nick Dudley (4 goals) and senior Daniel Reaume (3) contributed to the Shamrocks scoring. Thompson added a fourth goal later in the game to pace CC’s offense.
“This was a special night,” said Chawla, coach since 2014, successor to Rob Ambrose (2005-13). “Eventually, I know we will lose. I don’t want to be around for that.”
Brother Rice has won 59 tournament games in a row en route to their dozen state crowns. Chances are pretty good that the Shamrocks and Warriors could collide again at some point down the tournament trail that ends June 10. They have faced each other six times in the championship final, including the last three years.
Three other CHSL championship titles were decided last weekend:
BOYS DIVISION B — Ann Arbor Fr. Gabriel Richard charged out of the halftime break with five unanswered third-quarter goals en route to an 11-4 victory over Dearborn Divine Child for the Fighting Irish’s first league championship. Senior Joe Fitzgerald scored three times, supported by two goals each from Matt Rushing, Mike Ross and Jacob Russell.
GIRLS DIVISION I — Bloomfield Hills Marian – urged on by a raucous cheering section that drew the ire of officials — saw its title hopes dashed early and often by Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, 19-9. It was the Cranes’ first appearance in CHSL playoff action. Juniors Isabelle Scane (4 goals) and Georgia Hinnant (3) led a parade of eight players who found the net.
GIRLS DIVISION II — Livonia Ladywood successfully defended its crown, getting by Warren Regina, 10-7. Junior Sydney Pilut had three goals, and juniors Julianne Snyder and Colleen Barnes two each. Regina was hampered by the absence of five seniors who had prom dates that evening. To their credit, senior co-captains, Olivia Beesley and Alex Wilke, played and scampered off the field as soon as the game ended for their prom appointments.
Don Horkey may be reached at [email protected].
