4A boys lacrosse: Judge Memorial caps final game before 5A jump with 2nd title

HERRIMAN — Even though the two teams faced each other twice in region play, Juan Diego's boys lacrosse team probably wasn't scouting William Trentman as Judge Memorial's top goal scorer ahead of Friday's 4A championship game.

Or even the second. Or third or fourth.

Trentman was the Bulldogs' eighth-best scorer leading up to Friday's finale with five goals and five assists.

But the versatile junior had a first-half hat trick as Judge Memorial overwhelmed their region rival 15-4 to clinch a second straight 4A state title Friday at Zions Bank Stadium.

"There's a lot of caffeine in me, so it was moving pretty slow out there," Trentman said cheekily. "But all my goals were assisted, and there's not a guy on this field I don't trust. It's a great squad of guys.

"This group of guys, we just know each other too well," he added. "It was a lot of open guys, and I just got lucky today."

The Bulldogs (15-6) didn't open the season looking like a powerhouse, with three losses in their first six contests. Look a little closer, and you'll see those losses came to eventual 5A runner-up Park City (in overtime, 6A Farmington), a 16-4 loss to 6A champion Corner Canyon, and California's Santa Margarita.

Judge Memorial also had a win over eventual 5A champion Brighton, sneaking a 12-11 victory in overtime that showed the Bulldogs could compete with anyone — perhaps even when they move up a classification next year.

It was all designed to help the defending 4A champs play the best lacrosse in May, rather than March.

"We were just getting them ready," Judge coach Jeff Brzoska said. "Moving up to 5A next year, that's what the whole season was about. We tried to find the best competition we could in-state and out of state and put them through the gauntlet.

"This group has matured so quickly, it's incredible," he added. "The core of this group all played together as freshmen, when we lost in the state semifinals. And I think last year, we were a season ahead of schedule. I couldn't be more proud of them, and we're ready for the next."

Frederick Gowski, another junior added a hat trick of his own with two second-half goals, junior Rome Swanwick had two goals and two assists, and Gus Wood dished out four assists.

Each of them are juniors, and should be back for the Bulldogs' maiden run in 5A.

Then there was Trentman who scored twice while Wood added two assists to lift Judge Memorial to a 4-1 lead after one quarter.

The Bulldogs took both meetings from the Soaring Eagle, including a 12-6 victory in the finals of the Region 5 tournament two weeks ago.

But Friday's state final — played six days after Juan Diego stunned top-seeded West Field 9-8 in the quarterfinals — wasn't as close.

The Bulldogs outscored the Soaring Eagle 6-1 in the second quarter en route to a 10-2 halftime lead, and team captain Gowski scored a pair of second-half goals to lift Judge to a 12-2 advantage to start the fourth quarter.

Trentman scored with just over 9 minutes left to cap his day, a fourth goal that nearly doubled his season scoring tally.

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