I probably did 80% of the ISL posts on Laxpower for the past 3ish years. Might as well pick up the torch and carry it here as well.
Happy to have found this place. Thank you to those who set it up.
ISL Lacrosse
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Re: ISL Lacrosse
Here is my crazy prediction of the fall. The catalyst for the ISL to finally tier boys lacrosse will be .... wait for it ... Dexter. That school has already catapulted themselves into a legit top 30 program in hockey and is on a mission to do the same in lacrosse. They now have arguably the best home lacrosse facility in metro Boston and a top tier coaching staff. They have some flexibility with admissions and aid that ISL schools lack due to league rules. Most importantly, they have a very light league schedule that will allow them to schedule high profile games like IMG, Culver and the CT schools. The ISL teams are hampered by burner games against the bottom half of the league. Watching Dexter make noise in their back yard will prompt the ISL to finally tier lacrosse like hockey and football.
Re: ISL Lacrosse
In treating thoughts on Dexter. They've certainly geared up athletics. Am I ancient for still thinking of that as a K-8 school?
The divide between the top and bottom is getting as bad as it did in football before that split was made. I only see that divide getting worse. Thayer, which has always been competitive more so by having great athletes than lacrosse players, have brought in Ben Rubeor as lacrosse HC and associate director of admissions. Meanwhile Tabor, who were already stronger than the St. Paul's team they replaced in 2018, have some strong young players and look to be beefing up the lacrosse program. If Tabor and Thayer end on a level with Govs and Nobles, then the league divide will be real bad.
My question is whether the best way to split it is to have an A & B division like hockey and football, or do it regionally with something like the Mass Pike dividing it north/south.
The divide between the top and bottom is getting as bad as it did in football before that split was made. I only see that divide getting worse. Thayer, which has always been competitive more so by having great athletes than lacrosse players, have brought in Ben Rubeor as lacrosse HC and associate director of admissions. Meanwhile Tabor, who were already stronger than the St. Paul's team they replaced in 2018, have some strong young players and look to be beefing up the lacrosse program. If Tabor and Thayer end on a level with Govs and Nobles, then the league divide will be real bad.
My question is whether the best way to split it is to have an A & B division like hockey and football, or do it regionally with something like the Mass Pike dividing it north/south.
Re: ISL Lacrosse
I agree that Dexter is ramping up. The commitment to athletics reminds me of what Rivers went through a little while back, but Dexter still a few years away from being competitive with the top ISL teams.
As for the division of ISL, I think it makes sense to go with an A division and a B division like they do in hockey and football. I struggled with Milton, RL, and Rivers but below is a starting point for discussion:
Group A:
Govs
Belmont Hill
Sebs
Nobles
Thayer
Middlesex
Rivers
Group B:
BB&N
Lawrence
Tabor
RL
Groton
Brooks
St. Mark's
St. George's
Milton
As for the division of ISL, I think it makes sense to go with an A division and a B division like they do in hockey and football. I struggled with Milton, RL, and Rivers but below is a starting point for discussion:
Group A:
Govs
Belmont Hill
Sebs
Nobles
Thayer
Middlesex
Rivers
Group B:
BB&N
Lawrence
Tabor
RL
Groton
Brooks
St. Mark's
St. George's
Milton
Re: ISL Lacrosse
Nice breakdown.
I have Rivers solidly in the A group. Though they only have one ISL title, they've consistently finished in the top 5-6 for the past 10 decade plus, and I think this year's roster has the returning talent and experience to challenge for a title.
RL typically has some great players, but struggles with depth. Mliton should be great with its combo of size and location, but something's been missing there for a while. I agree with both of these teams being in the B group.
Prior to the Ben Rubeor hire I would've put Thayer in the B group (2014 title seems like an outlier), but hard to imagine that program not getting a significant bump over the next few years with his presence being added.
Since your split is 7 in the A group, and 9 in the B group, I'd add Tabor to group A to make it an even 8-8. Still new to the league, but they have some strong underclassmen and seem committed to building up the program.
I have Rivers solidly in the A group. Though they only have one ISL title, they've consistently finished in the top 5-6 for the past 10 decade plus, and I think this year's roster has the returning talent and experience to challenge for a title.
RL typically has some great players, but struggles with depth. Mliton should be great with its combo of size and location, but something's been missing there for a while. I agree with both of these teams being in the B group.
Prior to the Ben Rubeor hire I would've put Thayer in the B group (2014 title seems like an outlier), but hard to imagine that program not getting a significant bump over the next few years with his presence being added.
Since your split is 7 in the A group, and 9 in the B group, I'd add Tabor to group A to make it an even 8-8. Still new to the league, but they have some strong underclassmen and seem committed to building up the program.
Re: ISL Lacrosse
A little over two months out from the start of tryouts. Took a quick look at the schedules on Inside Lacrosse. No full schedules are up yet, but did notice some interesting early season match ups. Both Belmont Hill and Govs will be playing Avon Old Farms. Always good to see how top ISL teams stack up against their (typically) larger and PG accepting cousins of the NE West 1. Middlesex will also face Westminster early on, as former college teammates Worthen and Curtis will have their teams face off again. Perhaps the most interesting match up though is St. Seb's playing against at Conestoga high, a strong Philly area public school. No idea what to expect in that one, but interregional match ups are always fun.
Re: ISL Lacrosse
Great to see how the ISL stacks up against some of the best teams in New England. Both BH and Govs will be strong this year so nice to see how they look against an always strong Avon team. The Sebs vs. Conestoga will be a great match up, and similar to the Super Bowl, it may be a defensive battle with each possession being critical. Is this part of a spring tournament like Nobles and Sebs have done in the past? It's great to see some of the best teams in the country come to New England.
