NEENAH (NBC 26) – The inaugural WIAA state lacrosse championship will be held in the Fox Valley.
Following an 11-6 victory over Hudson in Tuesday’s section final, Neenah will play in its first-ever WIAA-sanctioned lacrosse title game on Saturday.
- The Rockets lost five of seven pre-postseason games, but rebounded to win four playoff games for a combined score of 64-23.
- After decades of being a club sport, this is the first season that the WIAA has sponsored education-based lacrosse; There are 40 boys teams and 36 girls teams statewide.
- Neenah will face Middleton in the state championship on Saturday; the game is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Bank of Sun Prairie Stadium in Sun Prairie, near Madison.
“There will only be one (first championship),” Neenah head coach Eric Marsh said. “Two teams will play in the first match. The fact that we can connect everything and get there and be a part of it, yes, is something special.”
“Anyway, I think it’s cool just because it’s a state championship game,” Neenah senior linebacker Ben Carey said. “But having a WIAA title is much more special. And the fact that this is the first race and a chance for our name to go down in history is really cool.”
Carey has played a key role in Neenah’s career this season. One of the best players in the state. He plans to play lacrosse at the University at Albany next fall.
“Even in his bad moments, he was a guy who didn’t really make those mistakes,” Marsh said. “Then in the playoffs, he took on an even bigger role.”
“Everyone in the state knows I’m one of the best players in the state; I don’t have to prove anything,” Carey said. I just have to go out and play my game and then others will follow.
“If I humble myself, others will humble themselves,” Carey added. “But if I play with that energy and that spark that we need, other guys will follow me.”
Neenah will face Middleton in the state championship on Saturday.
