Family ties could bring Jupiter boys lacrosse another state title in 2024
JUPITER — Palm Beach County could be home to not one, not two, but three lacrosse state champions this year.
Fourteen local teams are still on the road to Naples. Along with top-ranked St. Andrew's boys, seeking a four-peat in 1A, and American Heritage-Delray girls, looking to go back-to-back in 1A for a program first, the boys of Jupiter High are top contenders for some new hardware.
Blood, sweat and tears pave the way to playoffs every season. In 2024, the first of the trinity has run a bit deeper for the Warriors (13-4), ranked third in 2A and first in Region 4.
Last spring, sophomore middie Gavin Meyers got the sought-after chance to play on the same high school squad as his brother, Sean, now a freshman on the lacrosse team at Embry-Riddle. On Jupiter's most recent 15-6 run to region finals against state runner-up St. Thomas Aquinas, big bro served as top scorer.
"I'm determined to keep up the legacy, getting better and better every season to fulfill what he left," Meyers said. "It's a great feeling to contribute to my team like my brother did in his past years at Jupiter and I'm just going to keep pushing for success."
With a hat trick performance in a 12-1 district championship win over Martin County on Wednesday, Meyers has taken over as Jupiter's lead scorer and kept the family tradition alive.
"I'm honored to be carrying on the tradition because I look up to my brother and I learned everything from him," Meyers said.
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The family ties don't stop there.
When he wasn't feeding the ball to Meyers and company, Matt Sofarelli was running up the scoreboard.
No, not the Warriors' head coach. His son of the same name, a senior attack navigating his third year on the roster, although it may be hard to believe after a quiet spring in 2023.
Seven goals and 23 assists to start the season suggested that Sofarelli was in line for a breakout campaign. Then, with a broken ankle, everything changed.
"I supported my team and did everything I could from the sideline," Sofarelli said. He played in just eight games then, but in 2024, he's been on the field for all 17.
Sofarelli spent the offseason working hard to get healthy so he could stay healthy now. Against a zoned-in Tiger defense, his three first-half goals, including the lone score of the second quarter, saw the Warriors with a 6-0 halftime lead.
"It's been a great season being back injury-free and helping my team in any way I can," Sofarelli said.
He added one more goal in the third quarter to lead the Warriors in scoring for the night and notch the best performance of his career in front of the old man.
"My dad was happy that we won, and he always tells me, 'There's more work to be done,'" Sofarelli said, knowing a region title is up next. The Warriors' last region championship and final four trip came in 2021 when the team's 18-1 run came to an end with the program's second state title.
"I've been the coach's kid for as long as I've been playing lacrosse, since first grade," he said. "Every year comes with its challenges, but it's good to have the support and encouragement from my dad."
"Winning my last district championship with my dad coaching me is definitely going to be a nice memory."
If all goes as planned for Jupiter in the coming weeks, the memories have only just begun.
Who else made state lacrosse playoffs? A look at the schedule
Region quarterfinals for 1A and 2A girls will take place on Tuesday, April 23, and Friday, April 26, respectively. Region quarterfinals for 1A and 2A boys are set for Wednesday, April 24, and Saturday, April 27, respectively. Local teams are indicated in bold.
State championships will be held on May 9-11, at Paradise Coast Sports Complex in Naples.
Girls
1A-Region 4
No. 8 Random Everglades at No. 1 American Heritage-Delray
No. 5 St. Edward's at No. 4 American Heritage-Plantation
No. 7 Pine Crest at No. 2 St. Andrew's
No. 6 King's at No. 3 Benjamin
2A-Region 4
No. 8 Boca Raton at No. 1 Douglas
No. 5 Jupiter at No. 4 Miami-Palmetto
No. 7 Dwyer at No. 2 Martin County
No. 6 Western at No. 3 St. Thomas Aquinas
Boys
1A-Region 2
No. 8 All Saints at No. 1 Benjamin
No. 5 St. Edward's at No. 4 Montverde Academy
No. 7 First Academy at No. 2 Lake Highland Prep
No. 6 Holy Trinity at No. 3 Bishop Moore
1A-Region 4
No. 8 Ransom Everglades at No. 1 St. Andrew's
No. 5 Pine Crest at No. 4 Oxbridge
No. 7 American-Heritage-Plantation at No. 2 Gulliver Prep
No. 6 Belen Jesuit at No. 3 St. John Paul II
2A-Region 4
No. 8 Wellington at No. 1 Jupiter
No. 4 Miami-Palmetto at No. 5 Columbus
No. 7 Douglas at No. 2 St. Thomas Aquinas
No. 6 Martin County at No. 3 Boca Raton
Emilee Smarr is a sports reporter for The Palm Beach Post. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: 14 Palm Beach County lacrosse teams still alive on road to state championships