Re: ISL Lacrosse
Avon typically likes to stream their games online as well, so even though the ISL is super paranoid about being a "no scout" league, there's a decent chance the Govs and Bel Hill games will be watchable from afar.
Sebs-Conestoga looks like it's being played down in PA. If that's true, then I'd gather the Arrows heading to play some games in the mid-Atlantic during the second week of spring break instead hosting anything like they've done past two seasons.
Sebs-Conestoga looks like it's being played down in PA. If that's true, then I'd gather the Arrows heading to play some games in the mid-Atlantic during the second week of spring break instead hosting anything like they've done past two seasons.
Re: ISL Lacrosse
More schedule stuff starting to pop up on inside lacrosse. Seb's is also playing Malvern Prep on their trip to PA. The Arrows will also host New Hampton on April 3rd. New Hampton also has a game at Rivers on March 27th.
Re: ISL Lacrosse
Inside Lacrosse released their preseason top 25, with St. Seb's checking in at 24. I'm not sure how well versed they are on the ISL, as to me Seb's looks like the 3rd or 4th best team in the league going into the season. This ranking is probably more of a sign of respect for the ISL as a whole than an endorsement of Seb's, but nice to see either way. https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/ ... ings/53742
Re: ISL Lacrosse
I wouldn’t say Sebs is the 3rd or 4th best team in the league, I think that they are either 1 or 2 with Govs. I think Belmont Hill is just below those two. I also think Rivers could surprise people, but I think Sebs is clearly one of the top two going into the season.Laxxal22 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 13, 2019 5:24 pm Inside Lacrosse released their preseason top 25, with St. Seb's checking in at 24. I'm not sure how well versed they are on the ISL, as to me Seb's looks like the 3rd or 4th best team in the league going into the season. This ranking is probably more of a sign of respect for the ISL as a whole than an endorsement of Seb's, but nice to see either way. https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/ ... ings/53742
I would also note that these rankings are also created by Ty Xanders who is very high on Will Frisoli and Michael Swirbalus and not really any other ISL players so that explains why they are chosen to "represent" the ISL in this pole.
Re: ISL Lacrosse
I'm also very high on Rivers and think this could be their year. I love Seb's senior class and how they look defensively, but they lost a lot from the midfield and only have two proven scorers returning on the offense. Right now I've got Govs and Belmont Hill a touch above Seb's and Rivers over the course of a 15-game league schedule. But all four have the talent, so it'll come down tow who puts it together on the field.
Re: ISL Lacrosse
None of these rankings matter. Two years ago Sebs was 17-3 and co-ISL champ. At end of year they were not ranked. I believe they got ranked as high as #8 that year before losing to Rivers and then fell completely out of ranking. Last year they were 17-3 after beating IMG, BC High (yes they will say it was a scrimmage), and Phillips Exeter. They also beat New Hampton who was undefeated at the time for like 32-games. Similar they got ranked as high as #8 before losing to BH and then fell completely out of rankings. Nobles who lost to Sebs, IMG, and two CA teams somehow as a 16-4 team ended up being ranked in top 25. They were Co-IsL champs with Govs who went 15-2 and did not get ranked at YE. I believe some of those who provide input to the rankings work at certain ISL schools. Nobles ended up being ranked last year and Sebs was not at end of ‘17 with it strong record or Gov’s last year. My point being these ranking means nothing if you follow history. What matters is getting a true championship weekend among Boys ISl teams.
Re: ISL Lacrosse
Speaking of rankings...
New England Lacrosse Journal released their preseason prep/private top 10. Govs (4th), Seb's (6th), Nobles (7th), and Belmont Hill (9th) made the list. Govs, Seb's, and BH all seem about right, but I can't see Nobles at the same level they were last spring with what was lost to graduation.
The usual West 1 suspects and New Hampton fill out the rest of the top 10. Article here, but you need a subscription to read all of it: https://www.laxjournal.com/salisbury-te ... ches-poll/
New England Lacrosse Journal released their preseason prep/private top 10. Govs (4th), Seb's (6th), Nobles (7th), and Belmont Hill (9th) made the list. Govs, Seb's, and BH all seem about right, but I can't see Nobles at the same level they were last spring with what was lost to graduation.
The usual West 1 suspects and New Hampton fill out the rest of the top 10. Article here, but you need a subscription to read all of it: https://www.laxjournal.com/salisbury-te ... ches-poll/
Re: ISL Lacrosse
Looks like the ISL is joining the world of February lacrosse. Brooks getting it kicked off in the gym last. We are getting very close.
https://twitter.com/BrooksBVLax/status/ ... 2538784768
https://twitter.com/BrooksBVLax/status/ ... 2538784768
Re: ISL Lacrosse
With NEPSAC tourneys wrapped up and tryouts getting going, I've put together a little league preview for 2019 - highlighting some returning players and an outlook for each team. As always I'm working mostly from available secondary sources, so some teams have more thorough write ups than others. Apologies in advance for any mistakes, omissions, etc. 16 teams is a bit unruly, so I'll release it over the course of a few posts, grouping teams together from the weakest teams to the strongest.
General note #1: This year the top four teams and the bottom two teams really stand out, but 5-14 looks tight with some usual contenders potentially a little down, and some traditionally weaker programs seeming stronger than usual.
General note #2: While they don't necessarily dominate on the field, the St. Grottlesex schools continue to dominate the ISL's All-Name team.
Here is group 1, listed alphabetically
The "Low Expectations" Division: Kudos to these kids for playing through what must feel like some very long seasons.
