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Skyridge players Summer Buechner (left) and Sage Curtis celebrate a point during a 6A girls lacrosse quarterfinal against Herriman on Saturday, May 16, 2026.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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Summer Buechner of Skyridge (12) takes a shot against Herriman in a 6A girls lacrosse quarterfinal on Saturday, May 16, 2026.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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Summer Buechner of Skyridge (left) competes for the ball in a face off against Herriman's Sophie Sam in a 6A girls lacrosse quarterfinal on Saturday, May 16, 2026.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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Skyridge players react after a point in a 6A girls lacrosse quarterfinal against Herriman on Saturday, May 16, 2026.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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Skyridge girls lacrosse coach Michelle Buechner (center) speaks to her players during a time out in a 6A quarterfinal against Herriman on Saturday, May 16, 2026.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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Summer Buechner of Skyridge takes a shot against Herriman in a 6A girls lacrosse quarterfinal on Saturday, May 16, 2026.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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Tessa Jamison of Skyridge (14) plays defense against Herriman goalie Marli Wright in a 6A girls lacrosse quarterfinal on Saturday, May 16, 2026.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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Ellie Palmer of Skyridge takes a shot against Herriman in a 6A girls lacrosse quarterfinal on Saturday, May 16, 2026.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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A official checks the stick of Skyridge's Lucy McGhie before the start of a 6A girls lacrosse quarterfinal against Herriman on Saturday, May 16, 2026.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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Tessa Jamison of Skyridge (14) takes a run at the goal in a 6A girls lacrosse quarterfinal against Herriman on Saturday, May 16, 2026.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

❮ ❯

There’s a certain futility to playing defense against the Skyridge girls lacrosse team.

The Falcons are so skilled and so potent, it’s almost unfair.

Skyridge — the No. 1 seed in the Class 6A state tournament — has been tormenting opponents all season, scoring 397 goals in 20 contests (19.9 per game). Only Bear River (playing a 4A schedule) has scored more (406 goals).

“I think it’s the East Coast style of offense,” Skyridge coach Michelle Buechner said. “There is a lot of passing that leads to fast break opportunities and the fact we have so many players that can catch the ball securely and confidently and with consistency. That’s a rare thing in our league to have that many kids that can do that.”

In Saturday’s 18-3 quarterfinal victory against No. 8 Herriman, two plays from super sophomore Summer Buechner were a prime example of how difficult the Falcons are to stop.

As the first half came to close, Buechner sprinted from behind the goal and scored to beat the halftime buzzer, giving Skyridge a 10-1 lead and all the momentum.

In the third quarter, Buechner turned in a stunning display of lacrosse acrobatics. She was knocked to the ground by the Mustangs but bounced up and grabbed the ball in one smooth motion, racing toward the crease and scoring her fifth goal for a 12-2 Skyridge advantage.

“Summer School is in session!” said the Falcons public address announcer.

“She’s a jedi with that stick,” Coach Buechner said. “I don’t know how the ball stays in the way it does.”

Summer Buechner, who had five goals and five assists against Herriman, leads the state in scoring with 157 points (70 goals, 87 assists) but she has plenty of help. Four other players — sophomore Ellie Palmer (80 goals), senior Tessa Jamison (77), sophomore Sage Curtis (54) and sophomore Sophia Fife (50) — have all scored at least 50 goals this season.

“They are putting the time in on their own,” Coach Buechner said. “They’re hitting the wall and practicing on their own, so that their skills can help their team.”

Skyridge led 4-1 after the first quarter and kept up the intensity in the second, sharing the ball with assists on all six goals including Jamison getting the ball to Summer Buechner for the buzzer beater.

Her stunning fifth goal gave the Falcons a 12-2 lead and started the running clock due to the 10-goal lead. In fact, 16 of the Falcons’ 19 wins have been by 10 or more goals.

“We definitely stress moving the ball and sharing the ball,” Summer Buechner said. “We pass the ball super fast and get a lot of quick goals off of it, which helps a lot, I think a lot of teams aren’t used to a team that passes as much as we do, and they expect the drive, so when we just dump it off and pass it a ton, it catches a lot of teams off guard, so it’s really good for us.”

Skyridge is one of the top lacrosse schools in the state, with the No. 2 seed boys team following the girls game with an 11-8 victory against Herriman in the 6A quarterfinals.

“For the boys’ side, it’s head coach Bart Butterfield, and it’s his assistants,” Coach Buechner said. “They are all such excellent coaches and they have this culture of hard work and community. For us, it’s the girls themselves. They push each other and they have accountability groups. They report to their accountability leader for the work that they do outside of practice and they hold each other accountable for working hard and pushing themselves. Iron sharpens iron, right? We practice against each other every single day, and it just all of them.”

The girls and boys programs both advanced to the semifinals in their respective tournaments. The girls take on Region 3 foe Lone Peak on Tuesday and the boys will play No. 3 Farmington on Wednesday, with both games at Westminster College in Salt Lake City.

6A Boys Lacrosse

Wednesday, May 20

Semifinals at Westminster, SLC

1 Corner Canyon (16-2) vs. 4 Mountain Ridge (16-4), 10 a.m.

2 Skyridge (16-2) vs. 3 Farmington (16-3), noon

Saturday, May 23

Championship Match at Zions Banks Stadium, Herriman

4 p.m.

6A Girls Lacrosse

Tuesday, May 19

Semifinals at Westminster, SLC

1 Skyridge (19-1) vs. 4 Lone Peak (15-5), 6 p.m.

2 Riverton (19-1) vs. 3 Mountain Ridge (14-4), 8 p.m.

Thursday, May 21

Championship Match at Zions Banks Stadium, Herriman

10 a.m.

5A Girls Lacrosse

Tuesday, May 19

Semifinals at Westminster, SLC

1 Park City (17-2) vs. 5 Salem Hills (16-4), 2 p.m.

2 Fremont (17-2) vs. 6 Olympus (11-8), 4 p.m.

Thursday, May 21

Championship Match at Zions Bank Stadium, Herriman

4 p.m.

4A Girls Lacrosse

Tuesday, May 19

Semifinals at Westminster, SLC

1 Bear River (20-0) vs. 5 Timpanogos (12-5), 10 a.m.

2 Provo (18-2) vs. 3 Judge Memorial (16-1), noon

Thursday, May 21

Championship Match at Zions Bank Stadium, Herriman

1 p.m.