Click to listen to Lafayette head coach Chris Neff on postgame

The Lafayette boys’ basketball team came up short in their bid for a state championship Saturday in Columbia as they lost the Class 4 title game to Vashon 69-58 inside Mizzou Arena.

The Fighting Irish finish as the state runner-up for the second time in three years as they end the season 28-4.

Lafayette got out to a great start Saturday as they went ahead 17-9 late in the first quarter, but Vashon scored the final four points of the first and then outscored the Irish 21-8 in the second quarter to take a 34-25 lead to the locker room at halftime.

LHS pulled to within six points several times in the third quarter, but could never get any closer as Lafayette struggled all night at the free throw line.

The Fighting Irish finished the game 21-of-42 from the foul line and because of that they were never able to make a serious run at the Wolverines in the fourth quarter.

Vashon wins its 12th state title in school history as Lafayette is still in search of its first since 1976.

Diego Bernard led LHS with 25 points, while Caleb Bennett scored 16.

Lafayette lost just four games all season, and all four teams they lost to when on to play for a state championship in their respective state and class.  Two of the teams won state titles and two teams finished as the runner-up.  It was the fifth all-time appearance in the Final Four for the Fighting Irish and third in the last six seasons.