BB&N
2018 Record: 2-13 ISL (2-15 overall)
2019 Non-league games: Worcester Academy, Kimball Union, Pingree,
Key Losses: All-ISL LSM, All-ISL Middie
Key Returners:
Danny Addonizio, Jr. Attack (16g, 5a, HM All-ISL in 2018) Solid lefty who'd be a nice secondary/tertiary threat on a strong team, but could struggle against #1 defenders.
Max Ewald, So. Defense (HM All-ISL in 2018) Promising young pole who can do everything from play close to take faceoffs. Should get plenty of opportunities to play defense.
Zach Cyr Sr. Midfield (16g, 3a, All ISL RB in football - heading to Colby for football) A playmaker on the football field brings some athleticism and toughness to the midfield.
The future always looks bright on paper for BB&N, as they'll only have 2-3 seniors on the roster and 10-12 freshmen. The problem is when you fast forward three years, those 10-12 freshmen have dwindled to 2-3 seniors. Football and Baseball are the priority sports at a school where sports aren't much of a priority.
St. George's
2018 Record: 3-12 ISL (3-15 overall)
2019 Non-league games: Bishop Hendricken, Portsmouth Abbey, Moses Brown
Key Losses: All-ISL Goalie, HM All-ISL Attack
Key Returners:
Thaddeus Stern, Sr. Midfield (12g, 3a, HM All-ISL) A solid athlete with good size in the middle of the field.
Gordon Ogden, So. Defense (HM All-ISL) Good height and good skills. Could become quite a player as he fills out.
I remember a comment on Laxpower not too long before it shut down saying the St. G's alums were restless and the new headmaster was aiming to turn around the long slumping athletics. A player like Ogden could be a first sign of that, but it'll be far from an overnight process.
General note #1: This year the top four teams and the bottom two teams really stand out, but 5-14 looks tight with some usual contenders potentially a little down, and some traditionally weaker programs seeming stronger than usual.
General note #2: While they don't necessarily dominate on the field, the St. Grottlesex schools continue to dominate the ISL's All-Name team.
Here is group 1, listed alphabetically
The "Low Expectations" Division: Kudos to these kids for playing through what must feel like some very long seasons.
BB&N
2018 Record: 2-13 ISL (2-15 overall)
2019 Non-league games: Worcester Academy, Kimball Union, Pingree,
Key Losses: All-ISL LSM, All-ISL Middie
Key Returners:
Danny Addonizio, Jr. Attack (16g, 5a, HM All-ISL in 2018) Solid lefty who'd be a nice secondary/tertiary threat on a strong team, but could struggle against #1 defenders.
Max Ewald, So. Defense (HM All-ISL in 2018) Promising young pole who can do everything from play close to take faceoffs. Should get plenty of opportunities to play defense.
Zach Cyr Sr. Midfield (16g, 3a, All ISL RB in football - heading to Colby for football) A playmaker on the football field brings some athleticism and toughness to the midfield.
The future always looks bright on paper for BB&N, as they'll only have 2-3 seniors on the roster and 10-12 freshmen. The problem is when you fast forward three years, those 10-12 freshmen have dwindled to 2-3 seniors. Football and Baseball are the priority sports at a school where sports aren't much of a priority.
St. George's
2018 Record: 3-12 ISL (3-15 overall)
2019 Non-league games: Bishop Hendricken, Portsmouth Abbey, Moses Brown
Key Losses: All-ISL Goalie, HM All-ISL Attack
Key Returners:
Thaddeus Stern, Sr. Midfield (12g, 3a, HM All-ISL) A solid athlete with good size in the middle of the field.
Gordon Ogden, So. Defense (HM All-ISL) Good height and good skills. Could become quite a player as he fills out.
I remember a comment on Laxpower not too long before it shut down saying the St. G's alums were restless and the new headmaster was aiming to turn around the long slumping athletics. A player like Ogden could be a first sign of that, but it'll be far from an overnight process.
Re: ISL Lacrosse
Here is group 2, listed alphabetically
The "Flip a coin" division: Teams that I wouldn't be surprised to see finish 9-6 or 5-10.
Groton
2018 Record: 6-9 ISL (9-10 overall)
2019 Non-league games: St. Paul's, Berwick
Key Losses: All-ISL Middie, All-ISL Fogo
Key Returners:
Pat Ryan, Sr. Goalie (Navy, All-ISL) Very athletic (also plays soccer and basketball) stopper. Throws good outlets. Elusive when handling the ball outside the crease.
Russell Thorndike, So. Attack (24g, 13a All-ISL) Burst onto the scene as an 8th grade starter. Next level hands and one of those tremendously smooth players where he doesn't look that fast but constantly runs by people.
Anthony Romano, So. Defense (HM All-ISL, All ISL-9 WR in football) Physical, plays with position, throws hard checks, and is a threat if/when he gets involved in the transition game.
Ronan Doherty, So. LSM/Def (HM All-ISL) Speedy lefty with an equally quick stick. Excels at putting it on the ground and picking it up.
Shane Dennin, So. Attack (31g, 7a) Deadly off-ball finisher as a freshman. Plenty of time and skill to evolve his game.
Looking at some anecdotal evidence, it seems Groton is trying to step up their athletics. Football has gotten competitive in the ISL 9, and both hockey and soccer had really strong seasons after a few years on an upward trajectory. Lacrosse looks to be in the same space, as four of the top five returners are sophomores. With a great senior goalie, if there are some other strong athletes to fill out the roster this team could surprise some people.
Lawrence Academy
2018 Record: 0-15 ISL (2-16 overall)
2019 Non-league games:
Key Losses: All-ISL Fogo, All-ISL Attack, HM All-ISL Att/Mid
Key Returners:
Connor Sweeney, Sr. Midfiled (10g, 10a, UNH hockey commit) It's always a coin flip whether or not hockey commits play lacrosse senior spring, but Sweeney has size and a lot of athleticism.
