CIFSDS Prep Boys Lacrosse Coverage – Granite Hills wins D-1

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: May 17, 2025

UPDATED w-SAT. SCORES

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP BOYS LACROSSE
CIF-San Diego Section Championships

East County Sports.com

DEL SUR – There are two trains of thought when itcomes to being seeded No. 5 when it comes to the CIF-San Diego Section championships.

Sure, as a “five,” you get to meet the meet the bottom opponent in a 12-team field. You also get over the gitters from a first playoff game, while the opponent but come out close following a bye date.

Conversely, your remaining postseason schedule becomes as hard as anyones, probably meeting seeds 4, 1 and 2 in order to capture a title.

Indeed, a difficukt en devour.

For Granite Hills, such a trek through the tournament bracket proved to be difficult, yet not impossible.

The Eagles captuyred the school’s second-ever championship in boys lacrosse, scoring a late goal to upend second-seeded St. Augustine, 9-8, in Friday’s (May 16) Division 1 finale held at Westview High.

Granite Hills sophomore Cayden Phillips tallied the game-winning goal as the clock was winding down to cap their 4-game, postseason winning streak.

Earlier, the Eagles (16-5 overall) defeated No. 12 Scripps Ranch 14-2, as expected, but the remainder of the sequence ranks as good as it gets.

First, the Eag;es registered consecutive meuliplr goal, road victories over No. 4 Del Norte (7-5) in the Round of 8, then top-seeded Carlsbad (10-7) in the semifinals.

The Eagles, coached by Henry Diaz, msde a change in defensive tatics to forge the championship-game triumph.

Saints attacker Forrest Higgins registered an early hat trick to grab the early lead. But when the Eagles placed extra pressure on the senior, the offense was able to rally back from a 4-2 deficit.

Cayden Phillips and Carson Kowalsky knotted the contest with late, first-half goals.

The Eagles dominated the the third period for an 8-5 lead, including a pair of additional goals by Kowalsky .

St. Augustine controlled play in the final quarter, finally pulling even with 70 seconds remainjing.

However, Granite Hills took the ensuing face-off leading to Phillkips’ game-winner.

Granite Hills junior goalie Julian Boetjer collected his fourth straight win. Boetjer recorded 12 saves, including five key stops in the third.

Note: Earlier in the season, Granite Hills lost consecutive games to Carlsbad (11-7) and Del Norte (9-5), thus gaining revenge wins in postseason play, then got bombed by St. Augustine (9-4), making the Eagles’ playoff run even more remarkable… After opening the season on a 6-5 start, Granite Hills capped the year on an 11-game win streak.

Compiled by Nick Pellegrino, ECS Senior writer/Historian

Open Division

Thurs., May 8 – Quarterfinals
(1) Torrey Pines – Bye
(4) Santa Fe Christian 11, (5) Coronado 9
(6) The Bishop’s 5, (3) Cathedral Catholic 4 (2-OT)
(2) La Costa Canyon – Bye

Wed., May 14 – Semifinals
Torrey Pines 11, Santa Fe Christian 5
La Costa Canyon 5, The Bishop’s 2

Sat., May 17 – Championship
At Westview
Torrey Pines 13, La Costa Canyon 8

Division 1

Wed., May 7 – First Round
(1) Carlsbad – Bye
(8) Poway 14, (9) LJCDS 8
(5) Granite Hills 14, (12) Scripps Ranch 2
(4) Del Norte – Bye

(3) San Marcos – Bye
(6) La Jolla 16, (11) Francis W. Parker 3
(7) Santana 9, (10) Point Loma 5
(2) St. Augustine 0 Bye

Sat., May 10 – Quarterfinals
Carlsbad 9, Poway 7
Granite Hills 7, Del Norte 5
San Marcos 8, La Jolla 7 (OT)
St. Augustine 11, Santana 6

Tue., May 13 – Semifinals
Granite Hills 10. Carlsbad 7
St. Augustine 8, San Marcos 7

Fri., May 16 – Championship
At Westview
Granite Hills 9, St. Augustine 8

Division 2

Tue., May 6 – First Round
(1) Westview – Bye
(8) West Hills 7, at (9) University CIty (league champ) 6
(5) Canyon Crest 9, (12) Pacific Ridge 8
(4) Patrick Henry – Bye

(3) Helix- Bye
(6) Mt. Carmel 10, (11) Rancho Bernardo 3
(7) El Capitan 16, (10) Mission Hills 10
(2) San Dieguito – Bye

Fri., May 9 – Quarterfinals
Westview 12, West Hills 4
Patrick Henry 5,, Canyon Crest 3
Helix 11, Mt. Carmel 7
San Dieguito 16, El Capitan 6

Wed., May 14 0 Semifinals
Westview 11, Patrick Henry 10 (OT)
San Dieguito 16, Helix 5

Sat., May 17 – Championship
At Westview
San Dieguito 5, Westview 1

Division 3

Tue., May 6 – First Round
(1) Classical – Bye
(8) Olympian 8, (9) Canyon Hills 6
(5) Clairemont 11, (12) San Ysidro 3
(4) Rancho Buena Vista – Bye

(3) Mater Dei Catholic – Bye
(6) Preuss UCSD 15, (11) Foothills Christian 6
(7) Del Lago`3, (10) Mission Bay 5
(2) Valhalla – Bye

Fri., May 9 – Quarterfinals
Classical 14, Olympian 2
Clairemont 13, Rancho Buena Vista 4
Mater Dei Catholic 14, Preuss UCSD 11
Valhalla 10,Del Lago 8

Tue., May 13 – Semifinals
Classical 13, Clairemont 5
Mater Dei Catholic 9, Valhalla 8 (OT)

Fri., May 16 – Championship
At Westview
Mater Dei Catholic 10, Classical 9