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Bear River celebrates following the 4A girls lacrosse state championship on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman.

CONNER BECKER, Standard-Examiner

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Bear River celebrates following the 4A girls lacrosse state championship on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman.

CONNER BECKER, Standard-Examiner

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Bear River celebrates a goal by Ella Criddle during the 4A girls lacrosse state championship on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman

CONNER BECKER, Standard-Examiner

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Provo’s Emma Martin steers left of Bear River’s Paisley Briel during the 4A girls lacrosse state championship on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman

CONNER BECKER, Standard-Examiner

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Bear River coach Jeremy Webb hugs an assistant coach during the 4A girls lacrosse state championship on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman.

CONNER BECKER, Standard-Examiner

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HERRIMAN — It’s been a streaky high school spring sports season for Northern Utah with multiple titles strung across soccer, volleyball and lacrosse. The Bear River girls lacrosse squad, though, might own the most righteous storyline of them all.

The Bears, the undefeated No. 1 seed in the 4A state playoffs, trounced No. 2 Provo High 14-3 for a fifth consecutive state championship and their third straight perfect season to tally 79 consecutive wins since 2023.

To put that in perspective, Bear River, which competed in lacrosse long before the UHSAA sanctioned the sport four years ago, hasn’t lost a playoff game since that inaugural season.

“When I started this program, I had no inkling of that,” Bear River coach Jeremy Webb said. “We were just hoping to win some games. … The real success is being able to share a part of these girls’ lives. When they come back, they remember it positively and that’s the real success for me.

“Win or lose, it doesn’t really matter. It’s about the culture that we’ve created together.”

Bear River, capping the season a perfect 20-0 as the state and Region 11 champions yet again, brought one of its best defensive performances to Zions Bank Stadium on Thursday afternoon.

Senior goalkeeper Tristan Smart allowed just three Provo (19-3) goals, including two by Courtney MacFaralane in the first half and one by Emma Parke in the second. Fellow senior Ella Criddle drew two of her four total goals in the second quarter to run up a 6-2 halftime lead.

Last year’s semifinal with Provo, which saw Bear River ride an 8-1 lead to a win and, ultimately, another championship run, made for a bit of extra motivation this season, Webb said.

“Earlier this year, before the season started, (Provo) gave us some wall fodder to basically show the girls they wanted the semifinal match back last year,” Webb said. “They felt like they could win, and so they took it personally. We did our work in the dark when no one was watching, and I told them champions do that because we’ll come out and we’ll show people what we’re about.”

Sophomore Mollie Call, leading the Bears with four goals, put three in the net in the third quarter and Bear River sailed with an 11-3 lead through three quarters. Criddle, Emma Kierstead and Jeanine Webb tacked on one goal apiece in the fourth quarter.

Criddle, one of Bear River’s 11 graduating seniors, has won a state title in four seasons of high school lacrosse. Her opportunity to continue playing at Division III Southern Virginia, Criddle said, wouldn’t have been possible without Jeremy Webb and the success of his program.

Bear River’s five consecutive state titles remains uncontested by any other program in Utah.

“It’s awesome to have all these other seniors pull it together,” Criddle said.

Bear River’s last loss came against Corner Canyon by a 7-5 tally on March 17, 2023.

Connect with prep sports reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net, X @ctbecker and Instagram @standardexaminersports.