Wyatt Blackshaw, Sr. Att/Mid (9g, 5a, Conn College) & Carson Blackshaw, Sr. Midfield (8g, 3a, PG) Both are on the shorter side, but have quickness, very smooth sicks, and solid outside shooting.
Niall Cremin, Jr. Mid (8g, 8a) 6'4" with the ability to bring heat with either hand. With that size/skill combo, if he can add a little bit of burst and fluidity to his dodging he could really break out.
The Spartans have had "young talent" for awhile, but it really hasn't translated on the field as Lawrence went winless in the ISL last year. That talent has finally grown up a bit with a lot of juniors and seniors and potentially the right mix of skill and athleticism to make some noise first time in years. Was prepared to be quite high on this team before seeing last year's top offensive player left to play Junior hockey. Too bad, bust such is life with private school sports.
Middlesex
2018 Record: 10-5 ISL (10-7 overall)
2019 Non-league games: Pingree, Westminster, Concord Carlisle
Key Losses: 2 All-ISL Attack, All-ISL Defense, 2 HM All-ISL Defense, HM All-ISL Midfield
Key Returners:
Zach Goorno, Sr. Midfield (Bowdoin, 20g/17a, All ISL) A polished offensive player who will be getting a lot more attention from opposing defenses this spring.
Cole Nye, Jr. Midfield (15g/7a) A good sized lefty with standout athleticism (All-ISL WR, also plays varsity hockey). Comfortable dodging to shoot or feed with either hand, and always with his head up. He could have a real break out year.
Michael Alieri, Jr. Goalie (honorable mention All-ISL) Short but stout, and can get real streaky. Returns on a D that graduated everyone else.
Feels weird to have Middlesex in this grouping, as the Zebras were the ISL's gold standard from 1995-2012 with 11 league titles (4 solo). But they've struggled to keep up over the past 5-6 seasons as the level of play has risen to new heights, falling into a space where they beat up on the lower level teams but struggle to hang with the top five. It could be difficult to even hold that line this year, after graduating a very strong senior class. Just not seeing the horses - or zebras - to remain in the top half of the league this year. Something that probably hasn't happened in at least 25 years, if ever.
Milton Academy
2018 Record: 6-9 ISL (9-10 overall)
2019 Non-league games: Exeter, Moses Brown, Andover
Key Returners: All-ISL Middie, All-ISL Fogo
Key Returners:
Andrew Feary, Sr. Attack (Trinity, 38g, 20a, All-ISL, HM All-ISL WR in football) A talented lefty who is dangerous both from the wing and X. Total package that can dodge to shoot or feed, has strong catch and shoot skills, and rides hard.
Matthew Rebuck, Sr. Midfield (41g, 14a, HM All-ISL, HM All-ISL WR in football)) A smoothy lefty who always has his head up and is one of most complete offensive middies in the ISL.
TJ Swirbalus Sr. LSM (HM All-ISL) Not the biggest guy, but has the wheels to pressure his man, double, and spark transition off the gb - all at a high level.
Justin Greene Jr. Att/Mid (21g, 23a, HM All-ISL) A slight but speedy player with impressive offensive skills and creativity. Could have a huge year.
Milton definitely have some pop coming back as the top three returners combined for 100 goals. At worst a top ten team, but not sure how high the upside goes. To me Milton is the ISL's sleeping giant. The size means more boys per class than even Belmont Hill. The location allows for day students from both the lacrosse strong South Shore and Metro West burbs. And its reputation could easily draw the types of boarders that choose Govs, Deerfield, etc. The Mustangs always have some strong players, but the school could have an elite program if it wants one.
Thayer
2018 Record: 5-10 ISL (6-11 overall)
2019 Non-league games: Pingree
Key Losses: All-ISL Attack, All-ISL Defense, 60-point Attack
Key Returners:
Jay Nolen, Sr. Defense (Honorable mention All-ISL)
Aidan Gallagher, Sr. Goalie (Vassar, Honorable mention All-ISL)
Peter Kip, Jr. Att/Mid (18g, 16a) A fluid athlete who looks comfortable up top, on the wing, or behind the goal.
Theo Kostakos, So. Attack (16g, 16a) Good-sized kid who had a very nice freshman season.
Thayer has always had some strong athletes, and some strong teams through the years, but lacrosse has never been a priority. Perhaps that begins to change with the arrival of Ben Rubeor, a coach with a rare playing and coaching pedigree... who also happens to be working in admissions. I'm not sure about this season, as they lost some good seniors and a transfer, but there were a ton of freshmen on last year's team. With the school's proximity to the South Shore, and towns like Westwood and Needham, there's juggernaut potential in the near future if the commitment is there.
The "Flip a coin" division: Teams that I wouldn't be surprised to see finish 9-6 or 5-10.
Groton
2018 Record: 6-9 ISL (9-10 overall)
2019 Non-league games: St. Paul's, Berwick
Key Losses: All-ISL Middie, All-ISL Fogo
Key Returners:
Pat Ryan, Sr. Goalie (Navy, All-ISL) Very athletic (also plays soccer and basketball) stopper. Throws good outlets. Elusive when handling the ball outside the crease.
Russell Thorndike, So. Attack (24g, 13a All-ISL) Burst onto the scene as an 8th grade starter. Next level hands and one of those tremendously smooth players where he doesn't look that fast but constantly runs by people.
Anthony Romano, So. Defense (HM All-ISL, All ISL-9 WR in football) Physical, plays with position, throws hard checks, and is a threat if/when he gets involved in the transition game.
Ronan Doherty, So. LSM/Def (HM All-ISL) Speedy lefty with an equally quick stick. Excels at putting it on the ground and picking it up.
