Supporters of Bowie Boys Lacrosse clapped and cheered loudly as the final whistle blew at House Park stadium, marking a 10-7 victory over Hyde Park and officially earning them the title of undefeated Class C Central District Champions.
This made history for the varsity team, as they hadn’t gone to playoffs in 16 years. The last time the team won district was in 2009, when Will Laurel, the current head coach, played on the Bowie lacrosse team as a student.
“I graduated from Bowie in 2010 after playing for the program, so being able to give back to this community means a lot to me,” Laurel said. “It’s incredibly rewarding to create a meaningful experience for the young men in our program. Watching this team grow and push themselves makes me want to work even harder for them.”
On Sunday May 4, the team went into their second round playoff game against Plano East High School. The game didn’t go in their favor with a 15-5 loss.
“We knew Plano East had some talented shooters going into the game,” senior Ian Hoard said. “The heat really got to a lot of our guys and by the third and the fourth quarter a lot of us were worn out.”
This team has shown it’s on the rise, ending a sixteen-year drought of not winning district, and becoming formidable competitors to teams all over the state. Their recent success reflects a period of significant improvement and suggests a positive trajectory for the team’s development.
“Winning district is pretty incredible, and gives us hope that we’re going to go really far in the playoffs, especially since last year we got knocked out in the first round,” sophomore attacker Jacob Geldart said.
As graduation nears, anticipation builds for the seniors on the team, who are aiming to make their final season a memorable one by contending for the state championship. Among the seven seniors on the team is midfielder Ian Hoard.
“I’m looking forward to soaking up my last moments with the team, and having the opportunity to do something that hasn’t happened in a long time for Bowie lacrosse, which goes to show how far we’ve come under Coach Laurel,” Hoard said.
As the season wraps up for the team, the goals for next year are not just to go far in the playoffs but also to improve other aspects of the program according to Laurel. Currently, the team is classified as a lower division than the coaches want and practices at Small Middle School, which, according to Laurel, is far from convenient. In future years, the goal is to move practice to the Bowie campus to help players better manage their schedules.
“This program is on the rise,” Laurel said. “Texas lacrosse is divided into four brackets: A, B, C, and D. We currently compete in the C division, but my goal has always been to elevate the program back to the A division. Based on our success this year, I’m advocating for us to move to the B division next season. We’re building something special here.”
A structured approach to practice is what Laurel is implementing this season to ensure the team is prepared to face the hardest teams in the area. Players express their appreciation for Laurel and the way he has improved the program in such a short time.
“Coach Laurel brought a lot of class and respect to this program, and everyone is more together and organized,” sophomore Hayden Elley said. “He’s really turning this program around and makes this team an exciting and enjoyable experience.”
