Benedictine closed out its regular season in emphatic fashion Tuesday night, blanking Country Day 15-0 on senior night.
The Cadets controlled the game from the opening faceoff, dictating tempo on both ends and overwhelming their opponent with constant pressure.
Coming into the matchup, Benedictine also carried added motivation after Country Day handed them a loss a season ago.
“It’s always a personal game against Country Day. We couldn’t pull it out last year, so we waited all year for this game. We had it on senior day for a reason. We came out hungry, and we wanted to beat these guys,” senior Wyatt Estabrook said.
Even with a seventh straight area championship already secured, Benedictine approached the matchup with urgency, intent on tightening things up and finishing the regular season at a higher standard before the playoffs.
“I think this game motivates itself with the hometown rivalry. But we were coming off of what we thought was a sloppy win that we weren’t satisfied with against Richmond Hill. And yes, that game helped us clinch the region, but I told the guys that we can’t forget about last year. Country Day got us last year. We have to respect our opponent and respect the game, and we just came out flying on all cylinders,” head coach Dustin White said.
Benedictine captain Wyatt Estabrook scores one of his two goals against Savannah Country Day during Tuesday’s game. (Prep Sports Report staff)
That urgency showed early, as the Cadets surged to a 5-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. Any remaining suspense disappeared in the final seconds of the period, when Benedictine added two goals in the last nine seconds to put the game out of reach and set the tone for the rest of the night.
Benedictine finished with 15 goals while holding Country Day to just eight total shots, a complete effort on both ends of the field. Nine Cadets found the back of the net, with four players scoring multiple goals. Cooper Callejas recorded a hat trick, all within a 15-minute stretch, while Mac Headley led the offense with five assists and added a goal. In goal, Reef Leonard was exceptional, stopping all eight shots he faced to secure the shutout.
Benedictine’s Cooper Callejas attacks the goal against Savannah Country Day during Tuesday’s game. (Prep Sports Report staff)
“We were sharing the rock really well. They were all seeing the field really well, and with our attack, we were just moving it quick,” White said. “And then you gotta give a shoutout to our defense with the shutout.”
Along with the rivalry win, the night carried added meaning because of Benedictine’s senior night tradition honoring the legacy of Ricky McAllaster, a key figure in the founding of the BC lacrosse program who passed away in 2011.
Each year, the senior who wears No. 10 passes the jersey to a rising senior, continuing a tradition built on leadership and brotherhood. This year, Wyatt Estabrook passed the No. 10 jersey to Hobie Leonard.
Former BC Coach Dick and Ellison McAllaster, left, stand with Benedictine players Hobie Leonard, second from right, and Wyatt Estabrook as the No. 10 jersey is passed on during senior night ceremonies at Benedictine Military School. (Photo - Prep Sports Report)
“Hobie’s humble, but he’s an attacker on defense. He leads quietly, and the people around him trust him. He’ll be heard, and with the way he plays, he’ll be followed and trusted as a leader,” Estabrook said. “As a player, he’s spectacular, and I think he’ll be an even better leader.”
Leonard now steps into a key leadership role for next season as both a captain and a standard-setter for the program.
“It’s a huge honor, carrying the number 10 with me and the tradition of everyone that’s come before me,” Leonard said. “It’s a big role, but I think I’m gonna step up to it. I’ve gotten to sit behind Wyatt for two years and see what real leadership looks like. I think it’s made a difference in how I carry myself and how I lead others, but there’s a lot to step up to.”
Benedictine now turns its focus to the Georgia High School Association state playoffs, carrying momentum from a dominant regular-season finish.
|
Benedictine 15, Savannah Country Day School 0 |
|||||
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| SCDS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| BC | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 15 |
|
Records: BC 13-4,6-0; SCDS 9-8,3-3 |
|||||
Benedictine Scoring (G/A/PTS)
Mac Headley 1-5—6, Wyatt Estabrook 2-3—5, Baylor DeWitt 2-0—4, Wiley 2-1—3, Cooper Callejas 3-0—3, Avery Allen 1-1—2, Charlie Hines 2-0—2, Sean Adam 1-0—1, Read Brennan 0-1—1, Colin Dionne 0-1—1.
Benedictine Goaltending SAVES
Reef Leonard -8
Photos - Prep Sports Report
Follow the Prep Sports Report on X @PrepSav and Instagram @savannahsportsreport.
To share scores, stories, or corrections, email kdemasi@prepsportsreport.com or text 912-507-9158.
