Boys Lacrosse: York’s bid for state title ends with semifinal loss to Lake Forest

York’s magical season with hopes for a state title were dashed Thursday in Arlington Heights.

Lake Forest scored four consecutive goals in the second half and that powered the Scouts past York 9-6 before a huge crowd in the semifinals of the boys state lacrosse tournament at Forest View Educational Center.

Lake Forest (17-3) will meet Loyola for the state championship at 1 p.m. Saturday. York battles Wheaton Academy in the third place game at 11 a.m.

York (19-2) suffered only two losses this season and both were teams playing in the state title game.

“We have done an awesome job this year,” York coach Don Canfield said. “I am proud of the fact that even though we didn’t make it to the state championship we played together in kind of an insane year. This group of seniors will leave their mark on York lacrosse.”

Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com York's Charlie Toreja celebrates his second goal with his teammates in the first period at the boys lacrosse state semifinals at Robert Morris University football field in Arlington Heights on Thursday (Mark Welsh/Daily Herald)

York came out tentative in their first meeting and Lake Forest (16-4) took advantage of that. The Scouts scored first on a goal by Michael Cassidy to take a 1-0 lead.

That seemed to wake up York. Charlie Toreja got the Dukes going with a pair of goals, the second coming with just four seconds left in the first quarter as York led 2-1.

The teams then traded goals twice. Richard Hoskins and Henry Pickus each scored for the Scouts. But with Lance McCann and Chase McNeill each scoring for the Dukes, they were able to take a 4-3 lead.

It could have been disaster for York when Lake Forest’s John Halloran scooped up a loose ball and fired it into the back of the net to tie the game at 4-4 with just two seconds left in the first half.

That feeling continued right off the first faceoff of the second half when Lake Forest’s John Carrabine won the draw and then drove straight downfield and scored just seconds into the third quarter to make it 5-4.

“There was definitely a momentum change,” Canfield said. “It hurt a lot, but our guys fought back to get us back. We just couldn’t win some of those ground balls and that hurt.”

Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com York's Charlie Toreja moves to score as Lake Forest's defense surrounds him but fails to stop his shot in the first period at the boys lacrosse state semifinals at Robert Morris University football field in Arlington Heights on Thursday (Mark Welsh/Daily Herald)

York responded with a pair of goals from Will Siegenthaler and McCann to go back in front 6-5. But that was the last lead for York.

Lake Forest tied it on a goal from Gavin Hone and then opened up the fourth quarter with goals from Hoskins, John Morris and Connor Armstrong to lead 9-6 with 5:58 left.

“It was tough,” Canfield said. “It didn’t seem that we played our best game. The ball didn’t bounce our way today.”