New England West 2024

[3rdPersonPlural]

JAP, thank you for that detailed summary. The only error is Taft isn't ranked #1, but I'm still formulating my argument for that case.

IMO, Brunswick is a school bound and determined to win a National championship. They're located well to achieve that, and they apparently have committed the resources.

When I played at Taft, none of our teams played Brunswick. They were 100% not even adjacent to the League of Prep Schools. Now it seems all teams play them and they're competitive.

I'm trying to sort out when 'wick became part of NEWest1? There's got to be a story there. Who knows it!

[coda]

FINAL NOT SO ACCURATE NEW1-2-3 rankings

-Congrats to the Pels for a great game and a great season. If only we could play one more game and have a rematch of Loomis v Wick with everyone healthy
-I think the teams that were expected to win, won (with maybe the exception of Harvey) but congrats to 'Wick, Millbrook, King and Williams School
-Here are my final rankings but as always, very disputable so please feel free to comment. I have included whether they met, exceeded or failed to meet (my) expectations imho (color coded for relegation purposes...):

NEW1
NEW2 Boarding
NEW2 Day School
NEW3

FINAL RANK /// TEAM /// EXPECTATIONS

1 Brunswick EXCEEDED Yes, they are the favorite but in what I believe was a more tight NEW1, they still came out on top
2 Loomis MET Was expected to be at the top and had an amazing year but fell short in a game they would like to replay Offense may be the best in NEW1
3 Deerfield DID NOT MEET Brought in a lot of talent via PG's this year and fell flat in some games most notably AOF
4 Taft MET New coach had a rough start but defense started playing better and righted the ship until the Founders championship
5 Choate MET Kind of finished exactly where I expected them to be. Dont know their trajectory but expect some PG's to be brought in
6 Salisbury DID NOT MEET No bones about it - down year and the offense didnt live up to potential with defense fading in the end
7 Trinity Pawling MET Also finished where they were projected. Beat who they were supposed to beat and lost to who they were supposed to (except Millbrook). Also expect some new talent
8 Avon Old Farms EXCEEDED (slightly). Was supposed to be a rebuilding year and I didnt expect them to win more than 4 games but managed to beat Choate, HIll and Deerfield
9 Berkshire MET Up and down year with big wins over AOF and Andover but fell to Westy
10 Hotchkiss DID NOT MEET Also a new coach, they pieced together some wins towards the end with a big one over Salisbury but offense seemed to be the issue this year
11 Westminster MET New coach. Things are looking up but not a great year but had good wins over Hkiss and Berkshire
12 Millbrook EXCEEDED Like 'Wick, expected to win and met all challengers and upstarts with a solid win over TP
13 Gunnery EXCEEDED The Gunnery is back after a few off years. Except for a Wilby hiccup, they finished the season strong
14 Albany Acadamies DID NOT MEET (and EXCEEDED at the same time). Had high hopes with their high powered offense scoring at will but end of the year losses to MBrook and Gunnery made them pretenders
15 King School EXCEEDED (see 'Wick and MBrook) - won the NEW2 Day schools which deserves some recognition. Great season by them. Lose a lot of talent though.
16 Greenwich Country Day DID NOT MEET I expected them to win NEW2 Day Schools. Offensively explosive, they fell flat vs King x 2 as well as a bad Canterbury loss
17 Wilbraham & Monson DID NOT MEET Usually a contender, they fall to 4th in the NEW2 Boarding schools. Solid season overall
18 Pomfret DID NOT MEET Usually a better team, they had a really bad start but end of the year punctuated with 2 Williston wins
19 Williston DID NOT MEET Also expect them to be better every year, they seem to be on a downard trend
20 Northfield Mount Hermon MET I know nothing about this team except that they are in NEW1 for some reason and the scheduling is very weak and they had a new assistant from Bowdoin this year
21 Brunswick B (not JV) MET The old Brunswick B teams used to be a powerhouse but has fallen into being average as of late.
22 Canterbury DID NOT MEET The mighty have fallen. Used to be a solid program, the losses were bad and piled up this year, though they managed to beat GCDS
23 Greens Farms Academy MET Lost firepower from last year. Projected to finish 3rd in the NEW2 Day schools
24 Hamden Hall EXCEEDED Swapped places with RCDS and made the FAA playoffs but had a bad loss to Suffield Academy
25 Rye Country Day MET Battled with HH for the last playoff spot and didnt make it. Bad loss to St Lukes
26 Cheshire Academy MET Football players had helped out in previous years and there doesnt seem to be an upswing. They are losing their best player to graduation which doesnt help
27 Suffield Academy MET Expected to not be good again. Seem to always be rebuilding. Did manage to upset HH
28 Kent School DID NOT MEET Would normally say "MET" but their losses were really bad losses. Only win was vs a bad NEW3 team
29 Harvey DID NOT MEET Had a great year but lost to Williams in the HouVAL finals, otherwise they would have "Exceeded"
30 Kingswood Oxford MET Small squad. Only 2 FAA wins and beat up on some NEW3 teams
31 St Lukes DID NOT MEET Except a school in this area of the state to do better, they have not played great for quite some time. Good upset win over RCDS though
32 Williams School MET Two bad losses to Harvey redeemed by beating them in the HouVal championship
33 Hopkins School MET Expected to finish last and they did. Things not looking good for the future as well as the new coach navigates recruitment at the best academic school below Slot #10
34 Forman DID NOT MEET Always expect them to get better. Fighting some injuries to their best player, they also beat and lost to whom they were exoected to
35 South Kent EXCEEDED Slowly rebuilding with good wins over Hoosac, Darrow and Forman after not having a team for a couple of years
36 Wooster DID NOT MEET Also always expect them to be better
37 Marvelwood EXCEEDED Won the HudVAL finals amd won their last 8 games and also scheduled up which I am always a fan of
38 Woodhall EXCEEDED Made the HudVAL finals and finished above 500
39 Darrow MET Up and down year. Beat and lost to teams in the rematch
40 Masters DID NOT MEET Winless. Small schedule
41 Storm King EXCEEDED Just happy they not only got a season but was able to beat Woodhall
42 Hoosac DID NOT MEET They havent really lived up to year past. Scheduling is an issue with not a lot of games

