Indiana’s Super Bowl of Lacrosse: A Day Behind the Lens

If there’s one day on the calendar that feels like the Super Bowl of lacrosse here in Indiana, this was it. A marathon of a day, full of excitement, talent, and nonstop action — and I was lucky enough to capture every moment through my lens.

My day started at 9:00 AM and didn’t wrap up until 10:00 PM. Two different sites. Six different games. One unforgettable experience.

On the girls' side, all the action went down at Noblesville High School. Things kicked off with the Rising Stars Game, and it did not disappoint. This was a showcase of the future of Indiana girls lacrosse — young, hungry talent from all over the state. What stood out most to me wasn’t just the skill (which was impressive), but the energy. You could tell these girls were out there having fun, competing, and soaking up the moment. I loved seeing the North vs. South format, which brought together players from so many different schools. The variety of uniforms, school colors, and playing styles made for some amazing photo opportunities — and reminded me just how deep the sport is growing across Indiana.

Players from Westfield, Heritage Christian, and Bishop Chatard with Coach Rachel during the rising star game.

Next up was the Girls Junior/Senior Showcase Game, and wow — talk about talent. These were some of the best players in the state, and it showed in every fast break, every defensive play, every goal. The pace of the game picked up, and so did the emotion. For me, it was extra special to see so many of the athletes I had followed and photographed throughout the season. Watching them come together, compete, and also share moments with girls from other programs was something I won’t forget. The action on the field was electric, and I was able to capture some incredible moments — the kind of moments that remind me why I do what I do.

After the showcases came the Girls 2A State Final: Guerin Catholic vs. Carmel High School — two teams that have met in the finals the last four years. As expected, it was a tight, high-energy battle. I’ll admit, I was a little biased with my camera in this one — my daughter plays for Guerin Catholic. So I found myself tracking the purple and gold a little more closely.

It was a fantastic game, but unfortunately, Guerin came up just short, and Carmel took home the title. It wasn’t easy to keep shooting during those tough closing moments. As a dad, it hurt. As a photographer, I knew I needed to keep documenting. It was an emotional end, but I managed to capture a few quiet, powerful moments that, while difficult now, I know will become part of the story these girls remember for years to come.

Between the Girls 2A and 1A Finals, there was an awards ceremony to recognize the outstanding girls across Indiana. It was a nice shift from “Live Action” (a little nod to my brand, Live Action Sports) to a more intimate portrait style. It gave me a chance to slow down, focus on individual achievements, and capture the pride, joy, and camaraderie that define this sport off the field.

From there, it was time to scramble from Noblesville to Hamilton Southeastern High School for the Boys 1A State Final. The two sites are about 15 minutes apart, but with traffic and parking, it was tight. Unfortunately, I had to miss the Girls 1A Final because both games were scheduled at the same time — one of the challenges of trying to be everywhere at once on a day like this.

Thankfully, I made it just in time for the Boys 1A State Final between Guerin Catholic and Evansville Memorial. Guerin came out firing, putting up a lot of goals, which meant I had plenty of chances to capture post-scoring celebrations — from both players and fans. I always try to remind myself not to forget the sideline reactions and the crowd — those moments really help tell the full story of the day.

Guerin came away with the win, and I knew there would be a big celebration when the final whistle blew. So I positioned myself behind the goalie, anticipating that bench-clearing rush. Sure enough, as the final seconds ticked off, the bench exploded — gloves, sticks, helmets flying through the air as the players sprinted across the field. Capturing that eruption of joy — that raw, unfiltered celebration — is what sports photography is all about. Sometimes you get lucky, but more often than not, it’s about anticipating where the magic will happen and being ready for it.

By now it was 7 PM, and I was completely exhausted after spending the entire day in the sun with my camera. But there was one last game — the Boys 2A State Final between two lacrosse powerhouses: Carmel and Hamilton Southeastern.

I decided to head up to the press box — partly to get off my feet, and partly to escape the sun. My plan was to begin editing some of the day’s photos, but as I sat there listening to the roar of the crowd, I realized I was missing an incredible game. That’s when I thought — why not shoot from a new angle?

I’ve always been a sideline guy, like most other photographers. But sometimes, if you want to stand out, you have to see the game differently. The press box gave me that — a fresh perspective, a unique composition. Shooting from high above allowed me to capture some plays that I wouldn’t normally see.

Still, by the fourth quarter, I had to get back down to the field. But even from that familiar ground-level view, something didn’t feel fresh — it felt like I had already taken every image from that angle. That’s when I noticed the other ten photographers and videographers all aiming their gear at the same player with the ball. I decided to do the opposite — I focused on the head coach.

And boy, did I get lucky.

Just as the final whistle blew and HSE secured the victory, a player ran up from the bench and doused the coach with water in celebration — a classic Gatorade-style victory bath. The coach froze for a second, water pouring over him, joy written all over his face. It was pure emotion — pride, relief, happiness — everything this moment meant to him and his team.

It was the shot of the day. After 12 straight hours of freezing action, that image was the perfect way to close out a long, emotional, unforgettable day of lacrosse.

I’ll remember that moment. And I can’t wait to do it all over again next year.