Shane Dennin, So. Attack (31g, 7a) Deadly off-ball finisher as a freshman. Plenty of time and skill to evolve his game.
Looking at some anecdotal evidence, it seems Groton is trying to step up their athletics. Football has gotten competitive in the ISL 9, and both hockey and soccer had really strong seasons after a few years on an upward trajectory. Lacrosse looks to be in the same space, as four of the top five returners are sophomores. With a great senior goalie, if there are some other strong athletes to fill out the roster this team could surprise some people.
Lawrence Academy
2018 Record: 0-15 ISL (2-16 overall)
2019 Non-league games:
Key Losses: All-ISL Fogo, All-ISL Attack, HM All-ISL Att/Mid
Key Returners:
Connor Sweeney, Sr. Midfiled (10g, 10a, UNH hockey commit) It's always a coin flip whether or not hockey commits play lacrosse senior spring, but Sweeney has size and a lot of athleticism.
Wyatt Blackshaw, Sr. Att/Mid (9g, 5a, Conn College) & Carson Blackshaw, Sr. Midfield (8g, 3a, PG) Both are on the shorter side, but have quickness, very smooth sicks, and solid outside shooting.
Niall Cremin, Jr. Mid (8g, 8a) 6'4" with the ability to bring heat with either hand. With that size/skill combo, if he can add a little bit of burst and fluidity to his dodging he could really break out.
The Spartans have had "young talent" for awhile, but it really hasn't translated on the field as Lawrence went winless in the ISL last year. That talent has finally grown up a bit with a lot of juniors and seniors and potentially the right mix of skill and athleticism to make some noise first time in years. Was prepared to be quite high on this team before seeing last year's top offensive player left to play Junior hockey. Too bad, bust such is life with private school sports.
Middlesex
2018 Record: 10-5 ISL (10-7 overall)
2019 Non-league games: Pingree, Westminster, Concord Carlisle
Key Losses: 2 All-ISL Attack, All-ISL Defense, 2 HM All-ISL Defense, HM All-ISL Midfield
Key Returners:
Zach Goorno, Sr. Midfield (Bowdoin, 20g/17a, All ISL) A polished offensive player who will be getting a lot more attention from opposing defenses this spring.
Cole Nye, Jr. Midfield (15g/7a) A good sized lefty with standout athleticism (All-ISL WR, also plays varsity hockey). Comfortable dodging to shoot or feed with either hand, and always with his head up. He could have a real break out year.
Michael Alieri, Jr. Goalie (honorable mention All-ISL) Short but stout, and can get real streaky. Returns on a D that graduated everyone else.
Feels weird to have Middlesex in this grouping, as the Zebras were the ISL's gold standard from 1995-2012 with 11 league titles (4 solo). But they've struggled to keep up over the past 5-6 seasons as the level of play has risen to new heights, falling into a space where they beat up on the lower level teams but struggle to hang with the top five. It could be difficult to even hold that line this year, after graduating a very strong senior class. Just not seeing the horses - or zebras - to remain in the top half of the league this year. Something that probably hasn't happened in at least 25 years, if ever.
Milton Academy
2018 Record: 6-9 ISL (9-10 overall)
2019 Non-league games: Exeter, Moses Brown, Andover
Key Returners: All-ISL Middie, All-ISL Fogo
Key Returners:
Andrew Feary, Sr. Attack (Trinity, 38g, 20a, All-ISL, HM All-ISL WR in football) A talented lefty who is dangerous both from the wing and X. Total package that can dodge to shoot or feed, has strong catch and shoot skills, and rides hard.
Matthew Rebuck, Sr. Midfield (41g, 14a, HM All-ISL, HM All-ISL WR in football)) A smoothy lefty who always has his head up and is one of most complete offensive middies in the ISL.
TJ Swirbalus Sr. LSM (HM All-ISL) Not the biggest guy, but has the wheels to pressure his man, double, and spark transition off the gb - all at a high level.
Justin Greene Jr. Att/Mid (21g, 23a, HM All-ISL) A slight but speedy player with impressive offensive skills and creativity. Could have a huge year.
Milton definitely have some pop coming back as the top three returners combined for 100 goals. At worst a top ten team, but not sure how high the upside goes. To me Milton is the ISL's sleeping giant. The size means more boys per class than even Belmont Hill. The location allows for day students from both the lacrosse strong South Shore and Metro West burbs. And its reputation could easily draw the types of boarders that choose Govs, Deerfield, etc. The Mustangs always have some strong players, but the school could have an elite program if it wants one.
Thayer
2018 Record: 5-10 ISL (6-11 overall)
2019 Non-league games: Pingree
Key Losses: All-ISL Attack, All-ISL Defense, 60-point Attack
Key Returners:
Jay Nolen, Sr. Defense (Honorable mention All-ISL)
Aidan Gallagher, Sr. Goalie (Vassar, Honorable mention All-ISL)
Peter Kip, Jr. Att/Mid (18g, 16a) A fluid athlete who looks comfortable up top, on the wing, or behind the goal.
Theo Kostakos, So. Attack (16g, 16a) Good-sized kid who had a very nice freshman season.
Thayer has always had some strong athletes, and some strong teams through the years, but lacrosse has never been a priority. Perhaps that begins to change with the arrival of Ben Rubeor, a coach with a rare playing and coaching pedigree... who also happens to be working in admissions. I'm not sure about this season, as they lost some good seniors and a transfer, but there were a ton of freshmen on last year's team. With the school's proximity to the South Shore, and towns like Westwood and Needham, there's juggernaut potential in the near future if the commitment is there.
Re: ISL Lacrosse
Laxxal, West-1 fan but love your ISL previews, great stuff! Very interested to see Rubeor’s influence at Thayer, agree it will take a few years but he could change the whole dynamic there. Having played with some ISL boys in college, I always follow the league with interest (and sigh at the lack of two divisions). Demographically, I agree on Milton with the size. But what has to/could be done to unlock this?
