USA Lacrosse High School Boys' Players of the Week
The USA Lacrosse Players of the Week recognize the most outstanding individual performances in high school boys’ lacrosse in each of the four active regions — Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and West — outlined in our high school coverage.
The South and West Regions have completed play for the season.
NORTHEAST
Denis Fargione, Garden City (N.Y.)
Garden City (N.Y.) has made a habit of playing tight games. In fact, Sunday’s New York State Class B championship game was the 10th one-goal game of the season for the Trojans. With the tightest of margins throughout the season, a solid goaltender is needed to pull out those wins. Enter Denis Fargione. The junior, who made seven saves in a semifinal win over Niskayuna (N.Y.), was even better in the biggest game of the year. The Villanova commit made 11 saves, including three key stops in the first quarter when the Trojans struggled for possession. Another big save sprung a perfectly executed transition goal to extend Garden City’s lead to four en route to a 9-8 win over Victor (N.Y.) in the New York State Class B title game.
Also notable: Matt Jeffery, Cheshire (Conn.); Keegan Lynch, Baldwinsville (N.Y.); Josh Marcus, Staples (Conn.); Michael Mondiello, Manhasset (N.Y.); Roy Testa, Cold Spring Harbor (N.Y.)
— Dylan Butler
MID-ATLANTIC
Nick Faccone, Delbarton (N.J.)
Faccone lived out the dream in the Non-Public A championship. He won 11 of 14 faceoffs, but the senior went well beyond his normal duties by scoring a pair of goals. The first helped bring Delbarton within a goal of Seton Hall Prep (N.J.) with 7:39 left in regulation after the Green Wave trailed by four goals to start the fourth quarter. After Asher Testa sent the game into overtime with a goal for Delbarton with 2.5 seconds left in regulation, Faccone then won the faceoff to start the third overtime and raced down the field to score the game-winner with 3:52 left. It was his second goal of the game after having just five previous goals all season. The Lafayette commit had a .687 win percentage at the X this year.
Also notable: Cole Cashion, Rumson-Fair Haven (N.J.); Marco D’Alicandro, Marple Newtown (Pa.); Stevie Davis, La Salle (Pa.); Will Deo, Gill St. Bernard’s (N.J.); Pat Flaherty, Springfield-Delco (Pa.); Jake Jackson, West Chester Rustin (Pa.); Ethan Krauss, Shawnee (N.J.); Sean McCeney, Summit (N.J.); Rowan Myers, Manheim Township (Pa.); Jack Shultz, Ridgewood (N.J.)
— Justin Feil
MIDWEST
Hunter Polonkey, Brother Rice (Mich.)
Playing with a torn meniscus, per Jenna Malinowski of the Detroit Free Press, who would’ve known what Hunter Polonkey was battling through the way he played in Brother Rice’s 14-11 state championship game win over Detroit Catholic Central (Mich.). Polonkey set a tone to start the game, firing a shot into the top-right corner for the game’s first goal. Down 3-1 late in the first, Polonkey added another key goal, ultimately scoring four of the Warriors’ 14.
Also notable: Carsen Brandt, Benilde-St. Margaret’s (Minn.); Jack Cyrek, Detroit Catholic Central (Mich.); Sean Donahue, Detroit Catholic Central (Mich.); Mason Payter, Hartland (Mich.)
— Jonah Rosenblum