Think this was a very down year for the top lax programs. In the preseason if you saw names like Salisbury, Deerfield, and Taft on the schedule, you were very impressed. By the end of the year, you said Mehh. Not really sure what is going on. If this is a trend or just an anomaly

[pcowlax]

JAP, thank you for that detailed summary. The only error is Taft isn't ranked #1, but I'm still formulating my argument for that case.

IMO, Brunswick is a school bound and determined to win a National championship. They're located well to achieve that, and they apparently have committed the resources.

When I played at Taft, none of our teams played Brunswick. They were 100% not even adjacent to the League of Prep Schools. Now it seems all teams play them and they're competitive.

I'm trying to sort out when 'wick became part of NEWest1? There's got to be a story there. Who knows it!

Wick used to be part of the Fairchester league which, as the name implies, was mostly schools from Fairfield and Westchester counties (but not exclusively). Wick, King, St. Luke’s, GFA, Hopkins, Hamden Hall, Rye Country Day. They would play these in all sports and mix in others in NY (Fieldston, Hackley, Horace Man, Long Island Lutheran) and some West-1 and West-2 schools to round it out. They always did very well in almost all sports but their big jump was early-mid 2000s with a decision to really push athletics. They were always a sleeping monster (though sleeping is underselling how good manny of their teams were even then). So many of the NEPSAC boarding school studs come from Fairfield county and surrounding areas. Some families still want the boarding experience but many were doing it only because there was not a top level local athletic alternative. As soon as there was a school on the level of Deerfield or Taft at lax within 30 minutes and their son didn’t have to move out of the house at age 14, it was game on. The other sports moved up around the same time. They no longer play schools like King in many sports. Those other day schools have put more money into some sports but don’t have the cachet or location to compete with Wick in lax. Therefore, they remain the only real option for private school top level lax in a massive hotbed, which manifests itself in the thrashings they deal out on the field. The creation of the program and its still early but steady growth at Greenwich Country Day is going to be very interesting as to whether it can ever become a real rival for talent. A very long way to go but a possibility.

[justanotherperson]

JAP, thank you for that detailed summary. The only error is Taft isn't ranked #1, but I'm still formulating my argument for that case.

IMO, Brunswick is a school bound and determined to win a National championship. They're located well to achieve that, and they apparently have committed the resources.

When I played at Taft, none of our teams played Brunswick. They were 100% not even adjacent to the League of Prep Schools. Now it seems all teams play them and they're competitive.

I'm trying to sort out when 'wick became part of NEWest1? There's got to be a story there. Who knows it!

