Crown ‘em! Bishop England girls’ lacrosse team state champions again

The girls’ Class AAAA state lacrosse championship turned out to be a coronation.

 

The Bishop England girls put a massive beatdown on Riverside High School, posting a 22-2 victory on April 27 in the state championship at Irmo High School.

 

It was a rare case of no contest, at least at the state championship level.

 

The game was so lopsided that a running clock was used beginning late in the first half when the Bishops took an 11-1 lead, and it continued the entire second half.

 

It was the Bishops’ seventh state title in the last eight years, and the only reason why it wasn’t 8-for-8 is the South Carolina High School League ruled the Bishops used an ineligible player last spring, leading to five forfeits.

 

That decision halted the Bishops’ 98-game winning streak, but it didn’t halt their spirit, passion, and determination, as they finished with a 19-0 record, and a schedule that included total dominance.

 

The Bishops outscored foes this season by a 327-39 margin and didn’t slow down in the playoffs. They beat Academic Magnet, Philip Simmons High School, Oceanside Collegiate Academy, and Riverside by a combined 75-6 margin.

 

“It’s great to win it on the field,” Bishop England coach Jeff Weiner said. “I felt we would have won it last year. We beat all the teams that played in the (Class) 4-A and 5-A state championships last year.”

 

The Bishops, who are currently ranked the No. 4 team in the country, according to MaxPreps.com, took control early and never let up to send the Warriors to only their third defeat of the season in 20 games.

 

As usual, the cast of Bishop stars proved to be too bright for Riverside.

 

Bo Rosato scored six goals on seven shots while recording three assists. Izzy Woods converted five of her six shots into goals and added an assist. Nini Clarke collected three goals, one assist, and six ground balls. Henley Bredemann tallied four goals, two assists, and five ground balls.

 

Keeper Lizzy Tompkins allowed only one goal in 36 minutes of action.

 

The Bishops do face massive losses to graduation in May, including all the attack and midfield, and Tompkins, the keeper. This will be the coach’s biggest rebuilding job. 

 

“I’ve never lost this many people in a single season,” Weiner said. “I might have lost four starters, but nothing like this.”

 

For now, Weiner just wants to focus on his team’s success. He says this year’s squad is the easiest group of girls to coach.

 

While the Bishops’ 98-game winning streak ended with the High School League’s ruling, the Bishops still haven’t lost on the field in 117 games. 

 

That last loss on the field occurred on April 10, 2017, when the Bishops lost to Charlotte’s Myers Park. The last time the Bishops dropped a decision to a Palmetto State school was March 4, 2017, when they lost to J.L. Mann High School.

 

Weiner, who turns 75 on June 14, plans to be back next year as the Bishops reload.

 

“That’s the plan,” Weiner said. “As long as I’m on this planet, I’m coaching.”