Lacrosse season got an early start at Saxon Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Three elite college teams and three elite high school programs participated in Lax for Life, all organized by number 44.

The man who scored the ultimate goal: a second chance at Life.

"I'm really just trying to get back to what gave so much to me," said former Mercyhurst men's lacrosse player Ryan Scoble.

During his junior year as a Laker, Ryan Scoble was blindsided with shocking news: late stage heart failure, and he needed a heart transplant immediately. Ryan then received the necessary transplant, what he calls his "gift of life.

"It allowed me to actually come back a year and some change later, and not only finish my college degree, but finish my lacrosse career here at Mercyhurst," Scoble said.

Scoble had his first go-around Lax for Life, with the support of friends, especially one that has known him since eighth grade.

"I got to go through all those tough conversations with Ryan about about the news that he got about his heart and ultimately got to see the whole path of him," Griffen Durso said.

But Scoble wasn't the only Ryan at Lax for Life. So was Ryan Dernar and his family, the father of Sophie Dernar. Sophie was a donor when she was killed in a tragic accident back in 2016.

Ryan Dernar had the chance to meet Scoble for the very first time, both speaking to the crowd in attendance about the importance of organ donation. 

"We enjoy continuing legacy of our daughter, and we were blessed to have her for 14 years, and she's still with us today in other forms," Dernar said.

That form being inside a teddy bear, where the family can listen to the heartbeat of Sophie.

"We made the best of the bad situation and [we] enjoy seeing people make the most of their second opportunity," Dernar said.