Massachusetts

HS Boys Lacrosse
Laxcoach55
Posts: 34
Joined: Mon Apr 01, 2019 2:58 pm

Re: Massachusetts

Post by Laxcoach55 »

Today's BostonLax Poll

Rank Team Record Week 3 Ranking Quick Thoughts - (Top 10)
1 Lincoln-Sudbury 7-0 2 L-S continued their undefeated start to 2019, winning the Bugbee Coaches Challenge Cup this week by defeating previous No. 1 Hingham 12-9 on Saturday.
2 Hingham 7-1 1 Hingham only drops off a spot, exchanging positions with L-S this week, after their narrow loss on Saturday to the Warriors. Another big week awaits the Harbormen, highlighted by a Match-up with Duxbury on Thursday.
3 St. John's Prep 7-2 3 Two more wins for Prep, including a Creator's Crosse Championship victory over Walpole on Saturday. St. Johns Shrewsbury awaits on Tuesday.
4 Medfield 6-0 8 Medfield jumps way up and over a couple of teams this week with their dominating start to 2019. Big wins over previous No. 4 Xaverian and NH power Pinkerton, on top of a 22-1 win over Shenandehowah and a 3.6 GAA through six games warrants a big jump.
5 Acton-Boxboro 6-0 5 Three more wins including a tight win over Algonquin keep A-B at No. 5. With a primarily backloaded schedule expect to see A-B do some more damage in the coming weeks.
6 Reading 6-0 6 Reading picked up a big one-goal win over BC High last week, along with a two-goal win over Billerica. A big 2018 state championship with Concord-Carlisle awaits on Saturday.
7 Xaverian 4-2 4 Xaverian dropped a 9-6 game to Medfield but rebounded with a big goal-output win over Needham.
8 BC High 3-3 9 All about OT last week for the Eagles. A one-goal loss to Reading and a one-goal win over Needham and BC High is up 1 this week.
9 Concord-Carlisle 4-1 7 Tough to fall too far when you lose to the State's top team. Wins over Andover and Wellesley keep C-C in the top 10 this week.
10 Cohasset 5-3 11 The Skippers are back in the top 10 this week with a narrow loss to Xaverian and a win over Exeter (NH).
11 Needham 5-2 10
12 Duxbury 3-3 12
13 St. John's Shrewsbury 7-0 16
14 Franklin 5-1 14
15 Longmeadow 3-1 15
16 Winchester 7-1 18
17 Algonquin 4-1 23
18 Wellesley 4-2 13
19 Dover-Sherborn 6-2 20
20 Central Catholic 4-1 21
21 Melrose 3-3 17
22 Newton North 4-1 24
23 Wayland 4-1 25
24 Medway 5-1 NR
25 Foxboro 5-1 NR
26 Chelmsford 5-2 29
27 Westwood 3-3 26
28 Hopkinton 3-2 27
29 Marshfield 6-1 28
30 Bishop Fenwick 6-0 NR
Next group up in consideration (alphabetical): Andover, Austin Prep, Billerica, Bridgewater-Raynham, Canton, Catholic Memorial, Danvers, East Longmeadow, Falmouth, Foxboro, Grafton, Groton-Dunstable, Hanover, Hopedale, Hull, Ipswich, King Philip, Lexington, Littleton, Marblehead, Masconomet, Minnechaug, Nantucket, Natick, North Andover, North Attleboro, North Reading, Norwell, Oliver Ames, Peabody, Pentucket, Plymouth South, Pope Francis, Sandwich, Scituate, Silver Lake, Sharon, Shepherd Hill, Tyngsboro, Wahconah, Wakefield, Walpole, Weston, Westford Academy, and Westfield.
Laxrules10
Posts: 79
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2019 8:10 am

Re: Massachusetts

Post by Laxrules10 »

Medfield had two strong wins last week against D1's Xaverian and BG. They look to be the class of D2 so far. Winchester is one to not be over looked in D2. They played LS tough in the Coaches Cup last week. Much more of a contest than the CC game vs LS.

