Rochester's Tylon Thompson fires a shot past a Baltimore Private goalkeeper but just misses the cage. Thompson did score three goals to lead his team to a 9-8 victory in the finals of the ALNC on Sunday in Germantown, Md.
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by Aaron Gray
agray@digitalsports.com

(See videos below)

He didn't win the Super Bowl but it was as close as any high school lacrosse player could get.

"I'm going to Disney World!!" Kyle VanThof shouted to the absolute amusement of his teammates, who surrounded him during a post-game interview.

Tylon Thompson scored three goals and VanThof netted two -- including the game-winner with less than 30 seconds left -- to lift Rochester, NY to a thrilling 9-8 victory over Baltimore Private in the Adidas National Lacrosse Classic championship at the Maryland Soccerplex in Germantown, Md. on Sunday.

Over 900 players from across the country tried out for the 16 regional teams that were invited to this inaugural event. Rochester, considered the national champions, will represent the U.S. against Canada for the historic Brogden Cup in Orlando, Fl. on Dec. 5-8 to determine the best region of high school lacrosse players in North America.

"We really came together as a team," said Rochester coach Craig Whipple, whose team went a perfect 6-0 during the two-day tournament. "Everyone shared the ball and that was the biggest thing. Everyone was unselfish out there, which proved to be the catalyst and got us to the championship."

Seven different players registered a point in the final for third-seeded Rochester, which trailed 5-3 at halftime. VanThof added an assist to his output and Connor Rice had two helpers.

After Rochester rallied in the second half and knotted the score, 5-5, off a long crank shot from VanThof, both teams traded the lead as neither could muster a two-goal advanatge.

"We know it's going to be a close game," Baltimore coach Zack Burke said before his team's final bout. "It may come down to who has the endurance."

Paul Danko Jr. tallied a hat trick for the top-seeded Baltimore squad while Tony Rossi finished with two goals.

Stevie Kirkup scored his only goal of the game for Baltimore on a wrap-around play to tie the score, 8-8, with less than a minute remaining. It was the fourth tied score of the second half and set the stage for VanThof's late-game heroics.

"Coach called my name and I ran out on the field," said VanThof, who is a rising senior at Penfield High School in New York. "We got it around the cage and I just had a feeling."

VanThof recieved the ball and avoided two seperate checks while running to his right. He fired his shot from about 10 yards out and fit the ball in the upper corner for the go-ahead score.

"We knew there was less than one minute left but I didn't think about the clock," he said. "I just went to the goal."

VanThof said the overall experience and bonding with his teammates was his favorite thing about the weekend.

"In between games, at the hotel ... it was fun," he said. "We had good chemistry."

The team came together two months ago during an open tryout for upcoming 10th, 11th and 12th graders. There was a three-hour evaluation process at Irondequoit High School in Rochester that included individual position drills, time-testing for speed and a series of scrimmages. When the smoke cleared, 23 players were still standing. They won't forget what they developed in Maryland because it's on to Florida this winter.

"I've been to Florida many times and I can't wait to go back there with a great group of guys," said Rochester coach Andrew Whipple, who is Craig's brother and a former lacrosse standout at the University of Maryland.

The constant hot tempeature and barely any clouds in sight played a factor for every team. But for a squad like Rochester, one of the most northern teams at the tourney, its wasn't a big deal. Keeping players hydrated was important especially since it was 10 degrees hotter on the playing turf at the Soccerplex.

"We have some really bad winters in upstate New York so we're used to the field turf," Andrew Whipple said. "You could tell the heat was getting to some of the guys but we just told them that it was time to suck it up. They really played well this weekend."

ELITE EIGHT
No. 1 Baltimore Private 9, No. 8 Columbus, OH 3
No. 2 Washington DC Private 6, No. 7 Chicago 5 (OT)
No. 3 Rochester, NY 10, No. 6 Long Island, NY 2
No. 4 Baltimore Public 10, No. 5 Princeton, NY 5

FINAL FOUR
No. 3 Rochester 11, No. 2 Washington DC Private 5
No. 1 Baltimore Private 7, No. 4 Baltimore Public 4

CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 3 Rochester 9, No. 1 Baltimore Private 8