MIAA Lacrosse Standouts Blake Burgess, Mason Williams Commit to High Point

The Boys' Latin attackman and St. Mary's long-stick midfielder, longtime friends and Annapolis Hawks teammates, will reunite in college.

Boys' Latin attackman Blake Burgess and St. Mary's long-stick midfielder Mason Williams, longtime Annapolis Hawks teammates, commit to High Point lacrosse. | Al Franyo

Blake Burgess and Mason Williams have spent much of their lacrosse careers playing together. Although they now represent different Maryland high school programs, the longtime friends are preparing to become teammates again at the college level.

Burgess, a four-star attackman at Boys' Latin, and Williams, a three-star long-stick midfielder at St. Mary's, have committed to High Point University.

Both are members of the Class of 2028 and longtime teammates with the Annapolis Hawks club lacrosse program.

Their commitments will reunite two players who developed their skills together before taking separate paths in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA).

Longtime Teammates Choose the Same College

For Burgess and Williams, the opportunity to continue their friendship and lacrosse careers at the same university adds another dimension to their college decisions.

The two have known each other for years through their involvement with the Annapolis Hawks, one of Maryland's established club lacrosse programs.

Their high school careers have taken them to different MIAA schools, with Burgess playing attack for Boys' Latin and Williams specializing as a long-stick midfielder for St. Mary's.

Both have now chosen High Point, an Atlantic 10 Conference program in North Carolina, as the next destination in their lacrosse careers.

The commitments also continue the recruiting connection between High Point and the MIAA, which has supplied several players to the Panthers in recent years.

Why Blake Burgess Chose High Point

Burgess said his decision was influenced heavily by his confidence in head coach John Crawley and the direction of the High Point program.

The four-star attackman believes in Crawley's vision and was impressed by the entire coaching staff during the recruiting process.

Burgess also appreciated the coaches' shared understanding of how he could contribute to the Panthers' offense.

The opportunity to develop as a player while helping the program pursue its goals was another important factor.

He sees High Point as a place where he can continue improving, contribute early in his college career and become part of a program working toward greater success.

The university's campus also made a favorable impression during his recruitment.

Why Mason Williams Chose High Point

For Williams, the decision came down to finding the right combination of lacrosse, academics and personal development.

The three-star long-stick midfielder developed strong relationships with High Point's coaches and appreciated their emphasis on helping players grow beyond the field.

Williams was particularly impressed by the staff's commitment to developing accomplished lacrosse players while also preparing them for life after college.

The relationships within the program, the atmosphere surrounding the team and the direction of High Point lacrosse all contributed to his decision.

Together, those factors convinced Williams that High Point was the right place to continue his academic and athletic career.

High Point Continues Recruiting MIAA Talent

High Point launched its men's lacrosse program in 2013 and began competing in the Atlantic 10 Conference in 2023.

The Panthers have made multiple conference tournament appearances and have twice earned NCAA Tournament berths through conference tournament championships.

Crawley is preparing for his third season as head coach after leading High Point to the Atlantic 10 championship game in 2025 and the conference semifinals in 2026.

The program has also established a recruiting presence in Maryland's MIAA, one of the country's most competitive high school lacrosse conferences.

Four MIAA alumni are listed on High Point's 2027 roster, and the commitments from Burgess and Williams will extend that connection into the Class of 2028.

For the Panthers, the two recruits bring different skill sets.

Burgess is an attackman who will look to contribute to High Point's offensive development, while Williams plays a defensive position that requires versatility, positioning and the ability to defend opposing offensive threats.

Their commitments represent another step in the Panthers' effort to attract talent from established high school and club lacrosse programs.

A Reunion at the Next Level

For Burgess and Williams, choosing High Point means more than joining the same college roster.

The two players developed their friendship through years of club lacrosse, continued competing in the MIAA at different schools and now have the opportunity to share another chapter of their careers.

Their college careers remain a couple of years away, but both have already identified the program where they hope to continue developing.

And when they arrive at High Point, they will do so with a familiar teammate alongside them.