Belief, determination and a new culture leads Rock Bridge lacrosse back to playoffs

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

There's a reason why the term 'fastest game on two feet' has perfectly described the intensity of lacrosse - a sport that combines speed, physicality and strategy, all at once.

"It takes physicality from like hockey and football, its speed from soccer," Rock Bridge attackman Dane Briley said.

His teammate, goalie Isaac Beary, added, "Physicality-wise and like athleticism, it definitely requires the same amount as like football. I'd say it's like a mix of that and basketball." 

But, lacrosse is more than just a hard-hitting, fast-paced, physical game...it's also a mental battle.

"I don't think a lot of other sports have the same physicality, but also like intelligence required to play lacrosse," Bruins midfielder Brady Lidolph said. "You're you're running over guys, you're taking checks, but, at the same time, there's a lot of technical aspects to it." 

It's almost like perfecting a complicated recipe. It takes time and determination to get it right.

At Rock Bridge, that time and determination has begun shine through in the form of success in the 2026 season, under the direction of a first-year head coach.

During the offseason, coach Joe Barnett, a Biology teacher at Rock Bridge High School, decided to take the reins of a Bruin program that was searching for answers in how to become a playoff contender.

"He brought in this mindset that we were gonna be physical and we weren't just gonna be pushed around anymore," midfielder and attackman Noah Golden said.

Much like his players, Barnett's love of the game came at a young age. He started playing lacrosse in sixth grade and fell in love with it immediately after picking up a stick. After playing in middle school and high school, he went on to play in a competitive club at the University of Wisconsin and even continued on with the game he loves after college.

"[I've] just always found community and it really is those connections and those experiences that made it meaningful. Obviously, the sport itself is fun, but it's the whole package and all of the skills that I learned along the way. I felt like I would not be the same person if it weren't for lacrosse and I want that for these guys," Barnett said.

Coach Barnett took over a program with a lot of talented players, who hailed from all over Mid-Missouri. But, it was a group looking for a turnaround season, after going winless in conference play each of the last two years prior.

"I saw the need for community," he said. "I saw the need for that camaraderie and to just to make things more systematic." 

For the Bruins, the work on changing that culture and building that community, started long before the season opener came. In fact, some of the most important work came off of the field.

"People showing up the offseason to having like genuine conversations with teammates and players about, you know, what's important," defenseman Trey Bornhauser said. "[What's important is] not the statistics and the personal stuff, but more about just winning games, being a team." 

You can see the direct impact of all of that offseason work on the field and in the win-loss column.

Just one year removed from winning three games, Rock Bridge went 6-5 in league action in the 2026 season. That effort was enough to land Coach Barnett and his squad a spot in the postseason - a place that the guys on his roster have never been before.

"It's an added layer of legitimacy," Barnett said. "Success in sports is very psychological and so once people start believing that they can do something, then they do. If you don't think you can do something, then you won't. So, like getting the guys to go through something difficult and seeing that they can do it and believing that they believe that they can do it and then having other people say, hey, man, they're doing something fun, they are successful. It's a positive feedback mechanism. It builds on itself."

Of course, Rock Bridge is hoping to extend its season and earn more games together, once playoff action begins. But this run is about way more than just the record - it's also about a senior class that has helped build this club.

"Being able to finally experience one of those games, I think it gives us all some extra drive because it's our first one. You know, the younger guys are doing it for the seniors, who've never been able to do this before. I think we're just really hungry," Lidolph said.

The Bruins' playoff run will begin with a clash against Republic on Tuesday evening.

When asked about what the key to success in this postseason run will be, lots of players said confidence, team-work and grit. But, Barnett had another word.

"Consistency," he said. "I think they believe that they're talented. It's about maintaining composure, maintaining focus. If you're thinking about the glory or you're thinking about, you know, the this or that and not locked in and, you know, engaged in the moment, then you're done." 

But, at the end of the day, Rock Bridge only hopes this is just the beginning. Although lacrosse isn't a MSHAAA sanctioned sport in Missouri, it is growing quickly and the guys on the 2026 roster and coaching staff look to see if flourish even more, in the years to come.

"I would like to see it become a sport and be able to get the funding from the school. I think that would draw out a lot more players because like a big thing for us is that, you know, we have to pay $600 a season and then we have to pay for our own equipment. You know, we get we have busses to some of the games, but other times, you know, parents have to drive and it makes a lot more obstacles for the team," Golden said. "I think when once we get MSHSAA certified, it'll really grow."

Coach Barnett shared the same sentiments, adding, "I eventually would like to see it supported by the school systems and the, you know, the powers that be. Lacrosse is perceived as a as an expensive sport but I think football is expensive, baseball is expensive, soccer is expensive, basketball is expensive. Everything, every sport is expensive and I think they're all worth it," he said. "Now, more than ever, students are, you know, less physically active and so lacrosse is just that added avenue, that extra avenue and, you know, getting kids where we need them to be and because it's a good for society. I really, truly believe that. I think it should be supported. So, I would say of all the things lacrosse should be supported like all the other sports."

In the meantime, Rock Bridge will turn its attention to its highly anticipated clash against Republic in a well-deserved playoff berth.