The 2017 season did not end in victory, but it does not take away from what was a special season and memorable postseason run. 

Three Saint Ignatius lacrosse players have received well-deserved honors for their roles in helping the Lax Cats reach the inaugural OHSAA Division I State Championship.

Anthony Ameo III and Carter Blossey have been named All-Americans and 1st Team All-State, while Sean Keller has received Honorable Mention All-State and Academic All-American honors. 

The All-American awards were announced today by the North Coast Ohio Chapter of US Lacrosse and the All-State awards were doled out by the Ohio High School Lacrosse Coaches Association on Monday. 

Ameo enjoyed an incredible junior season for the Wildcats. The face-off specialist set the career and season records for ground balls, blowing away the previous career mark set by Saint Ignatius lacrosse legend Justin Tamerlano and surpassing Tamerlano's single-season record on Saturday. Ameo often buoyed the Wildcats with his special skills on face-offs, notching a few goals and assists along the way. 

Blossey stood strong as strong as an oak tree in net for the Wildcats all season. The senior thwarted opponents' offensive superstars all season, using his stick and smarts to beat his foes. Blossey ends his lacrosse career as the Wildcats' career saves record-holder after a banner senior campaign. Patrick Bouman '02 still holds a pair of records, but Blossey cemented himself as one of the best netminders to ever walk the halls of Wildcat High. 

Keller will also be missed by the Wildcats' faithful. The senior defender did not often see big numbers on the stat sheet, but his defense and clearing abilities struck fear in the hearts of opponents. Keller often proved to be an unstoppable force, weaving through defenders when he held the ball, and showing his fierce aggressiveness when pursuing offensive opponents. 

One noticeable snub from the All-State team was Michael Boehm. His offensive output was nothing short of stupendous for a freshman. Boehm completed his first season with 43 goals and 27 assists for 70 points. No offensive record is safe from Boehm. 

The Lax Cats' fan base will miss watching Blossey and Keller excel for the team. The duo helped to take the team to new heights the last two seasons, as did Ameo.

The future is bright with players such as Ameo and Boehm returning next season. Congrats to the Lax Cats on a great year – next season can't come soon enough.