MIAA A Conference

[thatsmell]

I have only heard good, long-term “A” rumors for John Carroll.

Their new AD is a former St Paul’s guy and supports the program. The new(er) fields and lights are awesome. Heard they are renovating locker and team rooms next. The school’s website was advertising an event last month that was fundraising for another lacrosse scholarship.
Their JV team has great numbers and some talent that is performing well in the A.

Kids want to compete against the best. The school is probably better served in the long term by staying up. Especially in a sport like lacrosse that has so much untapped potential (kids) in Harford.

Plus I’m positive the B schools don’t want them back down.

[viper]

Did you watch that game?!! I did. CHC has some monsters! And a 50 kid bench! CHC is one of the best in the nation this year.

JC will be ok when they get some holdbacks too. Tough playing 15 year old sophomores against 19yo juniors.

No 19 year old juniors. They would not be eligible to play as seniors under MIAA rules. Maybe a few 18 year old juniors but that’s on the kids and families, not the school since Calvert Hall is only 9-12 grade.

[Mr3Putt]

What’s going on with McD this year. Loss to St. Paul’s and Loyola. This is not the Eagles I thought we would see in 2019.

JC will move back down to the B in another two years. Parents are still going to take the 45 minute drive to put their kids in a good program instead of a team that gets destroyed every game.

McD lost a lot on D. Loyola shoots better in the first half this may not be this close. Loyola goalie played outstanding.

[Turnandrake]

I’ve been saying it since they moved to the A. They don’t belong they should be in the B. Watering down the A does not do anything but give power house teams easy wins. I’m not sure why teams like JC, Spalding, and St.Joe are in the A either. When is the last time either of them made the playoffs or had a winning conference record?

What do you want a 4 team A league? JC will be fine only second year in the league. Spalding is starting to build things down in AACO parents are still crazy. Severn is on the decline don’t be surprised if they drop down is a few years. Well MSJ is train wreck. Don’t think for a moment the top team don’t like playing these schools it gets kids deep down on the depth chart a chance to play.

[DeadPhish]

I have only heard good, long-term “A” rumors for John Carroll.

Their new AD is a former St Paul’s guy and supports the program. The new(er) fields and lights are awesome. Heard they are renovating locker and team rooms next. The school’s website was advertising an event last month that was fundraising for another lacrosse scholarship.
Their JV team has great numbers and some talent that is performing well in the A.

Kids want to compete against the best. The school is probably better served in the long term by staying up. Especially in a sport like lacrosse that has so much untapped potential (kids) in Harford.

Plus I’m positive the B schools don’t want them back down.

Agreed, and they have the benefit of being the only MIAA in Harford County. It may take some time but not forever, and it just takes a few kids to make them competitive. Kids that maybe wouldn't get on the field at CHC. It is somewhat analogous to a mid-major in college basketball (re: this year's Belmont).

P.S. I really liked your post on Mr. Miller.

[Juslaxin16]

I’ve been saying it since they moved to the A. They don’t belong they should be in the B. Watering down the A does not do anything but give power house teams easy wins. I’m not sure why teams like JC, Spalding, and St.Joe are in the A either. When is the last time either of them made the playoffs or had a winning conference record?

What do you want a 4 team A league? JC will be fine only second year in the league. Spalding is starting to build things down in AACO parents are still crazy. Severn is on the decline don’t be surprised if they drop down is a few years. Well MSJ is train wreck. Don’t think for a moment the top team don’t like playing these schools it gets kids deep down on the depth chart a chance to play.

IMO a good conference line up would be the following

A
McD
BL
Hall
Loyola
St.Marys
Gilman
St. Paul’s
Severn

B
JC
Spalding
St.Joes
Curley
Friends
Saints Peter and Paul
Glenelg Country
Gerstell

C
The rest

[kramerica.inc]

Some good ones on tap for the rest of the week:

4-5
St Paul's @ Severn
McD @ Calvert Hall
MSJ @ Archbishop Spalding
LB @ St. Mary's
4-6
John Carroll vs Boys' Latin @ USL

[thatsmell]

I have only heard good, long-term “A” rumors for John Carroll.

