High Five! Blue Jays Take Home Fifth Consecutive State Lacrosse Title

Senior members of the 2016 state championship lacrosse team. Kneeling from left are Dominic Sunseri (5), Jeremy Scheffler (28), and Josh Cvitanovich (11). Behind them are Spencer Lemoine (19), Alex Vargas (34), Paul Gelpi (37), David Zazulak (12), Sammy Martin (36), Rob Hinyub (7), and Bill Hidalgo, who presented the team with the LHSLL trophy. In the back row are Thomas Cassagne (17), Max Murret, Gray Cressy, Kyle Westholz, Kent Flower, Taylor Anderson, and Connor Martinez.
Jesuit solidified its position as the state’s premier lacrosse program by whipping cross-town rival Brother Martin, 15-6, in the 2016 Louisiana High School Lacrosse League championship game. The season finale was played under sunny skies and in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd at Joe Yenni Field in Metairie on Sunday, April 24.
It’s Jesuit’s fifth consecutive LHSLL title.
Semifinal games were played a day earlier. Brother Martin edged Loyola College Prep (Shreveport), 7-6, in a game that was decided in the final seconds. The Blue Jays jumped all over St. Paul’s in the other semifinal, beating the Wolves, 19-6.
“When your team goes undefeated in district play and loses just a single in-state game all year, you worry about overconfidence, but our group gave it everything it had on both days,” said head coach Steve Krobert ’05. “I’m so proud of these guys, especially our seniors, who made sure our team was ready to roll when it counted most.” Krobert is assisted by coaches Nick Helinski, Saban Sellers, and Andrew Scott ’13, who, as a player, helped the Jays win their first two titles.
Junior Noah Martin scored four times and assisted on three other goals. Junior Briggs Lucia added four goals of his own. Senior Max Murret finished the championship game with two goals and three assists. Scoring single goals were senior Dominic Sunseri; juniors Jack Cronvich, Parker Simoneaux, and Michael Smart; and sophomore Aiden Roberts.
Defender Gray Cressy finished with a combined seven ground balls and takeaways, while fellow defender Sammy Martin had six. Sunseri added four. All three are seniors.
With junior Bennett Faust leading the way, the Jays controlled 11 of 24 face-offs.
Jesuit jumped out to an early lead, but the Crusaders battled tough and kept it close. The Jays’ lead at the half was just 7 to 5. The Crusaders are coached by Greg Anderson, who spent last year as the head coach of Jesuit’s junior varsity squad. “Greg is an outstanding motivator and tactician and I knew he would have his kids ready to play. Hats off to Brother Martin for giving it everything they had,” Krobert said.
Senior goalie Rob Hinyub saved six shots between the pipes against the Crusaders.

Senior attacker Max Murret, who was voted the championship tournament’s offensive MVP, shoots and scores for the Blue Jays. Murret finished the game with two goals and three assists.
Hinyub was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player on defense. Max Murret, the season scoring leader, was named the tournament’s MVP on offense. MVP decisions, which were made by an LHSLL representative, were based on play in semifinal games and the championship contest.
The afternoon ended with LHSLL Commissioner Jay Martinez thanking his host committee, players, parents, and students from all four schools for their support of the weekend and for the growing sport of lacrosse.
Jesuit offers a special thanks to parents Bryant Faust (photographs) and Charles Hamilton (statistics) for the outstanding support they provided our communications team all year long.
Galleries
Lacrosse vs. Br. Martin Championship Game, April 24, 2016
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Players and family members from both Jesuit and Brother Martin attend Mass at the Chapel of the North American Martyrs before the game.
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Head coach Steve Krobert '05 assesses his players' readiness during warm ups.
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Team captains line up at midfield for the coin toss. Representing the Jays are seniors Max Murret, Dominic Sunseri, Sammy Martin, Gray Cressy, and goalie Rob Hinyub. On the Brother Martin side are seniors Kerby Steiffel, Lee Davis, and goalie Holden Savoie.
