The Dos Pueblos High School Boys Varsity Lacrosse Team advanced to the Division II CIF finals for the first time in DPHS history on Saturday, May 17. After traveling four hours to Orange County to take on San Clemente High School, they ended up falling short with a score of 7-8 to end an almost perfect season 21-1.
After advancing from round two after beating El Segundo High School 15-7, they beat Huntington Beach High School 11-8 in the quarter finals. They played in the semifinals at home against Oaks Christian High School on Saturday, May 10, winning with an impressive score of 13-4, which allowed the team to advance to the championship.
The championship game was a back-and-forth battle all night, and the score was always within 1 or 2 goals, but DPHS never led.
Koa Birchim (11) led the way in scoring with three and two assists goals. Jack Finneran (12) added another two pals and two assists, Gus Miller (12) had two goals and one assist, and Parker Bentley (12) added another two assists. Goalie Danny Perez (11) made 12 saves.
Coach Lucas Martinez said that to lose at the end was a “gut punch,” but he is so proud of the boys, both as individuals and as a team.
“The way they worked to improve themselves, the way they lifted each other up, the way they fought and pushed themselves over the last four years to bring this program to this point is something I will always remember and always be grateful for,” Martinez said.
Martinez was honored as Channel League Staff of the Year.
This year, the team had an unprecedented, undefeated regular season for the first time in DPHS lacrosse history, and their second undefeated season in channel league history.
“I’m just proud of our group and our team as a whole,” Daniel Finneran (12) said. “It’s definitely showing off all the hard work we put in the off season, and all of the hard work we’re putting in now, and I’m just proud of our group.”
A record season also came with record individual highlights. Team captain Cal Denier (12) set Channel League records for both faceoff wins and ground balls, winning 270 face offs at 79.6 percent and 222 ground balls. This earned him fifth in the state and 2025 Channel League Most Valuable Player, becoming the only back-to-back MVP in league history.
“Our camaraderie has really grown more than anything,” Cal Denier (12) said. ”Obviously, our skill has gotten better, but our camaraderie has gotten really good.”
Jack and Daniel Finneran are both seniors on the team and have been major contributors to the team offensively. They’ve been in a close race for setting the program record for most career points. Jack Finneran came out on top with 282 points and Daniel came in close with 278 points.
“We’re siblings; we care who has the most points,” Daniel Finneran said.
Jack Finneran and Daniel Finneran have both committed to top colleges for lacrosse, both still looking forward to their sibling rivalry in their future college years.
“The main goal in college is just to do better than my brother,” Jack said.
Daniel Finneran and Jack Finneran, along with Orion Prewarski (12), broke the league record for points in a season and were named Channel League Co-Offensive Players of the Year. Jack scored 69 goals and got 48 assists, and Prewarski got 58 goals and 54 assists.
While DPHS was breaking records offensively, the team also dominated opponents on the defensive end. Andrew Forsland (12) and Danny Perez (11) were awarded the Defensive Player of the Year and Goalie of the Year honors.
Forsland finished out the season with 37 takeaways and 46 ground balls. Perez managed 150 saves and only allowed just 4.8 goals per game.
With 17 seniors on the team graduating, five of them were named to the All-League First Team. Attacker Daniel Finneran, midfielder Gus Miller (12), midfielder Parker Bentley (12), long stick midfielder Makai Callis (12), and midfielder Chase Carlson (12) are all representing DPHS on the First Team.
“We’re definitely trying to make sure that next year, after we’re all gone, we’re all still successful, and DP is still heading on the right track,” Daniel Finneran said.