Re: ISL Lacrosse
Thanks pcowlax. Always enjoy your posts on West 1, NESCAC, etc.
For a school like Seb's, with a small endowment and much improved college placement over the last 20 years, beefing up lacrosse makes sense. Some generalizing here, but lacrosse families can usually pay full freight, some with benefactor potential. Lacrosse guys often play at least one other sport at a high level. And finally, lacrosse is a great way to get a few A-/B+ students into Ivies, NESCACs, and other elite colleges where they'd have no shot based on transcript alone. Potentially three birds with one stone.
Milton can skip all of that and still have an international profile. If they'd rather fill spots with a National Spelling Bee champ and a former member of the Vienna Boys Choir, instead a D-pole from Duxbury and a Fogo from Fairfield County, then more power to them... but good luck beating Belmont Hill.
I'm thinking either a huge check (like "break ground on a new building" huge) from a lacrosse loving parent/alum, or... Belichick retires from the Pats - spurns Andover - and gets hired as Milton's new AD and lax coach. As a fan it's fun to imagine Milton putting together a Deerfield like program, but as I think about it I don't really see Milton finding much value in the proposition.
For a school like Seb's, with a small endowment and much improved college placement over the last 20 years, beefing up lacrosse makes sense. Some generalizing here, but lacrosse families can usually pay full freight, some with benefactor potential. Lacrosse guys often play at least one other sport at a high level. And finally, lacrosse is a great way to get a few A-/B+ students into Ivies, NESCACs, and other elite colleges where they'd have no shot based on transcript alone. Potentially three birds with one stone.
Milton can skip all of that and still have an international profile. If they'd rather fill spots with a National Spelling Bee champ and a former member of the Vienna Boys Choir, instead a D-pole from Duxbury and a Fogo from Fairfield County, then more power to them... but good luck beating Belmont Hill.
Re: ISL Lacrosse
Group 3, listed alphabetically
The "Lurking in the Shadows" Division: Can't see any of these teams taking the title, but they've all got the talent to play spoiler.
Brooks
2018 Record: 5-10 ISL (6-12 overall)
2019 Non-league games: St. Paul's, Pingree, Berwick, Andover
Key Losses: HM All-ISL Attack,
priority
Key Returners:
Michael Hughes, Sr. LSM (Providence, 9g, 2a, 2x All-ISL, All-ISL D Hockey/Eberhart) One of the more disruptive players in the league. Does everything you'd expect from a standout LSM.
Ben Gill, Sr. Midfield (19g, 9a, Umass-Lowell) Small & shifty. Very sudden first step and seems comfortable initiating offense from anywhere on the field
Charlie Paras, Jr. Goalie (HM All-ISL) Has a flair for acrobatic saves.
Nick Fulgione, Sr. Midfield (Franklin & Marshall, 29g, 7a, All-ISL, All-ISL-9 OL in football) Good-sized with a knack for scoring in a lot of different ways.
Judge Murphy, Jr. Attack (29g, 34a, transfer & reclass from Thayer) A smooth lefty who looks comfortable on the wing, crease, and behind. Could be a huge addition to a traditionally low scoring team.
Brooks are usually just about the dead-center of the league. They were a bit down from that last season, but with an honorable mention all-leaguer back in net, two D1 longsticks, strong midfield scorers, and a 60-point transfer coming in at attack, they should contend for their usual spot and more.
NOBLES
2018 Record: 14-1 ISL (16-4 overall)
2019 Non-league games: Westfield (NJ), Loomis Chaffee, Brewster
Key Losses: All America/League POY Attack, All-ISL/UA All America Middie, Two additional All-ISL Middies, 3 HM All-ISL longsticks
Key Returners:
Will Zink, Sr. Attack (Middlebury, 52g/32a. All-ISL, HM All-ISL F Hockey/Keller) Broke out last season and was tied 4th in goals in league play. Will face a much bigger burden as the 1st, 2nd, and 6th leading goal scorers in the ISL last season have graduated.
Ollie Bernstein, Jr. Midfield (24g/10a, hm All-ISL). A big bodied player with plenty of skill to go with it. The next in a long line of Nobles midfielders who are impressive coming off the bus.
Jon Dixon, Jr. Mid/FOGO (Georgetown commit, All-ISL). Will play a huge role in the fate of the Bulldogs, as his ability to generate extra positions could keep them close against more talented/deeper teams.
Andrew Johnson, Sr. Defense (All-ISL, HM in 2017) Anybody know if he's committed? Been one of the league's best for awhile. He'll backbone another unit decimated by graduation.
Dan Donahue, Jr. Goalie (HM All-ISL) Did well in first year as starter, in some impossibly difficult shoes to fill.
The Bulldogs had a storybook season in 2018, but graduated a fantastic senior class. 2019 looks like it could be a bit of a rebuilding year. While Nobles always has some of the league's best players, depth can be an issue. A year after losing such a dominant group of seniors, I think they'll struggle early and could be vulnerable to some teams that they usually handle. It appears the coaching staff has similar feelings, as they dialed back the level of competition of their non-league schedule big time this season. 5-8 losses in league play wouldn't be a surprise.
Roxbury Latin
2018 Record: 5-10 ISL (5-11 overall)
2019 Non-league games: Schedule not posted
Key Losses: All-ISL Middie
Key Returners:
Devon Varney, Sr. Goalie (Upenn, 3-time honorable mention All-ISL). Feels like he's been RL's goalie for forever.
Charlie Weitzel, Jr. Defense (Yale commit, HM All-ISL, ranked #13 in his class by inside lacrosse, All-ISL Basketball) 6'4" with great feet. Will be a handful for any attackman in the ISL.
