Box Score
In a game that will be remembered by everyone in attendance, Onondaga Men's Lacrosse defeated Howard Community College, 15-14, on Sunday afternoon to earn the program's tenth NJCAA National Championship.

After a 2-2 finish at the end of the first fifteen minutes of play, the Howard Dragons scored four unanswered giving the Lazers the largest deficit of the season. With 5:30 remaining in the second the 2017 Steve Caravana Best Offensive Player Award recipient, Russ Oakes, ignited the comeback with a dish from Larson Sundown. The Lazers responded with three more goals, and Brendan Duggan tied the game at six with an unassisted rip with fifty seconds left on the clock.

Ian Decker of the Dragons took back the lead one minute into the third quarter. After a scoreless three minutes Austin Staats netted one unassisted, and David W. Murphy Field erupted thirty seconds later when Larson Sundown found Staats again to take the 8-7 lead. Howard tied it again at eight all but OCC scored three straight to gain their largest lead of the game.

The Lazers held an 11-10 advantage at the start of the final quarter where both teams went point for point until the last five minutes of the game. Howard's Kevin Curcio scored two within one minute to tie the game at fourteen, but the "Redeem Team" was not going to lose two titles in a row.

The game-winning goal all started with a caused turnover by Nick Koelmel and a ground ball pick up by Zach Pinney. Howard Goalie, Mark Bowser, first stopped an open shot by Russ Oakes. Jake McNabb found the ground ball and gave Bowser save number two, but the third time was the charm. Austin Staats scooped up the ground ball behind the net and found McNabb in front for the game-winner.

Austin Staats (3 goals) and Larson Sundown (2 goals) led the team with 5 points each. Russ Oakes scored three and Peter Kwas found the net twice.

Colton Thew went 15-for-24 at the faceoff dot, while Evan Schumacher won 3-of-7.

Zach Pinney and Jacob Corcoran led the defense with a combined seven caused turnovers and five ground balls. Brendan Duggan (1 goal, 1 assist) and Erik Badger also found four ground balls apiece.

Riley Smith gave up 14 goals and made 16 stops in goal.
 

2017 NJCAA Men's Lacrosse National Championship All-Tournament Team
Stone Boone – Anne Arundel
Chris Smith – Ocean
Dan Wood – Nassau
Conor Byrnes – Nassau
Pat Van Bortle – Genesee
Sherman Williams – Genesee
Mark Bowser – Howard
Ian Decker – Howard
Adam Friedman – Howard
Larson Sundown – Onondaga
Austin Robinson – Onondaga
Zach Pinney – Onondaga

Steve Caravana Best Offensive Player Award
Russ Oakes – Onondaga (8 goals, 1 assist)

Steve Caravana Best Defensive Player Award
Riley Smith – Onondaga (28 saves)

NJCAA Men's Lacrosse Coach of the Year
Chuck Wilbur – Onondaga