'No better story': Goalie Ryan Kaplan carries St. Andrew's to third straight state title

NAPLES — It's been no bed of roses, no pleasure cruise, but the Scots are the champions — again — with a 9-8 upset of No. 1 Bolles in the 2023 Class 1A boys lacrosse state championship.

Of nine title matchup appearances, St. Andrew's (19-3) has brought the hardware home to Boca Raton seven times since earning Florida's first state lacrosse championship in 2008. Then, program founder Jeff Goldberg led the Scots to three consecutive state championships.

Facing Bolles (22-3) in his eighth season coaching the Scots saw Tony Seaman become the second St. Andrew's coach to clinch a three-peat. The team's senior core of Zach Brent, Jack Ewen, Caleb Fox, Ryan Kaplan, Moses Perry, Eric Stiefel and Zach Zammiello can say they did the same. Not to forget Air Force signee and star attackman Jack Schulte.

Despite the return of a force of defending champion upperclassmen and Schulte — who fell just one score short of two consecutive 60-goal seasons after netting two on Saturday — the winningest squad in state history was still the underdog.

"The games get closer and closer every year and the teams around here are getting better and better, so it feels good for us to stay on top," Schulte said. Yet, the Scots' winning tradition wasn't what lifted St. Andrew's this spring.

"I don't think there's a better story than Ryan Kaplan coming in and winning the game for us."

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St. Andrew's lost All-American Gunnar Schwarz to Navy after last season's 9-7 title win versus Benjamin. Still, Seaman was confident that Kaplan would protect the net and the Scots' streak.

"He's been incredible," Seaman said.

The first-year starter sealed a historic, emotional triumph with four saves in the fourth quarter when St. Andrew's found itself tied 8-8 with a feisty pack of Bulldogs and less than five minutes left.

Kaplan's defense gave Schulte "chills."

"I was tearing up the whole game just watching him make all those saves," Schulte said. "He's one of my best friends and he had it tough coming in here backing up [Schwarz] for two years straight."

"Those last five minutes were the most intense of my career," Kaplan said, admitting he was "freaking out a little bit."

Schulte, too. "My heart was beating so fast. I don't even know how to explain it," he recalled.

As the horn blew, the Scots flung their sticks and helmets in the air, catching a second wind for a final sprint to a shocked Kaplan, frozen at the net. Immediately, a wet-eyed, 40-man dogpile ensued.

"Being a starter is a new thing for me — but playing behind [Schwarz] helped me get to where I am today," Kaplan said. "It doesn't feel real."

Long after the trophy was handed off and celebratory pictures and stories on social media commenced, Kaplan planted himself at midfield, watching in disbelief with his face in his hands. In all the jubilee, there was still a pang of grief.

Kaplan just completed his last game donning the red and white, surrounded by his grandparents, classmates, friends and teachers.

Missing was his cousin, Alex Cohen, who died just before the Scots embarked on the final stretch to Naples.

Proud to be able to honor one of his closest friends and family members, Kaplan said: "I played it for him."

For a number of Scots like himself, the run this year wasn't about doing it for themselves or a chance to brag.

The greatest theme of St. Andrew's season was doing right by those who couldn't come along on the journey.

Ahead of February's season opener against Western, senior middie Cole Hofbauer blew out his knee, delivering an unexpected, major loss to the roster.

Stepping up for his big brother, Connor Hofbauer forged a breakout junior year.

"He was a huge part of our offense and not having him definitely hurt — but I felt like the other players felt they needed to step up as well as I think they 100 percent did," Hofbauer said.

His 33-goal, 20-assist season was highlighted by a pair of game-tying scores and a critical, game-winning shot against Bolles, who caught up to the Scots' 7-4 halftime lead with a hat trick performance by Bulldog junior Daylin John-Hill.

"Don't get me wrong, scoring those types of goals are very special to me for sure, but they aren't possible without everyone else doing their job," Hofbauer said.

Elite outings from players like Hofbauer and national leader in assists Nick Testa — the freshman who accounted for a team-leading three in the ship — signaled early on that St. Andrew's would find its gel on offense.

What Seaman saw against a "very good" Bolles team told him that the Scots will do it again next year, anticipating 11 players to run it back for their sophomore and junior seasons, plus eight returning seniors.

Hofbauer is "super excited" to be coming back for one more year.

"The amount of work we will need to put in just to get back to the championship is going to be unbelievable, but I know all the guys are up to the task."

Emilee Smarr is the high school 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: St. Andrew's lacrosse: Ryan Kaplan saves Scots' third straight title