AB will be hard to figure out until they play LS on 5/16. Pretty much all easy wins for them until that game.
Laxalittle
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2019 11:33 pm

Re: Massachusetts

Post by Laxalittle »

I’m confused. Boston Globe lax poll is listing Lincoln-Sudbury as being undefeated. I attended, what I was told was their first game of the year, an 11-7 loss to New Fairfield. It was listed on Maxpreps and has since been deleted. Not sure what the story is, but I will say this, New Fairfield travelled three hours for their first game (not a scrimmage) and it looks as though someone forgot to tell Lincoln-Sudbury.
NElaxtalent
Posts: 237
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2018 10:23 am

Re: Massachusetts

Post by NElaxtalent »

Fwiw Inside Lacrosse clearly shows 03/30 as a game. Not sure how/why/who the "Boston Globe" lax poll chooses to overlook it . . . :roll: :roll: :roll:

New Fairfield 11
Lincoln-Sudbury 7

https://www.insidelacrosse.com/recruiti ... tate/MA/19
Laxxal22
Posts: 1213
Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2018 4:58 pm

Re: Massachusetts

Post by Laxxal22 »

Tweet from the LS fan run account... "Season opener against New Fairfield CT starting in 10 mins. They were 22-0 last year and Class M champs." https://twitter.com/search?l=&q=New%20F ... pd&lang=en

Gotta wonder if it only became a scrimmage in the eyes of LS after the outcome was different than expected.
Laxxal22
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Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2018 4:58 pm

Re: Massachusetts

Post by Laxxal22 »

Lincoln Sudbury is getting absolutely destroyed by Manhasset. 17-5 at the end of three. Ouch.
wahoomurf
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Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2018 8:51 pm

Re: Massachusetts

Post by wahoomurf »

Laxxal22 wrote: Thu Apr 25, 2019 6:11 pm Lincoln Sudbury is getting absolutely destroyed by Manhasset. 17-5 at the end of three. Ouch.
Final:Manhasset 18-LS 6.To his credit,Cromwell emptied the bench.
NElaxtalent
Posts: 237
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2018 10:23 am

Re: Massachusetts

Post by NElaxtalent »

IL has it as Manhasset 18-LS 8

Just wanted to note that (in case it gets switched to a scrimmage by the Boston Globe 😅😅😅)
Laxcoach55
Posts: 34
Joined: Mon Apr 01, 2019 2:58 pm

Re: Massachusetts

Post by Laxcoach55 »

NElaxtalent wrote: Fri Apr 26, 2019 8:24 am IL has it as Manhasset 18-LS 8

Just wanted to note that (in case it gets switched to a scrimmage by the Boston Globe 😅😅😅)
I'm not surprised at all by this score. If you look at the player breakdowns the athleticism is equal and the stick skills are, for the most part, equal. The biggest difference is Lax IQ and team intelligence. Mass is still far behind.
Laxxal22
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Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2018 4:58 pm

Re: Massachusetts

Post by Laxxal22 »

To a degree, yes MA is behind, but it was only two years ago the LS beat Ward Melville who went on to win the NY Class A title. This version of LS is not as strong as 2017, and from what I've read this is one of the strongest Manhasset teams in awhile (i.e. they doubled up a Darien program they've struggled with the past few years).

The top MA public (at the moment) losing by 10 isn't a great look, but between the Catholic Conference, ISL, Andover/Exeter/Dexter/Pingree etc. eastern MA bleeds out as much relative talent from the town programs to private schools as anywhere, and certainly more than LI. It's not on the same level as LI, Baltimore, or Fairfield County, but I believe MA lax is solidly in that next tier.
Laxrules10
Posts: 79
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2019 8:10 am

Re: Massachusetts

Post by Laxrules10 »

Manhasset had roughly an 80/20 possession advantage. FO starter - Psyllos was a stud who could stay on and play offense effectively after winning most face offs. Every player Manhasset put on the field had speed. Cant say that about the MA teams i've seen.
random observer
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Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2019 10:31 am

Re: Massachusetts

Post by random observer »

Laxxal22 wrote: Fri Apr 26, 2019 11:04 am The top MA public (at the moment) losing by 10 isn't a great look, but between the Catholic Conference, ISL, Andover/Exeter/Dexter/Pingree etc. eastern MA bleeds out as much relative talent from the town programs to private schools as anywhere, and certainly more than LI. It's not on the same level as LI, Baltimore, or Fairfield County, but I believe MA lax is solidly in that next tier.
You'd be surprised how many players Manhasset loses to privates. In any given year, half of Chaminade's lineup is often comprised of GC and Manhasset kids alone. The Indians have also lost some pretty good players to Deerfield over the years (Jimmy Bitter comes to mind_.
flyerfan17
Posts: 336
Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2019 10:05 pm

Re: Massachusetts

Post by flyerfan17 »

If the best and oldest Mass HS hockey team came to LI they would probably go undefeated for 20 years. The gap isn't close to that wide but the best coaches for the longest time combined with the best athletes playing lacrosse as their main sport is a tough hill to climb. Many more kids being coached so specifically and well for years
Laxxal22
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Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2018 4:58 pm

Re: Massachusetts

Post by Laxxal22 »

Fair points by all.

