Clenshaw, Ciccomascolo selected as top lacrosse players

The scene: Trabuco Hills High.

The occasion: The boys and girls "unofficial" Southern Section championships.

Two players stood out that night for different reasons: Foothill defenseman Michael Clenshaw and St. Margaret's attack Lauren Ciccomascolo.

Thanks to Clenshaw's defense and Ciccomascolo's offensive exploits, the night was one to remember for Foothill and St. Margaret's, respectively.

Foothill repeated as champions on the boys side, while St. Margaret's claimed the first girls title decided.

It was a great way to culminate their high school careers and for that, Clenshaw (Bucknell) and Ciccomascolo (Denver) are officially the Register's lacrosse players of the year.

The assignment for Clenshaw was the same in every game: to try and slow down the opposition's main offensive threat.

No worries on Clenshaw's part.

"I always had the tough assignment," Clenshaw said. "But it isn't just me. It is a whole team effort."

Clenshaw's modesty is understandable. He's the leader that the Knights needed with the graduation of last year's county player of the year, Elliott Domanic.

Of course, he's not going to take all the credit.

"We always put him on the toughest guy," Foothill coach Jon Fox said of Clenshaw earlier this season. "And he shuts them down every time."

That was the case in the Southern Section title game as the Clenshaw was assigned to Palos Verdes' Nolan Semel. Clenshaw held Semel to two goals as the Knights dominated the midfield.

"We knew their strongest players were in the midfield," Clenshaw said at the time. "That's why I went up on (Semel). I was able to slow him up and we kept him quiet in the second half."

That is what Foothill opponents encountered all season against Clenshaw.

St. Margaret's Lauren Ciccomascolo said goodbye to the Orange County lacrosse community in fine fashion, scoring six goals and adding an assist in the girls Southern Section title.

It was the great sendoff as she prepares to head to the University of Denver, where she will play next season.

"I wanted to come out and make it a game to remember," Ciccomascolo said at the time. "Going to Denver next year, I wanted to remember this and take it with me."

It was also a season that she will never forget.

Ciccomascolo scored 125 points (85 goals and 40 assists). She had 81 ground balls and 203 draw controls.

As a junior, she scored 68 goals.

"She proved to everyone that she deserved to be going to college to play," St. Margaret's coach Summer Crabtree said. "She had an incredible year and she was a force to be reckoned with."

Contact the writer: dcalhoun@ocregister.com