Colin Bergstrom, Jr. Defense (Brown commit, All-ISL, All-ISL-9 RB in football) Aggressive defender who throws hard checks with his stick and body. Still has two seasons left of high school, but already wouldn't look out of place on a college roster.
Declan Murphy, So. Midfield (14g, 8a) Showed no fear as a freshman thrust into a pretty big role. Good athlete and downhill dodger with a big shot.
Beau Keough, So. Attack (13g, 14a) Also played a ton as a freshman. Quick righty with a solid all around game.
RL took it on the chin last season, with injuries hitting a team that didn't start with (and almost never has) a ton of depth. Still there are some bright signs. There were almost as many freshmen as seniors on last years roster, and Varney, Weitzel, and Bergstrom are three of the league's top 25 players. Combine them with some other promising poles, and young offensive players seasoned by taking their lumps last year, and the Foxes could bounce back into the top 5-7.
St. Mark's
2018 Record: 7-8 ISL (7-9 overall)
2019 Non-league games: Pomfret
Key Losses: All-ISL Attack, All-ISL Goalie
Key Returners:
Boyd Hall, Sr. LSM/Def (Quinnipiac, All-ISL) Aggressive cover defender who plays with some physicality. Strong on GBs and can spark transition.
Von Mabbs, Jr. Midfield (19g, 16a, HM All-ISL) A quick lefty with explosive split dodges. Adept at both finishing and feeding, and not afraid to mix it up on D.
Hunter Mulvery, Jr. Midfield (27g, 9a, HM All-ISL) A good-sized righty with solid downhill dodging speed. A threat off ball with a big shot, and has the athleticism to make some plays between the boxes.
Tucker Hartmann, Jr. Attack (23g, 12a, HM All-ISL, HM All-ISL D Hockey/Eberhart) A standout defenseman in hockey, he brings a lot of tenacity and athleticism to the field.
Noah Robb, Jr. Defense. Another returning starter who can pressure and has good handle.
St. Mark's played some of the stronger teams close and ended up tied for 7th place last season. Only four seniors graduated, this year's junior class looks really strong, and eight returning sophomores played varsity last season. With an all-ISL and three honorable mentions returning it seems the bump in the road from 2017 has been smoothed out. Goaltending is a question, but the Lions will be a tough out for anyone. If Levandowski and Rubin were still on this team...
Tabor
2018 Record: 7-8 ISL (9-9 overall)
Non-league games: Proctor, Dexter
Key Losses: All-ISL Attack, All-ISL Defense, HM All-ISL Goalie
Key Returners:
Brian Wiles, Sr. Attack (Canisius, 31g,19a, HM All-ISL) is a strong left-handed player.
Jake Peluso, Jr. Attack (27g, 19a, HM All-ISL) An aggressive and fearless dodger.
Will Hoyt, So. Midfield (9g,8a) 6'4" with smooth skills and solid athleticism. Has the potential to grow into a dominant presence over the next three seasons.
Xander de Roetth, Sr. LSM (St. Lawrence, All-ISL 2018) a lefty with the footwork and speed to pressure and cause chaos in the midfield.
Seamus McCarthy, So. LSM/Def. One of a few nice transfers that Tabor added this year. He was one of two freshmen to make Duxbury's varsity last season, and has gotten written up for some performances in NLF showcases.
After a pretty solid debut season in the ISL (tied for 7th) this could be the year the Seawolves make some noise and begin an ascension into the top third of the league. This roster is probably a year away, but there are some promising young players and strong transfers. Those indicators, coupled with a head coach who works in the school's is admissions department, get my ears perked up. If Tabor can start to snag Cape Cod and Rhode Island kids that are off the radar of other ISL schools - the way Govs does with New Hampshire, they'll get real strong real fast.
The "Lurking in the Shadows" Division: Can't see any of these teams taking the title, but they've all got the talent to play spoiler.
Brooks
2018 Record: 5-10 ISL (6-12 overall)
2019 Non-league games: St. Paul's, Pingree, Berwick, Andover
Key Losses: HM All-ISL Attack,
priority
Key Returners:
Michael Hughes, Sr. LSM (Providence, 9g, 2a, 2x All-ISL, All-ISL D Hockey/Eberhart) One of the more disruptive players in the league. Does everything you'd expect from a standout LSM.
Ben Gill, Sr. Midfield (19g, 9a, Umass-Lowell) Small & shifty. Very sudden first step and seems comfortable initiating offense from anywhere on the field
Charlie Paras, Jr. Goalie (HM All-ISL) Has a flair for acrobatic saves.
Nick Fulgione, Sr. Midfield (Franklin & Marshall, 29g, 7a, All-ISL, All-ISL-9 OL in football) Good-sized with a knack for scoring in a lot of different ways.
Judge Murphy, Jr. Attack (29g, 34a, transfer & reclass from Thayer) A smooth lefty who looks comfortable on the wing, crease, and behind. Could be a huge addition to a traditionally low scoring team.
Brooks are usually just about the dead-center of the league. They were a bit down from that last season, but with an honorable mention all-leaguer back in net, two D1 longsticks, strong midfield scorers, and a 60-point transfer coming in at attack, they should contend for their usual spot and more.
NOBLES
2018 Record: 14-1 ISL (16-4 overall)
2019 Non-league games: Westfield (NJ), Loomis Chaffee, Brewster
Key Losses: All America/League POY Attack, All-ISL/UA All America Middie, Two additional All-ISL Middies, 3 HM All-ISL longsticks
Key Returners:
Will Zink, Sr. Attack (Middlebury, 52g/32a. All-ISL, HM All-ISL F Hockey/Keller) Broke out last season and was tied 4th in goals in league play. Will face a much bigger burden as the 1st, 2nd, and 6th leading goal scorers in the ISL last season have graduated.