Wick used to be part of the Fairchester league which, as the name implies, was mostly schools from Fairfield and Westchester counties (but not exclusively). Wick, King, St. Luke’s, GFA, Hopkins, Hamden Hall, Rye Country Day. They would play these in all sports and mix in others in NY (Fieldston, Hackley, Horace Man, Long Island Lutheran) and some West-1 and West-2 schools to round it out. They always did very well in almost all sports but their big jump was early-mid 2000s with a decision to really push athletics. They were always a sleeping monster (though sleeping is underselling how good manny of their teams were even then). So many of the NEPSAC boarding school studs come from Fairfield county and surrounding areas. Some families still want the boarding experience but many were doing it only because there was not a top level local athletic alternative. As soon as there was a school on the level of Deerfield or Taft at lax within 30 minutes and their son didn’t have to move out of the house at age 14, it was game on. The other sports moved up around the same time. They no longer play schools like King in many sports. Those other day schools have put more money into some sports but don’t have the cachet or location to compete with Wick in lax. Therefore, they remain the only real option for private school top level lax in a massive hotbed, which manifests itself in the thrashings they deal out on the field. The creation of the program and its still early but steady growth at Greenwich Country Day is going to be very interesting as to whether it can ever become a real rival for talent. A very long way to go but a possibility.

3PP, my disclaimer is that my personal rankings are "not so accurate" so with the right amount of money, I can make Taft #1. In all seriousness, I started a 2025 NEW thread and in my research, Taft has 18 graduating seniors, of which 17!! are going on to play at the collegiate level, 14 of which are D1. They are certainly #1 in that regard.

pcowlax - thanks for the history. That area is a rich gold mine for mining athletes and would certainly explain the rise of Wich and Wich-lite (GCDS). As you already know there is a parallel thread on the "connecticut" thread about the downfall of Daniel Hand and Greenwich public and I suspect some of the athletes are migrating to prep. It also explains for sure why 'Wick2 still continues to play those weaker FAA (Fairchester) day school teams in NEW2

[3rdPersonPlural]

I see JAP has already opened a 2025 thread. Thank you JAP!

But I have some questions (please read that in your Ricky Ricardo voice...)

What the dickens happened to Salisbury? They were loaded for bear, and winning like they were supposed to (Loomis beating 'bury was a coming out moment for the Pelicans) but as soon as they got to the heavily backloaded meat of their schedule they looked like an also-ran. Suggestions for this were floated here and elsewhere. A vile plague that took down part of the team. Some people claimed that there's a woman to blame. Now with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight and better supported data, who can do some 'splainin'?

Taft v Loomis. What the heck? Taft won by a comfortable margin and then 11 days later lost by an embarrassing margin. There is a story in there, but I can't tell which of the dozens of plausible scenarios I can imagine is closest to correct.

On to Deerfield. 2 of their 6 losses were to the national Champion juggernaut L'ville. One was to New England Champ and #2 nationally 'wick. One was an OT nailbiter to ISL champ BH. One was the every-team-falls-on-their-face-once-a-season allowance with AOF. The 6th was to that conundrum called the Pelican. I submit the even the most ardent worthy citizens would consider this record that's recognized at a top 13 rank as admirable despite their 0 and 2 start. So I would correct JAP's ranking by going

• 'wick
  DA
  Loomis
  Taft

Taft will end up higher on the new 2025 thread. Just you watch!

[Sportin' Life]

The Pelicans must be shaking their heads and channelling Rodney "I don't get no respect" Dangerfield. They win the FL for the first time in 16 years, beat Salisbury for the first time in 17 years, beat DA for the first time in nine years, only lost two games and beat all comers save for 'wick, who they played without their Hop-bound FOGO (who is one of the best in the country and certainly would've impacted the outcome if he were healthy). However you would rank them behind the Big Green, a team that LC beat by three in a game that the Pelicans controlled throughout, a team with six losses vs LC's two and a team that lost to AOF by two, which LC beat by nine. Huh, interesting call. I don't think there's much to support it but interesting nevertheless. BTW, I agree with your "every-team-falls-on-their-face-once-a-season" allowance. LC's would be its loss to Taft and it redeemed itself in the FL championship by controlling the game from the first whistle.

[justanotherperson]

Man. The last few posts have cited Monty Python, Ricky Ricardo and Rodney Dangerfield. People, I think we may be aging ourselves at this point.

I cant argue the DA > Loomis logic. If you actually look at common opponents, DA had bigger margins in all but 2 games (I was kind of surprised by the squeakers Loomis had). But I had Loomis above DA for two reasons: 1) beat DA and 2) DA AOF loss while Loomis didnt lay a fart in any games.

In the new thread, S'Bury loaded for next year so we will see if they live up to potential or become a paper tiger like this years paper tiger (Sorry DA fans). But I think it is becoming a BIg 5 now (from the Big 3 a few years ago) with more parity at the top but I do fear the gap with the also-rans may be widening which makes for less overall parity. My vote is for Choate and AOF to possibly close that gap between the Top5 and the rest of the league, next year.

