CRANBERRY TWP — Alex Culbertson is a true sports kid. He loves them all.

He fell in love with one.

“I played basketball, hockey, baseball, pretty much all of them,” the Seven Fields resident and Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic senior said. “I first started playing youth lacrosse in Butler when I was in fourth grade.

“Once I was introduced to that sport, I started enjoying it more and more. Once I got comfortable with it, it's what I wanted to do.”

Originally from Butler, Culbertson scored 60 goals and more than 100 points for the Trojans this season. He scored more than 350 points in his four-year career at CWNC.

He has been named WPIAL Class AA Player of the Year, was named all-section for the fourth consecutive season and All-WPIAL for the second successive year.

The Trojans finished 11-5 this season, bowing out in the WPIAL semifinals.

“Alex is everything a high school lacrosse player should be,” CWNC coach Don Bryant said. “He works hard, enjoys the game and has a great time with his teammates and representing his school.

“It's not his goals and point production I'll remember. It's his hustle and effort.”

Bryant recalled a game against Seneca Valley in which there were 12 seconds left in the first half.

“I told our team how important it was we get possession,” Bryant said. “Alex hustled down the field, grabbed a ground ball before time expired and gave us possession to begin the second half.

“It sounds like an insignificant play, but it epitomized how serious this kid is about the game.”

Culbertson also played basketball and ran cross country for the Trojans in his senior year.

“I enjoyed those sports and they kept me in shape,” he said.

When it comes to lacrosse, he added that he takes pride in the ability and effort to secure ground balls.

“If you don't get the ground balls, you can't score,” he said. “Possession has to start somewhere.

“Passing is critical, too. We always had good communication on the attack line. I'd try to find the open guy and my teammates never had a problem if I took the shot myself. My team always had my back that way and I appreciated it.”

Bryant said Culbertson's scoring ability comes from his quick hands.

“He's got the best hands in the WPIAL,” the coach said.”Offensively, he is second to none on this district. Alex could snap off a shot like that.

“I'm grateful I had the opportunity to participate in this ride with him. Alex is a tremendous kid and was a pleasure to coach.”

Culbertson's lacrosse career is not over. He is headed to Saint Leo University in Florida, where he will play for a top-five ranked Division II team next season.

The Saint Leo Lions were 16-3 this spring and reached the NCAA Division II Tournament. Culbertson plans to major in finance.

“They have an upcoming, good program,and I'm excited about becoming part of it,” Culbertson said. “I want to continue being productive and be part of a Division II national championship before I'm done there.

“Try to set some records while being part of a team — that's the goal.”

Bryant has little doubt he will do both.

“That's a solid program that just got better by adding him,” Bryant said.