The Skagit Conference champion San Juan Dragons (11-2) host Gig Harbor (6-7) on Saturday, 1 p.m., at Friday Harbor High School, in the first round of Washington High School Boys Lacrosse Association District II playoffs.

(Coach Rob Cuomo initially reported game time as 7 p.m., but the game ended up being scheduled for 1 p.m.)

The Dragons won the Skagit Conference lacrosse title May 4 with a 12-4 win over Whatcom, at Whatcom Community College. The Dragons defeated North County 15-4 on May 15 at home to close out the regular season with a fifth consecutive win and an 11-2 record, but that game was gravy.

The victory over Whatcom sealed the Dragons’ first title in four seasons in the Washington High School Boys Lacrosse Association, a testament in part to third-year head coach Rob Cuomo’s leadership, and in part to the fitness and scrappiness of his team.

Cuomo, a former college lacrosse standout, took over the helm of the Dragons in 2008, a year after they finished 3-11 and in last place amid a rebuilding year. In Cuomo’s first season, the Dragons finished 5-5 and tied for first. In 2009, the Dragons finished 8-4 and tied for second.

May 4 at Whatcom, San Juan dominated from the outset, scoring 3, 2, 6, 1 to Whatcom’s 2, 1, 1, 0.

Senior attackman Kyle Skoog led San Juan scoring with four goals and one assist. He also recovered three ground balls. Senior midfielder Michael Ausilio recovered 17 ground balls. Senior goalie Calen Mehrer had 11 saves and recovered two ground balls.

Jona Mannering led Whatcom scoring with two goals. Goalie Kurtis McFadden had 11 saves.

After the Whatcom game, San Juan senior attackman Ryan Guard was sixth in goals (33) in the six-conference, 29-team Division II of the Washington State Boys Lacrosse Association. Senior midfielder Forest Dayton, for four years a bulwark of the team, was 13th with 28. Ausilio was third in ground balls (98). Mehrer was ninth in save percentage (.676); he’d faced 170 shots, had 115 saves and allowed 55 goals in 478 minutes at the goal.

San Juan drops North County for fifth straight lacrosse win
Kyle Skoog scored four goals and Ryan Guard had three goals and three assists as San Juan played to its fifth straight win with a 15–4 win over North County, May 15 at Friday Harbor High School.

The win elevated San Juan to 11-2-0 overall for first place in the Skagit Conference. Eric Conner, Marcus Fakkema, Devin Conner and Coty Graam each scored for North County, which dropped to 2-13-0 on the season.