New England West 2024

[pcowlax]

Not sure who they had playing but Lawrenceville is going to be a load this year, beating them even in a fall ball game is very impressive. Pelicans flexing.

[Sportin' Life]

Loomis has enjoyed a rebirth under the guidance of coach Bill Ball, who is in his third year of his second stint at the school. He has leveraged the talent that was on campus when he arrived and paired it with new students he has brought in, which includes but isn't limited to an average of four PGs a year. Loomis turned some heads last spring when it led Brunswick and Salisbury at the half before running out of gas in each game. The team progressed throughout the season, notably beating Avon for the first time in seven years and besting the much more ballyhooed Choate twice in three days and went to the Founders League championship where it ultimately fell to Taft. This spring the Pelicans won't sneak up on anyone. They have some key pieces to replace (particularly in cage, at close D and SSDM) but there's a lot of returning and new talent and candidates who fill in the gaps quite well, at least on paper. As noted previously, the team had a strong run at NHSLS and the Atlantic Coast Showcase in November, which bodes well for the upcoming season. The questions for this team are: 1) How quickly can it integrate new players? 2) How will it handle the pressure of playing with a target on its back every week? 3) Can it play consistently game in and game out and avoid lapses it suffered last year such as a one goal road win over Exeter and a six goal loss at Deerfield? Can it take a big step and beat the best in NEW1 (Taft, Brunswick, and Salisbury)?

[PhishFall97]

Great post!

I've been highly impressed with LC the past few seasons and really enjoy their games vs Deerfield, as they have been fairly competitive, compared to previous seasons.

Loomis has enjoyed a rebirth under the guidance of coach Bill Ball, who is in his third year of his second stint at the school. He has leveraged the talent that was on campus when he arrived and paired it with new students he has brought in, which includes but isn't limited to an average of four PGs a year. Loomis turned some heads last spring when it led Brunswick and Salisbury at the half before running out of gas in each game. The team progressed throughout the season, notably beating Avon for the first time in seven years and besting the much more ballyhooed Choate twice in three days and went to the Founders League championship where it ultimately fell to Taft. This spring the Pelicans won't sneak up on anyone. They have some key pieces to replace (particularly in cage, at close D and SSDM) but there's a lot of returning and new talent and candidates who fill in the gaps quite well, at least on paper. As noted previously, the team had a strong run at NHSLS and the Atlantic Coast Showcase in November, which bodes well for the upcoming season. The questions for this team are: 1) How quickly can it integrate new players? 2) How will it handle the pressure of playing with a target on its back every week? 3) Can it play consistently game in and game out and avoid lapses it suffered last year such as a one goal road win over Exeter and a six goal loss at Deerfield? Can it take a big step and beat the best in NEW1 (Taft, Brunswick, and Salisbury)?

[3rdPersonPlural]

Great post!

I've been highly impressed with LC the past few seasons and really enjoy their games vs Deerfield, as they have been fairly competitive, compared to previous seasons.

Loomis has enjoyed a rebirth under the guidance of coach Bill Ball, who is in his third year of his second stint at the school. He has leveraged the talent that was on campus when he arrived and paired it with new students he has brought in, which includes but isn't limited to an average of four PGs a year. Loomis turned some heads last spring when it led Brunswick and Salisbury at the half before running out of gas in each game. The team progressed throughout the season, notably beating Avon for the first time in seven years and besting the much more ballyhooed Choate twice in three days and went to the Founders League championship where it ultimately fell to Taft. This spring the Pelicans won't sneak up on anyone. They have some key pieces to replace (particularly in cage, at close D and SSDM) but there's a lot of returning and new talent and candidates who fill in the gaps quite well, at least on paper. As noted previously, the team had a strong run at NHSLS and the Atlantic Coast Showcase in November, which bodes well for the upcoming season. The questions for this team are: 1) How quickly can it integrate new players? 2) How will it handle the pressure of playing with a target on its back every week? 3) Can it play consistently game in and game out and avoid lapses it suffered last year such as a one goal road win over Exeter and a six goal loss at Deerfield? Can it take a big step and beat the best in NEW1 (Taft, Brunswick, and Salisbury)?

