Boys’ Lacrosse: Newport’s Lenk named Sunset Player of Year

Newport Harbor High senior long-stick midfielder Blake Lenk earned the Sunset League Player of the Year award for leading the boys’ lacrosse team to its first undefeated league title in the program’s history.

Lenk, who plans to be a walk-on player at Towson University in Baltimore, Md., is on the first team with three teammates, senior attacker Alex Fuller, freshman attacker Joe Fuller and senior defender Liam Whelan. The quartet helped the Sailors (11-7, 8-0 in league) reach the U.S. Lacrosse Southern Section South Division playoffs and match the school’s best win total from six years ago.

Coach Mark Todd is Sunset League Coach of the Year after guiding Newport Harbor to its first league championship in eight years. The No. 11-seeded Sailors lost in the opening round of the playoffs at No. 6 Trabuco Hills, 11-2.

Lenk, a two-time first-team selection, finished with 53 ground balls, 33 takeaways, 25 knockdowns, two goals and an assist.

Newport Harbor senior attacker John Mooers, junior long-stick midfielder Jerome Higman and sophomore midfielders Chandler Pearce and Alex Pearce made the second team.

Junior goalie John Jasper, sophomore faceoff specialist PJ Steiner and sophomore long-stick midfielder Ryan Simons were honorable mentions for the Sailors.

— From staff reports