Highlanders Edge Saxons, 5-4, in Thrilling Rivalry Clash

McLean, VA — April 14, 2026

In a tightly contested road battle that lived up to every expectation of one of Northern Virginia’s fiercest rivalries, the McLean Highlanders Boys Lacrosse team traveled to Langley and defeated the host Saxons 5-4 in a hard-fought contest that had fans on their feet until the final whistle. The win adds another memorable chapter to a storied rivalry between two schools separated by just a few miles — and decades of competitive lacrosse history.

The Highlanders came out firing, building a commanding 4-1 lead heading into halftime before surviving a Saxons comeback in the second half. It was Senior Galder Maull (#15) who got things started late in the first quarter, finishing after a relentless ride by the Highlanders forced a turnover and created the opening. Senior Nader El-Farhan (#8) followed with a goal to push the lead to 2-0, before the Saxons responded to make it 2-1. Maull then struck again with a hard dodge from the top of the box to restore the two-goal cushion at 3-1.

The fourth goal was a thing of beauty — Senior goalkeeper Fletcher Brown (#30) made a key save and triggered an immediate fast break, with El-Farhan sprinting ahead of the Langley defense to finish and send the Highlanders into halftime up 4-1.

Langley refused to go quietly in the second half, chipping away and eventually tying the game at 4-4 to set up a tense final stretch. With under five minutes remaining and the outcome hanging in the balance, Senior Jake Bell (#3) came up with a huge hustle play, running down a missed Saxon shot to give McLean possession. The Highlanders wasted no time, pushing the ball up the field on another fast break — and Maull was there again to finish, completing a hat trick and giving McLean the 5-4 lead they would not relinquish.

A Rivalry Forged Over Decades

The McLean–Langley lacrosse rivalry is one of the oldest and most intense in the Liberty District. Since boys lacrosse grew into a varsity program in the mid-1990s, the Saxons — led for many years by legendary coach Earl Brewer, who accumulated more wins than any other high school boys lacrosse coach in Virginia — long held the upper hand. For years, a win over Langley felt like the white whale for McLean teams. A 2015 victory, when the Highlanders beat the Saxons 9-4 on St. Patrick’s Day, was celebrated as a program-defining breakthrough after years of frustration.

The Highlanders have continued to build on that 2015 breakthrough, adding a triple overtime victory in 2016 and two more wins in 2023 — a 9-8 double overtime regular season win and a 7-4 district playoff victory. Tuesday’s hard-fought 5-4 road win is the latest chapter in a rivalry both sides circle on the schedule from the first day of preseason.

Go ‘Ders! 🔴⚪

Photo credit: McLean Highlanders Lacrosse Instagram