Sportin' Life, I also was happy to see your post.

As I noted earlier, Taft was a strong also-ran behind 'wick, 'bury, and DA for years, but then they won that GEICO event and suddenly the talent flowed in. Almost overnight. Now they are part of the big three.

Avon has been trying this mercenary approach to lacrosse rosters for a half dozen years, but they always look like they're playing an all star game at a loaded summer tournament. LC and Choate looked like everyone was on the same page last season. Maybe this is because of the kids they bring in, but SL seems to think that coaching has a lot to do with this. Thus the Bill Ball shout out.

It looks as if Choate and (more cautiously) Berkshire are also fluffing up their rosters and have coaches who can handle PG's and Transfers who have more talent that 'seat-time', so to speak. Now 'wick, 'bury, Taft, DA, LC and CRH all look like top 20 teams. What other league throws up 6 teams that are in the top one tenth of one percent of teams nationally?

[Laxxal22]

I subscribed to Ty Xander's preplacrosse.com. Still a little sparse but probably will be worth it for fans of this league. He did a breakdown of Taft's schedule and while I don't want to step on his work it's interesting to note the teams dropped (Navy Prep, Andover) and those added (St. John's, Haverford, Kiski). Not that either school (especially Andover) is close, but it seems like a move to drop some regional games to create a "National Champs" worthy schedule should they run the table.

[pcowlax]

I subscribed to Ty Xander's preplacrosse.com. Still a little sparse but probably will be worth it for fans of this league. He did a breakdown of Taft's schedule and while I don't want to step on his work it's interesting to note the teams dropped (Navy Prep, Andover) and those added (St. John's, Haverford, Kiski). Not that either school (especially Andover) is close, but it seems like a move to drop some regional games to create a "National Champs" worthy schedule should they run the table.

I’m always torn because I have such respect for the young men on the teams and want them to be able to play someone but if you really are looking at your national ranking when making a schedule, the NAPS and MAPS games really are all risk no reward

[Laxxal22]

I subscribed to Ty Xander's preplacrosse.com. Still a little sparse but probably will be worth it for fans of this league.

I forgot to state my reasoning for this. Dan Arestia is listed as one of the site's writers so I suspect a significant amount of Connecticut coverage is coming.

[PhishFall97]

Nice feedback!

I wonder if Ty's platform will minimize the amount of HS coverage that is provided by IL, due to him leaving IL entirely.

I subscribed to Ty Xander's preplacrosse.com. Still a little sparse but probably will be worth it for fans of this league.

I forgot to state my reasoning for this. Dan Arestia is listed as one of the site's writers so I suspect a significant amount of Connecticut coverage is coming.

[Laxxal22]

New HC for AOF. Thoughts? https://twitter.com/AOF_Lacrosse/status ... 4177307798

[3rdPersonPlural]

New HC for AOF. Thoughts? https://twitter.com/AOF_Lacrosse/status ... 4177307798

I have not been shy about my opinion that AOF every year plays like an All Star team from a loaded tournament.

Way more talent than cohesion. And lacrosse is undeniably a team sport, so cohesion is important.

I wish Coach Jackson success. Except, of course, when AOF plays the Rhinos

[Sportin' Life]

Five NEW1 teams in IL's pre-season HS top 25 ranking: https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/ ... -top/62593. While this ranking is to a degree an apples and orange comparison of teams with varying degrees of strength of schedule, the fact that more and more of the top squads in the country - public, private and parochial - play each other on a more frequent basis makes it more on target than it was a few years ago. L'ville, 'wick, St Anthony's, and Staples are examples of teams that schedule strong and varied OOC opponents that allow for inter-confrence yardsticking.

