The Corner Canyon High boys lacrosse team remains the only 6A state champion Utah has had, having won the title each of the past five seasons since the Utah High School Activities Association sanctioned the sport. This year, the Chargers defeated Davis for the second consecutive year, this time by a score of 9-7 at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman May 23. 

In the final, the Darts, who were undefeated heading into the title game, scored a goal with three seconds left in the half to go up 5-3. But, Corner Canyon responded with a goal by senior Brock Sorenson and three by sophomore Pierson DeGracie. The Chargers defense also held Davis’ star player Luke Donigan – who previously averaged four goals a game -  scoreless and gave up just two second-half goals to the entire team.

“Coming into the season we knew we would have a great defensive unit, but we needed the offense to develop as well,” head coach Jeff King said. “We had no singular star on offense, but we had guys buy into the team concept and we had several scorers and teams did not know how or who to scout because of that. Even in the title game, we had different guys step up and that is what made us strong.”

In the 6A state tournament, top-ranked Corner Canyon had a first round bye and then defeated No. 17 Pleasant Grove 20-1 in the second round. In the quarterfinals, they beat eighth-seeded Herriman 18-3 and then No. 5 Lone Peak 13-3 in the semis to reach the championship game.

The CCHS attack was led this season by First Team All-Region players DeGracie and Ashton Brown as well as Second Team All-Region’s Ren Neilson along with Jagger Gamache and Kaden Ballman with the midfield anchored by First Team All-Region’s Mike Wheatley, Second Team All-Region’s Kampton Dutton, Sorenson, Cameron Crayk, Luke Fisher, Tanner Oldroyd, Will Russell, and Miles Parkinson. “They all helped lead a balanced attack that was hard to scout,” King said. 

Defensively, First Team All-Region goalie – and Defensive MVP for Region 2 – Rhett King was backed up by Jack Rasmussen and they were helped near the goal by First Team All-Region players Mason Brady and Will Perry along with Second Team All-Region’s Max McKenna, and Zack Ware. Coach King noted that those players along with defensive midfielders Cam Wade and Tanner Adamson, Second Team All-Region players, Max Taylor, Tanner Adamson, Maddox Green, Cole Bonham, Luke Fankhauser, Perry Lunstad, Ben Andrews, Carson Cheng and Casson Hiatt all helped to hold opponents to three goals a game.

Corner Canyon’s face-off leaders Easton Daynes, a First Team All-Region selection, and Noah Dunbar “worked tirelessly at the face-off x to help us win over 60 % of the face-offs for the play-offs,” King said.

“We have a collection of about 12 statistics that we attempt to win in every contest,” King said. “These are team goals, ranging from groundballs, to clears and rides, face-offs, saves, etc. As the season got closer to playoffs we won most of the categories. This focus kept us grounded and striving to get better each contest.”

This spring, Corner Canyon defeated Box Elder, Northridge, Brighton, Olympus, Lone Peak, Snow Canyon, Alta, Park City, Judge Memorial, Riverton, Mountain Ridge, Herriman, Copper Hills, Bingham and East during the regular season – outscoring opponents 207 to 53 – with its only loss to Arapahoe, a team from Colorado, 10-9 on April 19.

“There is much about this team that can’t be measured by statistics,” King said. “Each and every player came to practice every day and worked to get better. There was never any fighting about playing time, and the reserve players pushed us to improve each day.”

Coach King additionally recognized his 18 seniors – Andrews, Ballman, Brady, Lincoln Crittendon, Daynes, Dunbar, Gamache, Hiatt, Lunstad, McKenna, Oldroyd, Parkinson, Perry, Russell, Sorenson, Taylor, Cole Wentworth and Wheatley – for their contributions to the CCHS program. 

“This senior class has left an incredible legacy,” he said. “They have been a part of state championships all four years. They have a record of 67-6, losing only three of those games to teams from the state of Utah.”

Also on the championship team were Gil Erikson, Brevan Ewing, Andrew Laker, Austin Larson, Blake Parkinson, Taft Robertson, Evan Wentworth and Bridger Zimmerman. λ