Their new AD is a former St Paul’s guy and supports the program. The new(er) fields and lights are awesome. Heard they are renovating locker and team rooms next. The school’s website was advertising an event last month that was fundraising for another lacrosse scholarship.
Their JV team has great numbers and some talent that is performing well in the A.

Kids want to compete against the best. The school is probably better served in the long term by staying up. Especially in a sport like lacrosse that has so much untapped potential (kids) in Harford.

Plus I’m positive the B schools don’t want them back down.

Agreed, and they have the benefit of being the only MIAA in Harford County. It may take some time but not forever, and it just takes a few kids to make them competitive. Kids that maybe wouldn't get on the field at CHC. It is somewhat analogous to a mid-major in college basketball (re: this year's Belmont).

P.S. I really liked your post on Mr. Miller.

The cool thing about the MIAA is there are a ton of lax options, and they aren't all the same, and they aren't for everyone. But you'll get a high level of competition and great coaching at them all.

It depends on what your goal is as a player/parent. Some parents will always chase having their kid on the winning team. That is fine. Belonging to those top tier teams have great benefits too. CHC, BL, McD, etc. all run the highest caliber programs. Practices at those top schools are great, and kids will improve there, undoubtedly.

But good luck to 100 or so other lacrosse players enrolled at the laxfactories who are outside of the top 20 on the depth chart. The math for those kids is simple. There are only so many minutes in each season and so many jerseys handed out. Better get some good film from your pay-to play summer club team and volunteer as team Twitter manager if you want to go to away games.

But if you aren't an InsideLaxSwag blue chipper and the athlete's goal is to see field in the spring against the best, get coached up, and be noticed by colleges, Severn, JC, MSJ, Spalding, and St. Mary's are all incredible options too.

Just a year or two ago, JC had a few kids (one of which was a neighbor) that were driving down to a lax factory. They ended up being frosh and jv cuts. They ended up coming to JC, playing multiple sports, and making all-county and second-team Baltimore Sun All Metro in lax. Hand to God- second team all metro! They would have been left-out at their previous schools. I say good for them and good for the kid having an option to play the sport they love.

So sure the knee-jerk reaction is to say, "move down!" if you don't see the bigger picture. But I applaud Severn, JC, MSJ and the other schools/kids that want to play against the best and challenge themselves.

[kramerica.inc]

Did you watch that game?!! I did. CHC has some monsters! And a 50 kid bench! CHC is one of the best in the nation this year.

JC will be ok when they get some holdbacks too. Tough playing 15 year old sophomores against 19yo juniors.

No 19 year old juniors. They would not be eligible to play as seniors under MIAA rules. Maybe a few 18 year old juniors but that’s on the kids and families, not the school since Calvert Hall is only 9-12 grade.

My tongue was firmly planted in cheek. But the point is, those 18yo Juniors are a handful too...

[thatsmell]

Some good ones on tap for the rest of the week:

4-5
St Paul's @ Severn
McD @ Calvert Hall
MSJ @ Archbishop Spalding
LB @ St. Mary's
4-6
John Carroll vs Boys' Latin @ USL

I'll guess that SP, CH, AS, LB and BL win this week.

If I'm wrong and StM wins tomorrow, it's official. I'll make the early call and say they will win it all this year.

[get it to x]

Some good ones on tap for the rest of the week:

4-5
St Paul's @ Severn
McD @ Calvert Hall
MSJ @ Archbishop Spalding
LB @ St. Mary's
4-6
John Carroll vs Boys' Latin @ USL

I'll guess that SP, CH, AS, LB and BL win this week.

If I'm wrong and StM wins tomorrow, it's official. I'll make the early call and say they will win it all this year.

