Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
HERRIMAN — Gavin Rurka pulled back and unleashed what his teammates and Waterford boys lacrosse coach Will Manny could only describe as the best goal of his high school career.
But when the ball hit the back of the net with 45 seconds left in the 4A state championship game against top-seeded rival Juan Diego that gave the Ravens their first state championship, Rurka's thoughts remained focused on one particular teammate.
That would be former Waterford student Steven Jardine, a lacrosse player wearing No. 22 whose jersey remained draped over a chair on the bench nearly a year after he died in tragic car accident last summer.
Just over 16 at the time, Jardine would've been a junior on this year's Ravens squad.
But the team kept him in their hearts, with a "SJ22" patch on their helmets, his old jersey in a set on the bench, and a spot for his younger brother in the crowd at every game including Saturday morning's championship tilt.
"We could just feel him this whole season," Rurka said moments after scoring his second goal in a 7-6 win over Juan Diego at Zions Bank Stadium. "Every single game, every single win, we knew he was there with us."
Last summer was a tough time for Waterford (13-3), which included Jardine's death and coach Manny's son just three hours after the infant's birth. The crash also injured another Waterford student, whom his obituary describes as Jardine's best friend.
"That was just heavy on our hearts," Rurka said. "We've been through so much adversity — and we know we're playing for a higher purpose."
Lacrosse is the medicine game, the oldest known sport with roots in North American sports that dates back to indigenous peoples in the 12th century where tribes would sometimes play for days or weeks on end.
The game, sometimes called "baggataway" back then, was said to be played "for the Creator," with the goal to bring glory and honor to individuals and their tribes.
Fitting, then, that the 2026 season became something of a healing balm for the Ravens and their coach, who carried a memorial of his late son with him on the sidelines every week.
"I think we had a higher purpose to play for," Manny said.
"Lacrosse is the medicine game," he added. "What you give to it is what you're going to get out of it. It's not always pretty. But we made the plays that needed to happen."
Andrew Rurka led all scorers with two goals for Waterford, who got two goals from Gavin Rurka and a goal and two assists from Noah Chao.
But the Soaring Eagle, which was led by Trey Nicolodemos' two goals and two assists from Noah Schuyler, took the early advantage.
Aiden Sandstrom gave the Ravens a 3-2 early in the second quarter, but Juan Diego (16-5) used a 3-0 run with goals from Chris Jimerson, Brandon Backman and Nicolodemos to pull back in front en route to a 5-3 halftime lead.
Brayden Andersen and the Juan Diego defense kept Waterford off the board for more than 20 minutes of game time through the second and third quarter.
But from another view, the Ravens also held the Soaring Eagle scoreless in the third.
"Our defense has played great all season long, and this was the first game where we didn't score 10-plus goals. We were just like, the offense has got to win this game. Our defense is holding their own," said Manny, a former University of Utah assistant coach and eight-time Premier Lacrosse League all-star who played for Archers, Whipsnakes and Cannons. "Credit to everybody on our team. It was a full-team effort."
Kellen Kemper broke the drought in the third, and Andrew Rurka converted another goal from Chao less than two minutes later as the Ravens tied the match at 5-5.
Rurka added another with 3:26 left in the third, giving Waterford its first lead since netting the first two goals of the first quarter with a diving run toward goal.
Nicolodemos equalized a minute later, finishing an inside feed from Westley Buck for the Soaring Eagle's first goal in more than 25 minutes as the two sides remained gridlocked in the final two minutes.
That set up Gavin Rurka for the go-ahead goal with 45 seconds left, finishing a dish from Max Mishurda before the Ravens' defense did the rest.
"I don't know if I've seen him handle the ball (left-handed) inside like that in the seven years that I've known him," Manny said of Rurka's winner. "But in a state championship game, his last high school game of his career — He handles that and puts it in the net."
Best goal of his high school career?
"I'd say so," Rurka said. "Yes, sir."
