High School Playoff Brackets Released, BYU Wins 6th MCLA National Championship, PLL Day One Recap
Plus, a 'Thank You' to Seniors
The regular season has flown by and now here we are, ready to begin the ‘second season’. Many think the winter holidays are the most wonderful time of the year, but we all know the actual most wonderful time is May.
To the Seniors who will play or have played their last game, I want to say thanks. Thank you for playing the best sport in the best state. You’re part of this community and the future of the sport in Utah. I’d invite you to stay involved! Whether that is now or in the future, the sport needs more people behind the scenes and on the sidelines. You could also become an official! It’s great pay, great exercise and a great way to help keep the sport growing. As a wise official once said, ‘Without refs, it’s just a scrimmage’. The reality is that we can always use more officials.
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High School Playoff Brackets Released
The playoff brackets are in place! There are some great matchups early on so let’s get into it. We also have bracket challenges for each classification. Submit your picks now for a chance at prizes and bragging rights.
Join the Utah Lax Report Bracket Challenges by filling our your brackets! Prizes will be awarded to the winners!
We’ll have complete coverage of the playoffs in our Monday newsletter.
Girls 6A | Girls 5A | Girls 4A
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BYU Wins 6th MCLA National Championship
The BYU Cougars completed a 20-1 season this morning by winning the 2026 MCLA D-I Championship, 16-13, against Virginia Tech.
BYU started the game on a 4-0 run with two goals each by Gavin Taylor and Mason Quick. Virginia Tech answered with 3 goals then both teams scored one more to make the score 5-4 in favor of BYU after the first quarter.
Virginia Tech scored 3 and allowed two for BYU in the second quarter which led to a halftime score of 7-7.
Virginia Tech earned its first lead of the game early in the third quarter but a BYU goal by Taylor tied the game at 8. Virginia Tech regained the lead but BYU then scored five straight goals to take a 13-9 lead late in the third quarter. Virginia Tech scored one before the end of the quarter to make it 13-10 heading into the final frame.
Both teams scored three goals in the quarter to make the final score 16-13.
Taylor had 8 goals to lead the Cougars. He also did with a visibly banged up shoulder. Easton Wilkey had 22 saves for BYU. Mason Quick, Stew Vassau and Hutton Murphy combined to score the other 8 goals for BYU.
The Cougars add this year as its 6th National Championship: 1997, 2000, 2007, 2011 and 2024. BYU also won the 2021 Invitational.
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Stines, DiPonio Debut in PLL
It was a historic Friday night in Herriman as former Utah players, Ryan Stines and Nikko DiPonio, made their professional lacrosse debuts.
The Archers ultimately fell to the Redwoods, 9-5, but Stines opened his PLL scoring campaign at the 2:33 mark in the second quarter on a lefty rip down the alley. Stines also had an assist in the third quarter when he found Mac O’Keefe on the manup opportunity. Park City native Beau Pederson had 1 caused turnover and two groundballs for the Archers.
DiPonio started at close defense for the Atlas and had a caused turnover and a pair of groundballs in the 16-12 win. The game was tied at 2 after the first quarter but a seven goal second quarter by the Atlas gave them some breathing room. Carolina clawed back and kept the game within one goal until two late goals by the Atlas put the game out of reach.
The Archers will take on the Outlaws today at 5:00pm in what has become the best rivalry in the PLL. If you can’t make it to the game, it will be on ESPN 2.
The Atlas play the Whipsnakes next Friday.
I caught up with Archers goalie Brett Dobson and Pederson on the Utah Lacrosse Report Podcast. Listen below!
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