The Regis Jesuit boys lacrosse team earned a spot among the elite group of teams in contention for the Class 5A state championship, while it finished with a loss in the semifinals.
The Raiders earned a plethora of spots on the 2026 Aurora Sentinel All-Aurora Boys Lacrosse Team — which is picked by the Sentinel in conjunction with balloting of local coaches — while the area’s other programs lend top talent as well to the mix with players such as Grandview senior Mason Kelly, one of the state’s most prolific scorers in any classification.
Coach Ross Moscatelli’s Regis Jesuit team suffered just three losses in 18 games, as one came to state champion Valor Christian and two others to runner-up Cherry Creek. The Raiders averaged a healthy 14.8 goals per game and scored 267 on the season, second only in the state to Valor Christian, which had 279 and played one more game than Regis Jesuit.
The offense had plenty of “Will” power as players who shared the same first name — senior William Wilson, junior Will Cornell and sophomore Will Van Der Bosch — combined to pile up a whopping 255 points.
Cornell had the most prolific campaign of the group, as the junior attackman accrued 93 thanks to 51 goals (third among area players) and 42 assists (second among locals), while he was followed by Wilson — a Massachusetts commit and All-State first team pick by the Colorado High School Lacrosse Coaches Association — who tallied 53 goals and dished out 33 assists for 86 points. Van Der Bosch chipped in 43 goals and 33 assists for 76 points.
Regis Jesuit also excelled at limiting the opposition as it yielded just 112 goals in 18 games with help from a group that included junior defensive midfielder Max Hogan, an All-State second team honoree.
Cherokee Trail won the Predators Cup with a double-digit win over rival Grandview and earned a postseason victory for a second straight season before losing to a tight contest with Lakewood in the second round of the 5A playoffs.
Coach Matt Cawley’s Cougars — who finished 10-7 — were outstanding in several areas, but most definitely in the faceoff circle thanks to senior Tate Jamison. Jamison won the most draws of any Aurora area player with 162, while his total of 107 ground balls ranked fifth in the 5A classification, which helped him earn CHSAA All-State honorable mention.
CHSAA’s All-State second team includes another Cherokee Trail player in junior midfielder Ryder Southern, who was one of the area’s most well-rounded players in the middle of the field.
Grandview lost in the second round of the 5A playoffs and finished 10-7 overall.
Coach Greg Mellinger’s Wolves scored the second-most goals of Aurora area teams with a big boost from Kelly, who finished third in the state with a total of 103 points. Signed to play at Rutgers, Kelly led Aurora area players in goals with 62 (second-most in 5A behind the 68 of Cherry Creek’s Wyatt Branish).
Smoky Hill’s resurgence this season — it posted the program’s first winning season since 2013 — had a lot to do with its prowess on the defensive end.
The Buffaloes gave up the fewest total goals among local teams with two less than Regis Jesuit, though they played two fewer games.
That area was spearheaded by senior goalie Grady Baker, a captain and Carthage College signee who earned 4A All-State first team accolades. Baker had the best save percentage (.680) and the most saves (215) among local goalies, while he was second in goals against average with 6.847 per contest.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
