Schools' best lacrosse players are named to All-State teams

As one of the fastest-growing sports in the state, lacrosse is seeing players grow from newbies just learning how to hold a stick properly to being college-ready stars.

Many of those players destined to play for local college club teams, or at the new varsity team at Westminster, found themselves on the Utah High School Lacrosse League All-State teams announced during the championship games two weeks ago.

Olympus attacker Ted Ferrin has been playing the sport for only four years but is widely considered the best offensive player in the state. Ferrin, who has announced his intentions to play for Brigham Young University, was named the Division A most valuable player among attackers. He scored 54 goals in 14 games while assisting on another 47.

Ferrin was the only player in the state to be credited with more than 100 points.

But he was hardly the only offensive dynamo in the state. Waterford's J.T. Nebeker, who will play at Westminster next year, paired his state championship win with a spot on the first team after scoring 30 goals and assisting on 58.

Jordan's Corey Gunderson, bound for BYU and whose team was runner-up to Waterford in the championship tournament, was also named to the first team among attackers.

"J.T. is one of the smartest players I've ever coached," Waterford coach Craig Morris said. "He just seems to know how to get the ball in the net one way or another. He makes our team a lot better because of his skills."

Riverton's Chad Frost was named the state's top midfielder after scoring 49 goals and assisting on 23 more. Mark Manning, who scored 46 goals, joined Frost on the all-state midfield roster, as did Highland's Elliott Grow, who led the state in points per game after scoring 48 goals and assisting on 49 more for the Rams.

Alta's Alex Nash was named Division A's top defender, while Juan Diego junior Dallas McLellen got the honor as the division's top goalkeeper.

DIVISION B ALL-STATE: With three of the top Division B lacrosse teams in the state, it's no big surprise to see Cache Valley well represented on the all-state team.

But the state's top goal scorer didn't hail from Logan, which won the Division B championship, or either of its neighbor schools. Rather, West Jordan's Regan Bushnell, who scored 55 goals in just 13 games, tops the list of attackers.

He's joined by Pleasant Grove junior Mickell Walker (34 goals) and Timpview's Devon Fitzgerald (42 goals) on the list of first-team attackers.