I think it's Calvert Hall and then everybody else. I haven't seen Saints yet but they have some lopsided scores in both directions.

[thatsmell]

CH looked like men against boys vs BL last Friday. They called off the dogs and substituted pretty liberally in the second half and they still coasted against the Lakers.

It is most certainly CHC and everyone else.

My prediction is hopeful optimism that StM has another secret sauce team like they seem to gather every 5 years or so..

[Slim]

CHC, the best that $ can buy. Huge pool, huge roster, lots of talent on bench that could play elsewhere. Too much Kool-Aid drinking.

Don't count out the Greyhounds, or the Dons! I still think the Eagles will be there at the end too!

[Peter Brown]

CH looked like men against boys vs BL last Friday. They called off the dogs and substituted pretty liberally in the second half and they still coasted against the Lakers.

It is most certainly CHC and everyone else.

My prediction is hopeful optimism that StM has another secret sauce team like they seem to gather every 5 years or so..

I think you're overestimating CHC relative to their peers. I watched the game against Hill and did not think they played all that great toward the end. Lots of mental errors at the most crucial moments in the second half, when they needed to be dialed in. FO's were suspect. Shot selection was rough. They seemed unable to match Hill's physicality when the game called for it. And btw, I think CHC is a great team; I just think they can be beaten by a good team.

There are five MIAA teams with a chance this year: CHC, LB, MCD, STM, and SP. I certainly would not be surprised if any one of the four beat CHC.

[get it to x]

CH looked like men against boys vs BL last Friday. They called off the dogs and substituted pretty liberally in the second half and they still coasted against the Lakers.

It is most certainly CHC and everyone else.

My prediction is hopeful optimism that StM has another secret sauce team like they seem to gather every 5 years or so..

I think you're overestimating CHC relative to their peers. I watched the game against Hill and did not think they played all that great toward the end. Lots of mental errors at the most crucial moments in the second half, when they needed to be dialed in. FO's were suspect. Shot selection was rough. They seemed unable to match Hill's physicality when the game called for it. And btw, I think CHC is a great team; I just think they can be beaten by a good team.

There are five MIAA teams with a chance this year: CHC, LB, MCD, STM, and SP. I certainly would not be surprised if any one of the four beat CHC.

Just plain odd not to see BL on your list. I'm guessing they won't be off it for long. I know Farrell is replacing the GOAT, but given time I think he will get the job done.

[thatsmell]

StP defeats Severn 15-10.

[get it to x]

StP defeats Severn 15-10.

11-4 Saints after 3.

[viper]

StP defeats Severn 15-10.

11-4 Saints after 3.

CHC 11 McD 6 end of 3

[Peter Brown]

CH looked like men against boys vs BL last Friday. They called off the dogs and substituted pretty liberally in the second half and they still coasted against the Lakers.

It is most certainly CHC and everyone else.

My prediction is hopeful optimism that StM has another secret sauce team like they seem to gather every 5 years or so..

I think you're overestimating CHC relative to their peers. I watched the game against Hill and did not think they played all that great toward the end. Lots of mental errors at the most crucial moments in the second half, when they needed to be dialed in. FO's were suspect. Shot selection was rough. They seemed unable to match Hill's physicality when the game called for it. And btw, I think CHC is a great team; I just think they can be beaten by a good team.

There are five MIAA teams with a chance this year: CHC, LB, MCD, STM, and SP. I certainly would not be surprised if any one of the four beat CHC.

Just plain odd not to see BL on your list. I'm guessing they won't be off it for long. I know Farrell is replacing the GOAT, but given time I think he will get the job done.

BL this year will be fortunate to make the 6 team playoff. I do think they will recover well starting next year. But this year, they will have big trouble with most of the better MIAA squads.

Watching CHC demolish MCD right now, 11-6. MCD making so many penalties and CHC with great passing for doorstep shots.

[thatsmell]

St Mary’s doubles up LB 14-7.
Final.