Spartans lacrosse wins 2nd straight state title

It took two days to determine the 2019 state champion in boys lacrosse.

But when the clock finally struck zeroes, the title remained in Mountain Brook High School’s possession.

The Spartans varsity team outlasted rival Vestavia Hills 12-10 in the Greater Birmingham Youth Lacrosse Association state final to secure their second straight crown on May 12. 

The game began on May 11 but was postponed midway through the third quarter due to lightning. Play resumed the following day, and Mountain Brook prevailed.

It was the fourth state title in program history.

“It felt great for me because I’ve coached these kids since they were waist-high,” Spartans head coach Thacher Worthen said. “To be able to see the seniors leave with two state championships was a thrill.”

Worthen succeeded Brian Doud as Spartans head coach before the season started and inherited a roster that included 10 seniors. Many Mountain Brook players already knew Worthen. He coached for a number of years with Mountain Brook Youth Lacrosse as his son, Kade, climbed the ranks.

“I was very familiar with them, and they were very familiar with me,” Worthen said. “They knew my style of coaching.”

That made for a smooth transition ahead of the Feb. 1 season opener, which Mountain Brook won 19-0 over John Carroll. The outcome foreshadowed the rest of the campaign.

The Spartans outscored many of their opponents by 10 goals or more and finished the season with a 15-1 record. Their only loss came in the regular season to Vestavia Hills, 14-12.

“There was a clear difference between Mountain Brook and Vestavia and the rest of the pack,” Worthen said.

The Spartans notched playoff victories over Spain Park and Auburn en route to the title game, which Vestavia Hills entered undefeated. But Mountain Brook didn’t back down.

The Spartans held a 7-6 lead when the game was postponed and then came back the next day to seal the victory. Five Mountain Brook players scored two goals in the win.

Worthen credited faceoff specialist Patton Browning and his team’s overall discipline in avoiding penalties for helping cement the result.

“The last three minutes was chaos,” Worthen said. “You had to withstand a barrage of Vestavia’s offensive firepower.”

Three Spartans — Kade Worthen, Reid Manley and Nick Lauer — capped their stellar season by collecting All-State honors.

Worthen, who plays attack, set single-season records for points and assists. The junior tallied 49 assists and 48 goals throughout the spring.

Manley, a senior midfielder, recorded 29 goals and eight assists. Lauer, also a senior, anchored Mountain Brook’s defense before developing a season-ending injury ahead of the playoffs.

“It was kind of a rallying cry behind him,” Thacher Worthen said.

Other impact players for Mountain Brook included Park Mendelsohn, who scored 40 goals, Jay Rucker, Logan Brewer, Luke Calloway, Max Calloway, goalie Henry Tynes and Browning.

Although the Spartans graduate a sizeable chunk of their roster, Worthen said he will return a strong team in 2020. A third straight state title looms.

“We couldn’t do it without the support of Mountain Brook High School and the parents,” Worthen said.