Hamilton Southeastern’s boys lacrosse team, a five-time state champion in the past decade, continues to compete under the Indiana High School Lacrosse Association rather than the Indiana High School Athletic Association.
While girls lacrosse in Indiana has recently become an emerging sport under the IHSAA, boys lacrosse remains outside the organization, creating a separate structure for teams across the state. Instead of following the same format as most high school sports, the IHSLA governs its own season, rules and postseason tournament.
“Once they fall under our umbrella,” HSE athletic director Tilmon Clark said. “We treat them exactly like an IHSAA sport.”
Despite operating outside the traditional system, Hamilton Southeastern has built one of the most successful programs in Indiana. Over the past 10 years, the Royals have won five state championships, including back-to-back titles in 2024 and 2025. The team consistently competes against top programs like Carmel and Cathedral, maintaining a high level of play each season.
Playing under the IHSLA also brings a different level of flexibility. Without having to follow all IHSAA rules and restrictions, teams are able to create more competitive schedules and face a wider range of opponents.
“Because boys lacrosse isn’t IHSAA-sanctioned,” Clark said. “They’re able to do a little bit more traveling than normal.”
This flexibility allows programs like HSE to challenge themselves against strong competition and continue developing at a high level throughout the season.
At the same time, the structure comes with differences. Because boys lacrosse is not sanctioned by the IHSAA, its state championships are not officially recognized in the same way as other sports. The program may also receive less visibility within the broader high school athletics community.
“Anytime you win a championship, there’s significance to it” Clark said. “A lot of people are working hard for it.”
Even so, the sport continues to grow. More schools across Indiana are adding lacrosse programs, and the level of competition within the IHSLA continues to increase each year. The recent sanctioning of girls lacrosse reflects that growth, while boys lacrosse continues to develop under its current system.
For Hamilton Southeastern, the focus remains consistent. Whether inside or outside the traditional system, the team continues to compete at a high level, showing that success is not defined by the structure it plays under.
