Wahconah's State Title Celebrated with Ring Ceremony

DALTON, Mass. – Wahconah Regional High School on Friday recognized the players and coaches from last spring’s Division 4 boys lacrosse State Championship squad.

 

The squad was awarded its state championship rings in a ceremony at half-time of the varsity girls basketball game against Hampshire Regional.

 

“It's super special,” 2022 graduate and University of Vermont first-year attack Caden Padelford said. “We've been working for this since we first came here. Just being abel to see the rings feels super surreal after all our hard work.

 

“We took [last season] as our last shot to get the State Championship, which was our goal when we got here originally. Getting the State Championship was awesome. It wasn't really about having a special parade or anything afterward. It was more internal in terms of us getting a win as a team for us.”

 

Wahconah went 22-1 last spring with the only loss coming to eventual D2 State Champion Longmeadow.

 

Wahconah’s state title run included an overtime win in the semi-finals and an 8-7 victory over Sandwich in the finale on June 22.

 

“School was long over by the time we came back,” Wahconah coach Joe O’Neill said. “So, yeah, it's special. The graduated seniors, it gives them a chance to celebrate.

 

“It was a great way to wrap it all up, wrap up all the celebrations and all that. And having all the guys back from college, it's great that it all worked out this way.”

 

Wahconah’s title defense begins with the start of practice on March 20. O’Neill was not making any predictions as the calendar year came to a close this weekend.

 

“We're always going to be ready to compete,” he said. “I don't think I can say more than that. But we'll always be there competing.”