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Players, led by senior Gray Cressy (26), are greeted by their coaches as they race out of the locker room and take the field.
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Coaches give players their final instructions.
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Junior midfielder Bennett Faust goes low to win the game's opening face-off.
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Senior midfielder Dominic Sunseri leads the team on its first offensive posession.
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Junior attacker Noah Martin scores the first goal for the Blue Jays as junior attacker Briggs Lucia (8) stands ready for a rebound.
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Senior attacker Max Murret splits two defenders and drives in to shoot from the edge of the crease. The Crusader defense held Murret scoreless for most of the game.
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Senior defender Sammy Martin applies a stick to an attacker.
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Sophomore Andrew Burnside (33) and Sammy Martin (36) stand strong on defense.
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An attacker has to leap to get off a pass as juniors Bennett Faust (13), Will Crumley (18), and Noah Martin (4) converge on a Crusader at midfield.
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Sammy Martin keeps up the defensive pressure as he collides with an opponent.
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Senior attacker Connor Martinez (21) eludes a defender.
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Senior attacker Max Murret gets ready to take another shot on goal.
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Junior attacker Michael Smart demonstrates his defensive abilities as the Blue Jays turn up the pressure.
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Junior attacker Noah Martin scores his fourth goal of the game with one second left in the half.
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Jesuit assistant coach Saban Sellers, who won Louisiana's first LHSLL state title as a player for St. Thomas More, races onto the field to congratulate his players at the end of the first half, which ended with Noah Martin scoring at the just before the horn.
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Brother Martin goalie Holden Savoie (7) deflects a shot from senior Connor Martinez.
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Senior defender Gray Cressy traverses the length of the field to take a shot on goal.
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Attacker Max Murret jars the ball loose from the goalie's crosse.
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Senior midfielder Kyle Westholz takes a shot on goal.
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Junior midfielder Jack Cronvich bounces a shot into the goal for another Blue Jay score.
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A defender knocks the ball free as senior attacker Dominic Sunseri tries to get off another shot.
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Hat Trick! Frs. Anthony McGinn '66 and Kevin Dyer, and Mr. Julio Minsal-Ruiz, all members of the Society of Jesuit, provide support on the Jesuit sideline.
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Senior goalie Rob Hinyub scans the field as he prepares to clear the ball following a save.
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Junior midfielder Parker Simoneaux (20) is knocked off of his feet as he scores a goal to lead off the final quarter of the game.
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Senior attacker Max Murret shoots for the Blue Jays.
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Parker Simoneaux celebrates with a teammate as students in the stands cheer on their team.
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Defenders Gray Cressy (26) and Paul Gelpi (37) work together to free the ball from an opponent's stick.
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The team takes to the field to celebrate their well-deserved victory.
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The teams meet at the middle of a field strewn with the victor's equipment to congratulate each other on a well played game.
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Head coach Steve Krobert '05 thanks his assistant coaches, while scoring table volunteer Sal Sunseri (background) soaks in another state title.
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The team joins fellow Blue Jays to "trumpet valor's cry" by singing the school's alma mater.
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Jackie Smart presents the defensive MVP award to senior goalie Rob Hinyub.
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Tommy Cvitanovich presents the most valuable offensive player award to senior Max Murret.
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Senior Paul Gelpi and his lacrosse classmates accept the 2016 LHSLL state championship trophy from presenter Bill Hidalgo.
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Senior members of the 2016 state championship lacrosse team. Kneeling from left are Dominic Sunseri (5), Jeremy Scheffler (28), and Josh Cvitanovich. Behind them are Spencer Lemoine (19), Alex Vargas (34), Paul Gelpi (37), David Zazulak (12), Sammy Martin (36), Rob Hinyub (7), and Bill Hidalgo. In the back row are Thomas Cassagne (17), Max Murret, Gray Cressy, Kyle Westholz, Kent Flower, Taylor Anderson, and Connor Martinez.
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Players hold the state championship trophy high in the air for all to see.
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High Five! Players and coaches pose with the school's 5th lacrosse state championship trophy.