An Ivy Trophy for Lacrosse

Bronxville's Owen Jones '18 and his Yale teammates celebrate winning the Ivy League lacrosse tournament in Providence, May 3. (Yale Athletics photos)

For a moment in the final minutes of the Ivy League title game in men's lacrosse, there could have been a reminder of Yale men's basketball this past season. Yale clashed against Princeton for the lacrosse championship, played on the campus at Brown May 3 on a bright Sunday afternoon. The Bulldogs were about to coast to a victory. 

But the Tigers staged a comeback, almost of heroic proportions. All of a sudden, Yale's late lead and sure victory almost crumbled, and the game hinted at becoming a replay of Yale vs. Dartmouth in basketball in the last regular-season game of 2015. Remember? Yale needed a win over the lackluster Big Green to win the Ivy championship for the first time in generations. The Elis lost to the Big Green in Hanover in a nightmarish last second in a game that will be analyzed for years to come. 

In lacrosse, time gave out on Princeton, and Yale beat the Tigers, 11-10, to win its third Ivy League tournament trophy in four years. Now comes an opportunity to compete for a national championship. The Bulldogs (11-4) play Maryland in a first-round game at College Park, May 9. 

Bronxville's Owen Jones '18 plays for Yale, although as a freshman midfielder, his participation has been limited this season. Still, he gets to hoist the trophy and appear in celebratory post-game pileups, as he did after the tournament at Brown. 

At Bronxville High School, Jones helped his team win a state championship his senior year and win four Section 1 (Westchester-area) titles. He was also one of the best kickers and punters in the area on the football team. Long Island, forever known as the sport's hotbed for talent, dominates the Yale lacrosse roster with at least nine players on the squad.