Gator dynasty: Sacred Heart Prep repeats as CCS girls’ lacrosse champion

It was an emotional scene, for sure, for SHP’s six seniors, most of whom have played together since middle school. With lacrosse being one of the few CCS sports not to advance to a CIF regional tournament, Saturday’s Division I repeat marks the end of the road for the core group of seniors who helped turn the program into a burgeoning CCS dynasty.

“After the game we had so many happy tears, but were also sobbing because we’re never going to play together again,” SHP senior Skyler Schramm said.

The Gators left no doubt, capping an undefeated 20-0 season with their second win over St. Ignatius (16-6) this year. SHP also downed the Wildcats 12-6 in the regular season. The Gators have now won 23 straight games, with the program’s last lost coming in the 2025 regular-season finale to St. Ignatius. But SHP got revenge in the 2025 CCS Division I title game with a 10-8 victory over the Wildcats.

“All of our games are tight, but this one is the main event,” SHP junior Kat Dykes said. “So, it just means the world.”

SHP and St. Ignatius have now met in the CCS finals five straight years. The Wildcats still hold bragging rights in head-to-head title play, three-peating in CCS from 2022-24. The Gators now own three CCS titles as well, their first coming in the inaugural CCS tournament in 2021.

“They’ve been on the other side of this and I think ... every year we’re getting a little bit better,” SHP head coach Steph Sanders said. “And they really wanted it this year.”

Trailing 4-2 at the half, SHP, led by Dykes, took over the game with a 5-2 run in the third period. The junior attacker totaled a game-high four goals, all in the second half, including three in the third, tying it twice on a pair of free shots.

“Once we get hot, there’s no stopping us,” Dykes said. “After that first quarter, there was no stopping us.”

The junior earned a free position after taking an attacking run from up top, dancing through a crowd of four defenders before drawing the whistle. Her free shot tied it 4-all.

St. Ignatius took the lead back just over a minute later on goal from freshman GJ Giraudo. But, the Gators came roaring back, with senior goalkeeper Ella Caplice producing a clutch save on a vicious attack off the left post on a crisp pass into the 8-meter arc. SHP flipped the field on a fast break, with Dykes taking a pass wide on the left flank and driving against two defenders to draw another foul. She scored off the free position with a waggle through the arc to knot it up at 5-5 with 6:58 to go in the quarter.

It was the first of three straight goals for the Gators.

“We just needed to possess the ball,” Sanders said. “Our defense played a lot of defense in the first half.”

Sophomore Molly Pepper delivered the lead with a free shot midway through the third. SHP worked a possession around the cage, and got it to Dykes up top in a double team. Dykes took a shot from a St. Ignatius defender, but steadied herself to kick it over to Pepper, who drove the left side to draw the foul. Her lone goal of the day off the free position gave the Gators the lead for good at 6-5.

Junior midfielder Maggie Goldstein followed with one of her three goals on the day to make it 7-5. Senior Lily Selcher and sophomore Noa Katz added goals for the Gators. Seniors Sophie Ghosh and Vivi McHugh led St. Ignatius with two goals apiece.

“[St. Ignatius] came prepared and ready to go,” Sanders said. “They played a great game. It was hard to get back in the game because they are so disciplined.”

This marks the fourth straight year the CCS Division I finals have been played at Carlmont, which has special significance for Dykes, whose father Robert graduated from the Belmont campus in 1989 and played football at Bruce Usher Stadium as an All-Northern California linebacker before playing at Princeton University.

“We love coming here,” Dykes said. “This a where it is ever year. ... So, definitely the bus ride here from Sacred Heart is so much energy.”

Five of SHP’s six seniors are committed to play college lacrosse: Schramm, Cal; Selcher, Duke; Caplice, Scripps; Katie Pepper, Dartmouth; and Olivia Abbott, Stanford. The team’s other senior, Talia Samuels, is set to attend Wake Forest academically.

“I think we just built such a great family,” Schramm said. “And obviously, going undefeated is hard. A lot of people are going to be against us. ... But I’m so close with these girls. It’s to the point where every single one of us are family, and I think it would be hard to do what we do if we weren’t so close.”

In the boys’ CCS Division I finals, No. 2 SHP (13-9) fell 10-5 to No. 1 St. Ignatius (14-5). It marks the sixth straight year the two teams have met in the finals. The St. Ignatius boys are now 4-2 all-time in CCS title games, with SHP claiming the Division I crown last season with an 8-7 victory.