To be clear, I think Mass towns could keep every kid in the public programs and they'd still struggle against top LI teams. MA is a half to full generation behind the elite hotbeds in terms of having coaching staffs and youth programs filled out by former college players, and a critical mass of dads who at least played in high school themselves. No shortcuts for the time that takes to seed, and only a handful of MA towns have true "lacrosse culture" at the moment.

Just making the point that between the 16 ISL and 5 Catholic Conference teams comprised almost entirely of MA kids, plus the 5-10 MA kids you find on Lakes Region and West 1 and other boarding school rosters, there's an outflow of 500-600 varsity caliber players. If you assessed that outflow, you'd find a huge portion of them are from 10-15 school districts on the north shore, south shore, and metro west.

I think having that many options for the talent to spread across hastens the general development of lacrosse in the area, but hinders the development of truly elite teams. The top MA publics and catholics can't quite hang consistently with their counterparts from NY, NJ, and CT, while the best privates remain a step behind the best from CT (plus Deerfield) and the mid-Atlantic. Time and development will close that gap some, but it will remain an issue IMO.

This was all a long-winded way of me saying that I'm skeptical LS keeps it within a touchdown of either opponent at the Geico this weekend.
flyerfan17
Posts: 336
Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2019 10:05 pm

Re: Massachusetts

Post by flyerfan17 »

Laxxal22 wrote: Sat Apr 27, 2019 9:55 am Fair points by all.

To be clear, I think Mass towns could keep every kid in the public programs and they'd still struggle against top LI teams. MA is a half to full generation behind the elite hotbeds in terms of having coaching staffs and youth programs filled out by former college players, and a critical mass of dads who at least played in high school themselves. No shortcuts for the time that takes to seed, and only a handful of MA towns have true "lacrosse culture" at the moment.

Just making the point that between the 16 ISL and 5 Catholic Conference teams comprised almost entirely of MA kids, plus the 5-10 MA kids you find on Lakes Region and West 1 and other boarding school rosters, there's an outflow of 500-600 varsity caliber players. If you assessed that outflow, you'd find a huge portion of them are from 10-15 school districts on the north shore, south shore, and metro west.

I think having that many options for the talent to spread across hastens the general development of lacrosse in the area, but hinders the development of truly elite teams. The top MA publics and catholics can't quite hang consistently with their counterparts from NY, NJ, and CT, while the best privates remain a step behind the best from CT (plus Deerfield) and the mid-Atlantic. Time and development will close that gap some, but it will remain an issue IMO.

This was all a long-winded way of me saying that I'm skeptical LS keeps it within a touchdown of either opponent at the Geico this weekend.
Probably two generations but not something that can't be overcome eventually, the dads in their towns is the key for sure and will happen
Laxrules10
Posts: 79
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2019 8:10 am

Re: Massachusetts

Post by Laxrules10 »

Random prediction alert - I like Winchester over Medfield in the D2 final.
Laxxal22
Posts: 1213
Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2018 4:58 pm

Re: Massachusetts

Post by Laxxal22 »

Pretty in depth state tourney preview: https://flannylive.wordpress.com/2019/0 ... ssion=true
LordRaider
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2019 2:26 am

Re: Massachusetts

Post by LordRaider »

Can anyone confirm the result of Wellesley vs Newton North? BostonLax shows NN as the victor but the MIAA bracket shows Wellesley advancing. :roll:

Assume MIAA is correct.
Laxxal22
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Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2018 4:58 pm

Re: Massachusetts

Post by Laxxal22 »

LordRaider
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2019 2:26 am

Re: Massachusetts

Post by LordRaider »

BC High vs Wellesley is a 12th seed vs a 13th seed. D1 South is a deep bracket!
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