CLEVELAND, Ohio – Senior attack Gavin Moore guided Olmsted Falls to its historic 2023 season while shattering the record books along the way. Moore a three-time team captain, was named Olmsted Falls’ first USA All-American and Division II first-team All-Ohio player after amassing 66 goals, 52 assists and 49 ground balls this past season.

For Moore, who is the 2023 cleveland.com boys lacrosse player of the year, a mixed bag of determination and maturation culminated in glory after the Bulldogs defeated defending champion St. Francis DeSales 13-9 to claim the state title on June 3.

“It was truly the best feeling in the world,” Moore said. “I have been playing with this group of seniors since I was in second grade. ... this was our goal for the past four years. It was state championship or nothing. We won the conference, we won the region, but none of that would have mattered if we didn’t come home with that state championship trophy.”

That jubilation began with dedication eight months prior. Once Olmsted Falls knew they were being bumped down to Division II, the seniors took over.

“It took our focus to the max,” Moore said. “We started offseason workouts in the weight room. We also did open fields three days a week. Even at those practices, there are no coaches, but we are still doing max intensity and max effort because we want to push each other to the best, and that’s what helped at the end of the year. We were so ahead of other teams, we knew how to play with each other, and we knew how to go through adversity with each other.”

After a season-opening loss to national powerhouse Western Reserve Academy, the Bulldogs reeled off 20-straight victories. They outscored their opponents 327-96 and recorded 14 double-digit victories.

A relentless presence from every angle. When the Bulldogs (20-1) needed the dream season to continue, Moore delivered time and time again, including the game-winning overtime goal with 12 seconds left in the regional finals.

Gavin’s older brother, Johnny, was a team captain at Olmsted Falls. He told Bulldogs head coach Josh Piepenburg what was waiting in the wings was even better.

“(Gavin) was always the Prodigal Prince coming to take the throne,” Piepenburg said. “Once he came onto the scene, we knew he was the real deal. The most important thing is, not only is he a good player, but he is also a good leader of men. He leads by example. He is not afraid to push buttons when they need to be pushed, and he is not afraid to give out congratulations when they need to be given out.”

Moore considers himself a pass-first athlete with a knack for patience. Each game presents different scenarios. He can turn it on, and turn it down, depending on what the team needs. But this year, the game slowed down, and he was a maestro.

“I put a lot of work into the offseason, and I put some new dodges into my game,” Moore said. “I felt more advanced. I always just knew where I was going to go.”

Piepenburg views Moore’s unselfishness as one of his most dangerous traits. A true dual threat.

“When you look at his numbers, not only is he a goal scorer, but he gets assists as well,” Piepenburg said. “That makes it so tough for other teams to guard. He can beat you in multiple ways. He doesn’t care if he has eight goals or eight assists. As long as we are winning, he could care less.”

Moore will head to Detroit Mercy to continue his lacrosse career, but he will never forget the legacy he built and sealed in Olmsted Falls. He finished his career as the all-time leader in points (289), goals (167) and assists (122).

“I feel like Northeast Ohio lacrosse, especially Cleveland, is doubted in the state of Ohio,” Moore said. “There were multiple people in that tournament doubting us, saying that we shouldn’t be there. When we saw that, it just kind of encouraged us to prove more people wrong. Olmsted Falls is a small city. We are doubted a lot. I just think we put them truly on the map. We showed them what Cleveland lacrosse is all about.”

Here are the rest of the 2023 cleveland.com boys lacrosse all-stars.

FIRST TEAM

Michael Candow, Olmsted Falls, Senior

While Moore was the engine of Olmsted Falls, Candow was instrumental to its success with an uncanny field vision and ever-present awareness, especially in the latter stages of the season on the biggest stage of them all. The senior midfielder compiled five crucial goals in the state championship and four goals in the state semifinals. That nine-goal barrage made the difference between close call and champions. Candow earned first-team All-Ohio and finished with 51 goals and 32 assists while racking up 70 ground balls. He is the all-time Olmsted Falls leader in ground balls with 269.

Preston Blue, University School, Senior

Blue’s prolific offensive attack led the Preppers with 93 goals and 56 assists. He was first-team all-state and Region 6 player of the year as University School reached its first Division II state semifinal since 2017, before bowing out to eventual champion Olmsted Falls.

Nico Alvarez, University School, Senior

Part of a multifaceted offense, Alvarez kept opponents on their toes with timely plays. The midfielder notched 32 goals, 21 assists and 60 ground balls as a key cog in the Preppers’ return to state. He was first-team all-state.

Joe Holtzer, Walsh Jesuit, Senior

Holtzer’s sensational defensive play helped the Warriors clinch the No. 3 seed in their regional tournament. He racked up 39 caused turnovers and earned first-team all-state and defensive player of the year in Division II, Region 5. He is headed to Denison University.

Colin Singleton, Olmsted Falls, Senior

Singleton was a menace on the defensive side. He notched 29 takeaways, 58 ground balls and four goals and was the backbone of Olmsted Falls’ championship defense. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound bulldozer stuffed his competition, allowing the Bulldogs to thrive in their physical style throughout the season.

Julian Guirguis, University School, Senior

The FOGO amassed 165 ground balls in a sensational senior year. He touted an 80.7% face off win rate. His intricate style played a strong role in University School’s advantage over every opponent they faced heading into the state semifinals. Guirguis was first-team all-state.

Jack Jenkins, Hudson, Senior

Listed as a top 10 player to watch in the Midwest Region by Inside Lacrosse, Jenkins followed up his All-American honors last season with a strong senior year, earning second-team all-state. The attack will continue his lacrosse career at Michigan.

Grant Alberts, Chagrin Falls, Junior

Facing some of the best competition in the state, Alberts finished a strong junior season with 41 ground balls and 27 takeaways. He earned first-team all-state honors, helping the Tigers to another regional finals trip.

Magnus Holubar, University School, Senior

The Prepper goalie posted 161 saves, helping University School take a flawless record into its state semifinal showdown with Olmsted Falls. He was second-team all-state.

Coach of the Year

Josh Piepenburg, Olmsted Falls

In his sixth year, Piepenburg was the man at the helm of an improbable run that was fueled by an unrivaled focus. The Bulldogs powered through a challenging regular season schedule to prepare them for what was to come in the state tournament. After a nearly unblemished mark, they finished off three straight private schools to capture their first boys lacrosse title in school history.

“That is just one of the things that we really try and emphasize, you know, you don’t have to go to a private school to win a state championship,” Piepenburg said. “You can stay home, stay with your buddies and that’s probably the key facet of all this – a bunch of those kids, Rocco (Conti), Gavin, Colin, they could have all gone to private schools if they wanted and gone on to do great things. But they chose to stay home, stay with their friends and build something that it takes a decades worth to build. It’s a brotherhood that you can’t really build in two to three years in just high school. It’s something that is forged over a lifetime. That is something that you just can’t buy.”

Honorable Mention

Ian Ludewig, Hudson, Junior

Gage Gretter, Hawken, Senior

Jared Maznik, Western Reserve Academy, Senior

Rocco Conti, Olmsted Falls, Senior

Max Crandall, Chagrin Falls, Senior

Tommy Nolan, St. Ignatius, Senior

Jacob Roubic, St. Ignatius, Senior

Ryan Holcomb, Walsh Jesuit, Senior

Paul Kropf, Walsh Jesuit, Senior

Sean McKee, Chagrin Falls, Sophomore