Balanced scoring, strong defense, senior leadership, and inspired coaching by Alex Tindall have the Jackets firing on all cylinders as the season gains momentum.
By Kirsten Gordon
Photos by Deb Newland
The Fort Mill Yellow Jackets opened the 2026 lacrosse season with a 5–1 jumpstart to the season, powered by a combination of shot persistence by explosive offensemen, disciplined defense, dominant faceoffs, and depth across the roster. The fans are not mad about it.
Opening Night: Fort Mill 11, J.L. Mann 3
The Yellow Jackets opened the season with a strong showing against J. L. Mann High School in a non-league challenge under the flashing lights of the Yellow Jackets’ Bob Jones Stadium. Fort Mill jumped out early with quick ball movement dominating the turf battle with 38 ground ball wins and seized transition opportunities. Faceoff draws were won 83% capitalizing into quick possession. Midfield play and ground-ball control helped Fort Mill maintain possession throughout the game. The offense peppered the cage with 25 shots on goal, spreading scoring across multiple sticks. In the crease, junior goalie Sean Sholtis stood tall, turning away nine shots for a 73% save rate, while the defensive unit held Mann to minimal scoring chances.
Offensive Explosion: Fort Mill 22, Indian Land 0
Fort Mill bounced back quickly with a convincing win over newly established Indian Land High School program. The Jackets controlled the tempo from the opening whistle with 12 of 15 face-offs won by junior Chase Foster and built a multi-goal lead by halftime. Strong midfield transitions and aggressive riding helped create additional scoring chances shared across the team. In a rare moment for a defenseman, senior Spencer Barrington-Hughes pushed the transition and found the back of the net twice, electrifying the sideline. Sholtis saved 10 goals.
Road Test: Mauldin 6, Fort Mill 2
Fort Mill’s only loss of the season to date came in an away non-league battle against Mauldin High School in a tightly contested matchup. The Yellow Jackets kept the game close through three quarters, but the Mavericks capitalized on late possessions to secure the win despite renewed Yellow Jacket energy in the 2nd half.
Bounce-Back Win: Fort Mill 13, Ballantyne Ridge 6
In another solid performance, Fort Mill fan filled the Charlotte stadium to cheer on the defeat of Ballantyne Ridge High School behind balanced scoring and strong defensive communication. The Yellow Jackets used patient offensive sets and timely faceoff wins to pull solid scoring distance in the second half to silence the Wolves on their home turf who had come off a recent 10-5 win against Nation Ford High School.
Highlight Night: Fort Mill 11, Providence 9
Fort Mill’s victory came Monday night in a home game against the Providence High School Panthers. The Jackets built a lead early and relied on defensive stops in the second half to close out the game. One highlight of the night came when sophomore attacker Moses Bowser unleashed a spectacular behind-the-back goal, igniting the very energetic Fort Mill sideline and sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Grit Win: Fort Mill 8, Lexington 3
Despite a key defender and attackman each being on the sidelines for injuries, the team dug deep and fought hard to deliver a strong performance. Senior Carson Maloney wasted no time setting the tone, ripping a shot into the net just 15 seconds into the game. Later in the first quarter, sophmore LSM Xander Jantzen delivered a jaw-dropping moment, scooping one of his 8 ground balls of the night and launching a 32-yard turf burner that crossed the line with one second remaining. Fresh legs stepped up, including freshman attackman Cobb Lieske and senior LSM Cooper Dyrness, while the midfield group battled relentlessly in transition. The starting defenders were crucially bolstered by Spencer Barrington-Hughes, sophomore Keegan Heisler, junior Jack Beebe, and Jantzen kept Lexington from finding rhythm, sealing the win.
Early Season Leaders
Fort Mill’s offense has been driven by several key contributors. Senior midfielder Charlie McGuire leads the team with 13 goals and 6 assists through the opening games, Junior Cam Wilcox and sophomore Cayden Klapheke have also contributed nine and seven goals respectively for the Yellow Jackets. While attackers Carson Maloney and Moses Bowser have each added seven goals. Midfielders, Maddox Baucom, Oliver Kulchuck, Trey Dixon and Defensive Midfielder Spencer Barrington-Hughes have helped control possession and contribute both goals and assists. Defensively, the Jackets have been anchored by seniors Chase Barrington-Hughes, Van Jantzen, and Luke McKinney, along with juniors Ben Sandler and Xander Jantzen, a group that has consistently limited opponents to single-digit scoring.
Building Momentum
With five wins in the first month of the season, Fort Mill has demonstrated a balanced attack and the ability to rebound quickly from adversity. Highlight plays underscore the confidence and creativity the team is bringing to the field.
With McGuire and the Maloney brothers Carson and Colin driving offense, Foster controlling faceoffs, Sholtis commanding the crease, and a defensive core that includes both Barrington‑Hughes brothers and Jantzen brothers, the Jackets have combined to limit opponents’ scoring runs and generate transition opportunities.
As the Yellow Jackets move deeper into the 2026 schedule, they will look to build on their strong start and continue nurturing the intentional chemistry developed by Head Coach Alex Tindall that has fueled their early success.
