**********The MIAA "A" Conference 2022**************

[Booker]

Friends
My annual plea to PLEASE use caution when posting/messaging about a player by name. These are challenging times for all of us.

Please keep that in mind -- as well as the fact that these kids have worked long and hard to get this good (amazing) and have earned the right for us to post respectfully. The High School Lacrosse players across the country are getting better and better each year.


That's all - Booker
Here's to a great weekend of high-level Lacrosse

Here's to another amazing year of High School Lacrosse

Please be ever mindful the needs and feelings of others

+1

An appreciated reminder.
I tend to think that we should be more careful at the college level as well, but certainly the HS level deserves special care.

Doesn't mean that thoughtful, constructive critiques are never appropriate, but we really should take some care in how we express them, whether by name or simply by inference. For instance, saying "the FOGO for Team Y was miserable" and not using the name doesn't make it less hurtful. Instead, it's possible to say that the stats were X:Y and the player X who won the day was excellent, had a great first move, accelerated to the ball...whatever. And if there's something constructive to say about player Y, maybe he needs to work on his first move, needs to harass longer, the wings need to take a better angle...whatever...that's just fine. But don't say Player Y or by inference "the FOGO"..."he was miserable"...

They're youngsters learning the game, going up against top notch players, and every day is a new day, a new opportunity to learn...

Thanks Booker!

+++++ 1,000,000 great way to stay positive.

[gymman1031]

My next question is:

what venue have you enjoyed the most for the MIAA Championships throughout the years? Feel free to give your reasoning, too.


Hopkins' Homewood Field?

Navy's Navy Marine-Corps Memorial Stadium?

Towson's Johnny Unitas Stadium?

UMBC Stadium?

Weems Whalen
I loved the parking

That is definitely a historic venue. However, I was asking about MIAA Championship venues. Was the championship game ever held there?

[kramerica.inc]

No MIAA. MSA perhaps.

[get it to x]

My next question is:

what venue have you enjoyed the most for the MIAA Championships throughout the years? Feel free to give your reasoning, too.


Hopkins' Homewood Field?

Navy's Navy Marine-Corps Memorial Stadium?

Towson's Johnny Unitas Stadium?

UMBC Stadium?

Weems Whalen
I loved the parking

That is definitely a historic venue. However, I was asking about MIAA Championship venues. Was the championship game ever held there?

Saw my first St. Mary's game against Landon in about 2004 at Weems. Dust flying everywhere, not even sure how the goalies saw the ball. The joke was there was more glass than grass on the field.

[KI Dock Bar]

We used to refer to Weems Whalen as the 'sand pit' and Jim Moorhead, their HC in the 90's as the pogo stick due to his antics on the sideline. It was always great theatre. NMCMS is hands down the best venue.

[Eaglelaxer16]

My next question is:

what venue have you enjoyed the most for the MIAA Championships throughout the years? Feel free to give your reasoning, too.


Hopkins' Homewood Field?

Navy's Navy Marine-Corps Memorial Stadium?

Towson's Johnny Unitas Stadium?

UMBC Stadium?

Hopkins was always good IMO. I’d like to see the championships played at US lacrosse in Sparks.

[kramerica.inc]

My next question is:

what venue have you enjoyed the most for the MIAA Championships throughout the years? Feel free to give your reasoning, too.


Hopkins' Homewood Field?

Navy's Navy Marine-Corps Memorial Stadium?

Towson's Johnny Unitas Stadium?

UMBC Stadium?

Hopkins was always good IMO. I’d like to see the championships played at US lacrosse in Sparks.

Agree to this too. The capacity at USL is severely lacking though. But they should open up the hills on the opposite side and in one end zone for students. That would be very fun.
The Naval Academy was awesome and packed for the f4. Great change of pace.
Like to see them use Loyola's Ridley Athletic Complex. That early season tourney they had there a couple years back was great.

[gymman1031]

We used to refer to Weems Whalen as the 'sand pit' and Jim Moorhead, their HC in the 90's as the pogo stick due to his antics on the sideline. It was always great theatre. NMCMS is hands down the best venue.

Perhaps the most intense games ever on Weems Whalen were when Moorhead was St. Mary's coach and Joe McFadden was Loyola's coach. The games between those two coaches and teams were like wars.

