DiMarco and Huizenga set to play for the National Collegiate Box Series National Championship

By Bud Denega

ADA — Ohio Northern will have a couple student-athletes contending for a national title this weekend. Senior lacrosse player Chris DiMarco (Worthington/Thomas Worthington) and sophomore Matt Huizenga (New Albany) will compete for the Rivermen out of Columbus, Ohio, in the first-ever National Collegiate Box Series National Championship in Huntington Beach, California, Friday and Saturday.

The Riverman advanced to the national championship by way of defeating the Walleyes, based in Cleveland, in the Ohio Collegiate Box Lacrosse League Championship — a summer lacrosse league comprised of five teams. The top-seeded Rivermen toppled the No. 2-seeded Walleyes in a two-game series 17-10 (Wednesday, July 22) and 17-13 (Monday, July 29) at the Resolute Athletic Complex in Columbus.

DiMarco logged five points, playing in all nine games for the Rivermen this season. He scored four goals, two in one game against the Guardians, and had one assist.

DiMarco played in 18 games as a junior for Northern. He registered eight points with four goals and four assists. In his Polar Bear career, DiMarco has competed in 50 games and has 16 points on 12 goals and four assists.

Huizenga plays goalie for the Rivermen and appeared in eight of their nine games this season. He helped the team boast a goals for/goals against ratio of 141/98.

Huizenga logged six games played for the Polar Bears this past season. He recorded four saves and allowed four goals in 43:58 of field time.

The Rivermen will battle the Fighting Bison of the Colorado Collegiate Box Lacrosse League for the national title. The two squads will compete in a two-game series Friday and Saturday.

If the series is tied after two games, the teams will play a 15-minute overtime period to determine a winner. If it's still tied after the first overtime session, a 15-minute sudden-death period will be played to decide a champion.