Three years ago, the LaFayette boys lacrosse team trudged off the field at Hofstra University feeling the pain of a 17-12 defeat to Lynbrook in the state championship game.

As the team slowly boarded the bus to make the quiet drive from Long Island, six freshmen set their sights on Saturday's championship game.

"After that game, all the freshmen said we have to go back there as seniors and we did it," said defender Nick Lavdas.

They did more than just show up. They trounced Somers 18-3 to win the Class C title and the school's first-ever state championship.

"We did things I haven't seen this year," said LaFayette coach Greg Scott. "Today we peaked."

The Lancers (23-1) so utterly dominated the injury plagued Tuskers (17-7) with speed and a fast break that the outcome was never in doubt.

"You couldn't have scripted a better game" said senior Andrew Spack. "You couldn't have scripted a better season . You couldn't have scripted a better team to play on."

Somers limited the high-octane offense for the first five minutes of the game. Eventually, LaFayette's rapid-fire approach on offense would net some points, and at the 6:52 mark in the first half, it did.

Cortland bound Spack opened the flood gates with an unassisted goal. Four minutes later, the Lancers had scored two more goals, including the first of six by senior Hiawha Nanticoke.

Nanticoke who entered the game with a sore ankle after injuring it in the semi final against Penn Yan, looked to be at full strength. He rolled off four straight goals in less than eight minutes to give his team a 6-2 lead in the second quarter

When LaFayette finally took a breather at halftime, it was up 11-2 with the win a near certainty.

LaFayette controlled the second half and outscored Somers 7-1 in the final 24 minutes to cruise to the win.

"When they come out and do something like that you know this team is special" Scott said. "They knew it, thy took it, and they went the whole game. They ran up and down the field. Our racehorses were going today and those kids weren't going to die. They weren't going to get tired. They stuck to the game plan, they played LaFayette lacrosse."

From the looks of it, typical LaFayette lacrosse is an offensive onslaught that cranks out 31 more shots than an opponent and relies on pressure defense to create transition opportunities. On the rare occasion Somers saw the cage, senior goalie Ross Bucktooth shut the Tuskers down with 13 saves.

"End to end, putting the ball in the net, this is definitely the best game we played," said junior Brendan Storrier. A stunned Somers defender agreed.

"they were one of the best offences we faced all year, and it shows in the score said Somers Drew Macernka. "We couldn't slow them down on the break. They just kept coming down."

LaFayette ends a remarkable season in which its only bump was an 11-5 loss to Baldwinsville of Class A. The Lancers played just two one-goal games and outscored opponents by 232 goals.

While the state title does not ease the memories of a state championship defeat, the 3-year pain has abated just a bit.

"I've seen the tears," coach Scott said. "I had some myself but we had some redemption this year. We came out and wanted it and we took it. This is awesome.

"This is huge," he later added." LaFayette is about to come unglued. We've been waiting a long time in LaFayette for this."

Notes: Player pictured is Kevin Bucktooth.
Players on the championship team from the Nation are:
Kevin Bucktooth Jr., Ross Bucktooth, Lee Nanticoke, Hiawha Nanticoke, James Pierce, Jeremy Thompson, Jerome Thompson and Kevin Wilkerson.