[gymman1031]

My next question is:

what venue have you enjoyed the most for the MIAA Championships throughout the years? Feel free to give your reasoning, too.


Hopkins' Homewood Field?

Navy's Navy Marine-Corps Memorial Stadium?

Towson's Johnny Unitas Stadium?

UMBC Stadium?

Hopkins was always good IMO. I’d like to see the championships played at US lacrosse in Sparks.

Agree to this too. The capacity at USL is severely lacking though. But they should open up the hills on the opposite side and in one end zone for students. That would be very fun.
The Naval Academy was awesome and packed for the f4. Great change of pace.
Like to see them use Loyola's Ridley Athletic Complex. That early season tourney they had there a couple years back was great.

I was thinking for quite sometime that Loyola's Ridley Athletic Complex would be perfect. However, while it would be very nice, at a capacity of about 6,000, unfortunately, I don't know if it is big enough. Unless they added a bunch of extra seats. Last year's title game at Navy drew, I believe, over 7,000.

[kramerica.inc]

John Carroll, St. Paul's and Loyola alums starring for the Seahawks:

https://smcmathletics.com/news/2022/2/1 ... -mark.aspx

[kramerica.inc]

I think the season starts today or tomorrow.

[Eaglelaxer16]

Is it too early for projections? I’m going with McD and BL in the championship.

[gymman1031]

Is it too early for projections? I’m going with McD and BL in the championship.

Not at all! It is fun making them. I say McDonogh makes it. Unfinished business at the finest. But I will have to think for a bit about who the Eagles' opponent will be. Could be one of multiple teams. And yes, BL is a top contender among them.

[kramerica.inc]

I think the top half of the conference will all be competing for a championship. The bottom half will be very competitive too and I expect some upsets and some shuffling in the standings there too.

[KI Dock Bar]

I think it is an 8 team league at this point, with Spalding (last season) joining the big boys of McDonogh, BL, LHS, CHC, St. Mary's, Gilman and St. Paul's. Whether the Cavaliers can stay competitive in the long term remains to be seen. It was a 7 team league before that, and a 6 team league before Jake Reed brought the McDonogh program to prominence in the '90's. Severn, Mt. St. Joe and John Carroll may upset a team in the top 8, but I do not see any of them making the play-offs (assuming it is a 6 team play-off). I have a hard time seeing Gilman or St. Paul's making a 6-team play-off, but you never know. Absent those 2 schools, any of the other 6 could finish on top. I still think McDonogh will best Spalding in the championship game.

[kramerica.inc]

Not sold on StP, STM or Gilman yet. Good young talent. But not sure any of them have enough of those high-end seniors needed in this league.

Haven’t heard anything yet, but given the basketball cancellations and covid still hanging around, I’d expect another all-inclusive playoffs.

Some are traditionalists, but I thought it was fun. And it meant a couple extra games for the kids. And that’s what it should be all about.

[KI Dock Bar]

I have great respect for the Severn program as I believe they continue to stay aligned to their mission. They have not played in the 'A' conference championship game since 1990 when they upset St. Mary's in the semi-finals on the back of Ryan Wade, who went on to be a multiple year AA at UNC. They are in the 'B' conference in all of their other sports, right, but 'A' conference in lacrosse???

[Eaglelaxer16]

I think Severn has a good run this year. I think they’ll be this years Spalding. I don’t think they will go to the championship like Spalding but I do think they get a few quality wins and make a decent run. In this league it’s all about who can get hot in May.

[gymman1031]

Does anyone know if John Carroll is improving with keeping top Harford County prospects at home? That should be the #1 priority for them.

[Eaglelaxer16]

Does anyone know if John Carroll is improving with keeping top Harford County prospects at home? That should be the #1 priority for them.

I don’t think so. I’m sure they’re still getting a decent amount of local players but not enough to make an impact. Until John Carroll starts to actually win games in the A conference (to my knowledge since they’ve joined they have yet to win an A conference game) I don’t think you’ll see high quality prospects choose John Carroll over schools like Hall, BL, and Loyola.

Staying local makes sense in theory but the reality is kids would rather be part of a team that is guaranteed to play in big games instead of starting on a team that doesn’t win any games in their conference.