Four members of the Nansemond-Suffolk Academy boys’ lacrosse team were selected to the all-state first team after aiding the Saints’ first run to the state championship game since 2001.

The players earning this recognition at the Division II level of the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association included senior attackman Jacob Edwards, senior goalkeeper Dan Hotte, senior longstick midfielder Zach Leitner and junior defenseman David Gough.

This was the second straight year Edwards was selected to the first team.

“Jacob had a terrific year for us, typically drawing the opponent’s top defenseman and being the focus a lot of times of the opponent’s defensive game plan,” NSA coach T.W. Johnson said.

Edwards registered 32 goals and 20 assists this season and will play at Randolph-Macon College next spring.

Hotte garnered his first recognition at the state level after an impressive season in goal.

“Dan was our backbone on defense this year,” Johnson said. “When you have a good defensive unit, it starts with having a really good goalie, and Dan’s a really good goalie.”

Hotte had a 59 percent save percentage during the regular season and a 50 percent save percentage during the state playoffs.

This was also Leitner’s first state-level honor. Johnson praised him for his ability to play essentially the whole field, regularly guard the opposing team’s top midfielder and consistently play at a high speed.

“Probably, in my opinion, the most important thing he did for us this year is just set the tempo of how we practice and the effort that we play in games,” Johnson said.

Leitner had 61 ground balls this season, as well as one goal and two assists, and will play at Hampden-Sydney College next year.

This was Gough’s second all-state honor, after making the second team as a sophomore.

“He’s such an imposing figure down on our ‘D’ end with his size and strength and his physicality that he’s one of the reasons why we were such a strong defensive unit this year,” Johnson said.

Gough had 43 ground balls on the season.