Ollie Bernstein, Jr. Midfield (24g/10a, hm All-ISL). A big bodied player with plenty of skill to go with it. The next in a long line of Nobles midfielders who are impressive coming off the bus.
Jon Dixon, Jr. Mid/FOGO (Georgetown commit, All-ISL). Will play a huge role in the fate of the Bulldogs, as his ability to generate extra positions could keep them close against more talented/deeper teams.
Andrew Johnson, Sr. Defense (All-ISL, HM in 2017) Anybody know if he's committed? Been one of the league's best for awhile. He'll backbone another unit decimated by graduation.
Dan Donahue, Jr. Goalie (HM All-ISL) Did well in first year as starter, in some impossibly difficult shoes to fill.
The Bulldogs had a storybook season in 2018, but graduated a fantastic senior class. 2019 looks like it could be a bit of a rebuilding year. While Nobles always has some of the league's best players, depth can be an issue. A year after losing such a dominant group of seniors, I think they'll struggle early and could be vulnerable to some teams that they usually handle. It appears the coaching staff has similar feelings, as they dialed back the level of competition of their non-league schedule big time this season. 5-8 losses in league play wouldn't be a surprise.
Roxbury Latin
2018 Record: 5-10 ISL (5-11 overall)
2019 Non-league games: Schedule not posted
Key Losses: All-ISL Middie
Key Returners:
Devon Varney, Sr. Goalie (Upenn, 3-time honorable mention All-ISL). Feels like he's been RL's goalie for forever.
Charlie Weitzel, Jr. Defense (Yale commit, HM All-ISL, ranked #13 in his class by inside lacrosse, All-ISL Basketball) 6'4" with great feet. Will be a handful for any attackman in the ISL.
Colin Bergstrom, Jr. Defense (Brown commit, All-ISL, All-ISL-9 RB in football) Aggressive defender who throws hard checks with his stick and body. Still has two seasons left of high school, but already wouldn't look out of place on a college roster.
Declan Murphy, So. Midfield (14g, 8a) Showed no fear as a freshman thrust into a pretty big role. Good athlete and downhill dodger with a big shot.
Beau Keough, So. Attack (13g, 14a) Also played a ton as a freshman. Quick righty with a solid all around game.
RL took it on the chin last season, with injuries hitting a team that didn't start with (and almost never has) a ton of depth. Still there are some bright signs. There were almost as many freshmen as seniors on last years roster, and Varney, Weitzel, and Bergstrom are three of the league's top 25 players. Combine them with some other promising poles, and young offensive players seasoned by taking their lumps last year, and the Foxes could bounce back into the top 5-7.
St. Mark's
2018 Record: 7-8 ISL (7-9 overall)
2019 Non-league games: Pomfret
Key Losses: All-ISL Attack, All-ISL Goalie
Key Returners:
Boyd Hall, Sr. LSM/Def (Quinnipiac, All-ISL) Aggressive cover defender who plays with some physicality. Strong on GBs and can spark transition.
Von Mabbs, Jr. Midfield (19g, 16a, HM All-ISL) A quick lefty with explosive split dodges. Adept at both finishing and feeding, and not afraid to mix it up on D.
Hunter Mulvery, Jr. Midfield (27g, 9a, HM All-ISL) A good-sized righty with solid downhill dodging speed. A threat off ball with a big shot, and has the athleticism to make some plays between the boxes.
Tucker Hartmann, Jr. Attack (23g, 12a, HM All-ISL, HM All-ISL D Hockey/Eberhart) A standout defenseman in hockey, he brings a lot of tenacity and athleticism to the field.
Noah Robb, Jr. Defense. Another returning starter who can pressure and has good handle.
St. Mark's played some of the stronger teams close and ended up tied for 7th place last season. Only four seniors graduated, this year's junior class looks really strong, and eight returning sophomores played varsity last season. With an all-ISL and three honorable mentions returning it seems the bump in the road from 2017 has been smoothed out. Goaltending is a question, but the Lions will be a tough out for anyone. If Levandowski and Rubin were still on this team...
Tabor
2018 Record: 7-8 ISL (9-9 overall)
Non-league games: Proctor, Dexter
Key Losses: All-ISL Attack, All-ISL Defense, HM All-ISL Goalie
Key Returners:
Brian Wiles, Sr. Attack (Canisius, 31g,19a, HM All-ISL) is a strong left-handed player.
Jake Peluso, Jr. Attack (27g, 19a, HM All-ISL) An aggressive and fearless dodger.
Will Hoyt, So. Midfield (9g,8a) 6'4" with smooth skills and solid athleticism. Has the potential to grow into a dominant presence over the next three seasons.
Xander de Roetth, Sr. LSM (St. Lawrence, All-ISL 2018) a lefty with the footwork and speed to pressure and cause chaos in the midfield.
Seamus McCarthy, So. LSM/Def. One of a few nice transfers that Tabor added this year. He was one of two freshmen to make Duxbury's varsity last season, and has gotten written up for some performances in NLF showcases.
After a pretty solid debut season in the ISL (tied for 7th) this could be the year the Seawolves make some noise and begin an ascension into the top third of the league. This roster is probably a year away, but there are some promising young players and strong transfers. Those indicators, coupled with a head coach who works in the school's is admissions department, get my ears perked up. If Tabor can start to snag Cape Cod and Rhode Island kids that are off the radar of other ISL schools - the way Govs does with New Hampshire, they'll get real strong real fast.
Last edited by Laxxal22 on Thu Mar 14, 2019 12:57 am, edited 1 time in total.