Our History

Scott Cleary, 1st Coach at Nease High School. Coach Scooch started the program through sheer force of will. He created the program for the love of the game and his love for student-athletes. Scooch led with passion, heart, and effort every single day in his pursuit of growing lacrosse locally in the area and specifically at Nease High School. He coached a remarkable number of high-level athletes who graduated to play basketball, football, and lacrosse at Division I schools. 

In 2001, the Nease Lacrosse program was started. We were the only public high school playing lacrosse in Florida, north of Palm Coast. There were only three schools playing locally. We helped to grow the game and continue to do so today.

Jack Francis took the reins and from there, with Scott Cleary, Craig Tucker, and Pete Kemp. Coach Francis truly elevated the program to the upper echelon in the State of Florida. They created a program built on the love and respect for the game, commitment to team, and meaningful relationships with players.

Things went to an even higher level when Jack Francis made a deal with Nease Football Coach Craig Howard to allow all lacrosse players in mandatory weight training.  Coach Howard became a friend and fan of lacrosse. He stopped discouraging boys from playing lacrosse in the spring and saw the benefits of lacrosse as a crossover spring sport. In the mid 2000’s, we had 4 BCS signers on the lacrosse team. In 2008 and 2009, Nease High School advanced to the FHSAA Final Four as one of the best programs in the State of Florida.
 

2008:

• 1^st Year Varsity FHSAA
• 13-5
• District Champions
• Final 4
• Head Coach: Dave Ott

2009: 

• 15-4
• District Champions
• Final 4
• 2 All Americans: Brett Angerer and Matt Leighty
• Head Coach: Dave Ott

2010:

• 9-7
• All American: Erik Carson
• Academic All American: Justin Lucas
• Head Coach: Dave Ott

2011: 

• 9-8
• All American 2x: Erik Carson
• Academic All American; Jake McVeagh
• Head Coach: Dave Ott

2012:

• 8-10
• Academic All American: Mitch Wilson
• Head Coach: Dave Ott

2013:

• 5-10
• Head Coach: Neil Rodden

2014:

• 5-5
• Head Coach: Joseph Byrnes

2015:

• 10-5
• District Finalist
• Head Coach: Patrick Harnett

2016:

• 13-7
• District Finalist
• Academic All American: Ian Areford
• Head Coach: Max Gurowski

2017:

• 13-5
• District Finalist
• Academic All American: Sean Howard
• Head Coach: Max Gurowski

2018:

• 10-7
• District Finalist
• All American: Ashton Wood
• All American: Philip Mylet
• Coach of the Year: Max Gurowski
• Head Coach: Max Gurowski

2019:

• 5-10
• Head Coach: Max Gurowski

2020:

• 3-5
• Season cancelled because of the COVID Pandemic
• Head Coach: Max Gurowski

2021:

• 10-6
• District Semifinalist
• Head Coach: Max Gurowski

2022:

• 11-8
• District Finalist
• 1^st State Playoff Win since 2009
• Sweet 16 of State Playoffs
• Academic All American: Nick Fleming
• Head Coach: Max Gurowski

2023:

• 15-5
• District Finalist
• Sweet 16 of State Playoffs
• All American: CJ Miller
• Academic All American: Jaxon Vu
• Head Coach: Max Gurowski

2024:

• 15-7
• District Finalist
• Sweet 16 of State Playoffs
• Academic All American: Nik Perkins
• Head Coach: Max Gurowski

2025:

• 14-7
• Elite 8 of State Playoffs
• 1^st Return to Elite 8 Since 2009
• Academic All American: Nik Perkins
• Head Coach: Max Gurowski