High school lacrosse is growing in popularity, talent

Lacrosse is one of the fastest-growing sports in the state, but it's not sanctioned by the Utah High School Activities Association.

That doesn't slow down the eager participants in club play.

Utah Select is an elite lacrosse team that encompasses players from throughout the Salt Lake Valley. Recently the team made a name for itself in a tournament in Colorado, coming away with a 5-1 record and the championship trophy.

Olympus High's Collin Madsen was named MVP for the tournament and was the leading goal scorer for the Utah squad.

By virtue of this tournament victory, Utah Select qualified for the national club tournament scheduled over the New Year's holiday in Tampa, Fla.

Last weekend, Utah Select traveled to New Jersey and, in a tournament at Rutgers University, the team emerged with three wins and two losses.

While that didn't win a championship, coach Brandon Horoba was pleased with his team's showing against tough East Coast competition.

Jayden Haws led the team in scoring at the Rutgers tournament but, "Madsen played very well back there also," Horoba said.

Haws plays at Brighton during the high school season, where Horoba is an assistant coach.

Goalie Nate Wilkinson performed well both in New Jersey and Colorado for Utah Select, according to Horoba. Then again, he said he could single out almost every player, since "the whole team played well."

Horoba said he talked to three coaches at Rutgers who all said they were surprised by the level of play of the Utah team.

"Not much was expected" Horoba said, "of a team from the West."

But he said they were really impressed.

Official sanctioning of lacrosse by the UHSAA would improve players and the level of competition, but Horoba doesn't know when or if that will happen.

Dave Bratton, who coaches at Waterford as well as the U-15 team of Utah Select, said of the sanctioning process: "We have been basically told that we are on hold."

Bratton is chairman of the sanctioning committee working to make this happen. He says that the economy and budget constraints are the main reasons the process isn't going forward.

The U-15 team that he coaches has been in Colorado all week where they played nine games in three days, compiling a 4-5 record. This team is made up of junior high-aged players, while Horoba's team is for those in high school. The youngest Utah Select team, U-13, is playing in the championship round in their division at Vail, Colo., this weekend.

Bratton is originally from Colorado, which fields two professional lacrosse teams. He said players from those teams help coach their club teams.

"Utah teams are getting competitive with other teams around the country," he said.

Lacrosse needs sanctioning by the UHSAA to continue to grow and it will help alleviate financial concerns, according to the coaches. At the present time, everyone is responsible for their own finances.

"We have not had a whole lot of success in getting sponsors," Horoba said.

Lacrosse tournaments are going on in Park City this weekend and next weekend at Sugarhouse Park.

E-mail: wjewkes@desnews.com