[3rdPersonPlural]

Five NEW1 teams in IL's pre-season HS top 25 ranking: https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/ ... -top/62593. While this ranking is to a degree an apples and orange comparison of teams with varying degrees of strength of schedule, the fact that more and more of the top squads in the country - public, private and parochial - play each other on a more frequent basis makes it more on target than it was a few years ago. L'ville, 'wick, St Anthony's, and Staples are examples of teams that schedule strong and varied OOC opponents that allow for inter-conference yardsticking.

Staples, Manhasset, and Radnor. Those are the only 3 remaining pure just-kids-from-the-neighborhood schools left in this top 25 listing.

A dozen years ago, we would have had 2 or 3 MA schools on the list.
Darien and either Wilton or Ridgefield or New Canaan from CT would be in there.
NY would have a couple more (West Islip and Garden City, perhaps) from the island, and at least one champion from up state (Usually 2 or 3).
Jersey has always been overlooked until they beat a ranked team. But I'd expect a great game between a top NJ public against Staples, Manhasset, and Radnor any day.
PA publics go WAY beyond Radnor. Remember Conestoga when the Zonino Brothers were manning the cage? Before that, Princeton built a leviathan by picking off mainline and other kids that no one noticed.
Florida, Georgia, Texas, Colorado, CA, and sometimes OR and WA produce a breakout squad that either makes a successful east coast sweep or (darn it), should. But watch when a San Diego team plays a Bay Area or (now) LA team. That's real top scale lax.

I have been a NEWest advocate for almost 20 years on these boards, and I'm delighted that we're finally getting a sniff at the rankings that we've deserved. But this ""exclusive"" result is alarming.

[Sportin' Life]

It depends how you define "the neighborhood" but St. Anthony's, Malvern Prep, Haverford, St John's, Chaminade, LaSalle, Belmont Hill and Bullis are generally comprised of local kids whose school commute is in line with that of their students a dozen years ago. It's also worth noting that IL's final '23 ranking included schools such as Shoreham-Wading River, Mount Sinai, Wilton and Cheshire all of which would likely fall into your "just kids from the neighborhood" bucket. But your point is well taken.

The issue with schools from FL, GA, TX, CO, CA, OR and WA (and those outside the northeast and mid-Atlantic in general) is that their overall SOS just doesn't warrant inclusion in such a ranking as this. That's not to say that there isn't excellent lacrosse being played in those states or that great players aren't being produced in those geographies but schools outside of the northeast and mid-Atlantic don't have the ability (due to factors such as cost and travel time) to schedule competition like those located there can. Culver is a prime example. It's an excellent program but its schedule doesn't hold a candle to those of the top NEW1, ISL, and MIAA schools. (This is in no way to say that Culver would be any less of a power house if it were in one of those leagues.) Its games vs. opponents such as BL, Gonzaga and St. Anthony's are counterweighted by games vs. the likes of Hamilton Southeastern (IN), St. Edwards (OH), Cathedral (IN), St. Xavier (KY), Archbishop Moeller (OH), Shady Side Academy (PA) and Milford (OH), whom they beat by a combined score of 178 - 14 last year. I'm sure the athletic budget and academic demands on students dictate that Culver schedule such local and regional opponents. If this is the case for an independent school that prioritizes lax it certainly is the case for public, parochial and private schools that are not as well resourced and are farther from top-flight competition. The result is schedules that only occasionally include games against the types of schools that comprise this ranking. NEW1 players should count their blessings that they get to test their mettle against elite competition on a weekly basis.

[MA Lax Fan]

I can only speak for Belmont Hill (Mass) but I think that they claim to have, hand selected students, from over 30 cities and towns - so far from just “kids from the neighborhood”.

[random observer]

Five NEW1 teams in IL's pre-season HS top 25 ranking: https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/ ... -top/62593. While this ranking is to a degree an apples and orange comparison of teams with varying degrees of strength of schedule, the fact that more and more of the top squads in the country - public, private and parochial - play each other on a more frequent basis makes it more on target than it was a few years ago. L'ville, 'wick, St Anthony's, and Staples are examples of teams that schedule strong and varied OOC opponents that allow for inter-conference yardsticking.

Staples, Manhasset, and Radnor. Those are the only 3 remaining pure just-kids-from-the-neighborhood schools left in this top 25 listing.

A dozen years ago, we would have had 2 or 3 MA schools on the list.
Darien and either Wilton or Ridgefield or New Canaan from CT would be in there.
NY would have a couple more (West Islip and Garden City, perhaps) from the island, and at least one champion from up state (Usually 2 or 3).
Jersey has always been overlooked until they beat a ranked team. But I'd expect a great game between a top NJ public against Staples, Manhasset, and Radnor any day.
PA publics go WAY beyond Radnor. Remember Conestoga when the Zonino Brothers were manning the cage? Before that, Princeton built a leviathan by picking off mainline and other kids that no one noticed.
Florida, Georgia, Texas, Colorado, CA, and sometimes OR and WA produce a breakout squad that either makes a successful east coast sweep or (darn it), should. But watch when a San Diego team plays a Bay Area or (now) LA team. That's real top scale lax.

I have been a NEWest advocate for almost 20 years on these boards, and I'm delighted that we're finally getting a sniff at the rankings that we've deserved. But this ""exclusive"" result is alarming.

When you have even the top traditional private schools in the MIAA diving head first into national recruiting, and throw rampant hold backs on top of it, it's hard for the West Islips and West Gennys of the world to keep up. In 2008, Cherry Creek lost in the QFs of the Colorado state playoffs. That same year, they traveled East to Baltimore and beat Steele Stanwick and Loyola-Blakefield, who went on to win the MIAA championship. The chances of a result like that today would seem utterly fanciful; the game is shrinking, not expanding at the HS level as the wealthy private schools consolidate their grip, and that's a problem.

The only publics that can still compete are the ones in the wealthiest of areas like Fairfield County and Nassau. Also, Inside Lacrosse is not the gospel and their rankings are self-fulfilling, especially in the pre-season. There are definitely more than 3 public schools that belong in the top 25. Darien, for example, is unranked even though they return essentially the entire roster from the team that beat Brunswick a year ago with three freshman on the field

[MA Lax Fan]

yup

[b1w7o9y7h]

Fun to parse the preseason prognostications. The last few years have gotten strange to see DA ebbing and flowing near the bottom of the top 5 NEW programs. So much talent to spread around these days. The pool is deep, and the big fish recruits have lots of options. DA used to enjoy a lions share of Fairfield Co talent wanting to head to Western MA. When those kids started staying home with increasing frequency (10 years or so ago?) , Brunswick seemed to take things up a notch and has never really looked back. Will be interesting to see what 2024 will bring.

Challenging Lawrenceville's Joe Tsai era juggernaut won't be easy for anyone. Tsai's spiffy field house dining complex clocks in at $180MM, making DA's spiffy $60MM field house look like a shack on the wrong side of the tracks...

[Laxxal22]

Challenging Lawrenceville's Joe Tsai era juggernaut won't be easy for anyone. Tsai's spiffy field house dining complex clocks in at $180MM, making DA's spiffy $60MM field house look like a shack on the wrong side of the tracks...

General question, does Lawrenceville operate under any rules? I believe NEPSAC isn't supposed to have academic or athletic scholarships. Obviously this can be worked around for "need" but at least it's on the books. With L'ville, beyond the field house, what are the chances Tsai is cutting tuition checks? I don't know who's call it was but interesting to see the traditional NJ privates, who I assume the Big Red have been playing for decades, are off the schedule for 2024 except for Hun.

[b1w7o9y7h]

I wasn't suggesting anything untoward from Mr. Tsai. Tallying up his Yale and Lawrenceville support as an alum, I almost wish he had gone to Dartmouth and Deerfield. Giving away big amounts of green to schools with green uniforms makes way more sense!

[Laxxal22]

He can spend his money however he wants. I just wonder if takes more than field house to take a middling team with mostly NJ kids pre Covid to a fully North American squad that could probably give Tufts a run for their money in just four years.