Good weekend weather wise for some championship lax, eating and drinking. Enjoy the break ladies and fellas.

ND > Denver
VA > MD though MD is firing on all cylinders
Lenoir Rhyne > Adelphi
RIT > Tufts, though i would love to see Tufts get one again

[b1w7o9y7h]

Man. The last few posts have cited Monty Python, Ricky Ricardo and Rodney Dangerfield. People, I think we may be aging ourselves at this point.

I cant argue the DA > Loomis logic. If you actually look at common opponents, DA had bigger margins in all but 2 games (I was kind of surprised by the squeakers Loomis had). But I had Loomis above DA for two reasons: 1) beat DA and 2) DA AOF loss while Loomis didnt lay a fart in any games.

In the new thread, S'Bury loaded for next year so we will see if they live up to potential or become a paper tiger like this years paper tiger (Sorry DA fans). But I think it is becoming a BIg 5 now (from the Big 3 a few years ago) with more parity at the top but I do fear the gap with the also-rans may be widening which makes for less overall parity. My vote is for Choate and AOF to possibly close that gap between the Top5 and the rest of the league, next year.

Good weekend weather wise for some championship lax, eating and drinking. Enjoy the break ladies and fellas.

ND > Denver
VA > MD though MD is firing on all cylinders
Lenoir Rhyne > Adelphi
RIT > Tufts, though i would love to see Tufts get one again

There's no aging anyone until Ackroyd says "Jane, you ignor...." and Belushi asks "Was it over when the German's bombed Pearl Harbor?" At that point, it becomes official.

I agree on Loomis pipping DA, and DA having some bona fides with OT losses. The final verdict throughout the land is that Lawrenceville is the best HS team in the country, and as a result of a $3 billion donation from Joe Tsai will join the Ivy League for lacrosse next Spring. High school competition simply doesn't exist for the Big Red anymore...

Back to reality, great Spring for the league and teams, and glad I was able to catch a game and watch some great lax in person.

[3rdPersonPlural]

The Pelicans must be shaking their heads and channeling Rodney "I don't get no respect" Dangerfield.

They win the FL for the first time in 16 years, beat Salisbury for the first time in 17 years, beat DA for the first time in nine years, only lost two games and beat all comers save for 'wick, who they played without their Hop-bound FOGO (who is one of the best in the country and certainly would've impacted the outcome if he were healthy).

However you would rank them behind the Big Green, a team that LC beat by three in a game that the Pelicans controlled throughout, a team with six losses vs LC's two and a team that lost to AOF by two, which LC beat by nine.

Huh, interesting call.

I don't think there's much to support it but interesting nevertheless. BTW, I agree with your "every-team-falls-on-their-face-once-a-season" allowance. LC's would be its loss to Taft and it redeemed itself in the FL championship by controlling the game from the first whistle.

After reading this argument, I concede. It's just my history bias, I guess. Loomis was never better than OK throughout the 21st century until last year when they were pretty good and, you're right, this year they shone. As a Rhino watcher who missed the FL champ game, you can understand that by my eyeballs LC is talented but flawed. By the end of the season, DA played like the DA we all know and hate (or love). I guessed that DA would defeat LC.

If we draw the focus out a bit, NEWest1 has 5 teams capable of being a top 10, or at least top 20, in any National ranking. If we accept our hopeful proposition that AOF and Choate have the talent (or access to it) and program support to get into that top 5 fur ball, this isolated league has 7 teams that can compete with (and usually defeat) any pre-collegiate squad -- club or HS.

40 NEWest1 graduates are D1 lacrosse recruits, per JAP.

Trying to rank these squads is a study in 'Any given Saturday'.

I would argue that the difference between a win and a loss at this level of pre-collegiate lacrosse is not talent or conditioning or scheme or home field. It's a variation of "every-team-falls-on-their-face-once-a-season" versus 'Now-and-then-the magic-actually-happens'. Let's remember that these teams field kids in their late teens. If you can remember that period of your life as anything but a period of hormones, mistakes, and hard lessons, you're an alien

That's why I like JAP's concept of 'The Big Three' which has morphed to 'The big 4' and will soon be 'The Big 7'.

One last question: Please visit the NEWest 2025 thread to consider it.........

[ausus]

The Pelicans must be shaking their heads and channeling Rodney "I don't get no respect" Dangerfield.

They win the FL for the first time in 16 years, beat Salisbury for the first time in 17 years, beat DA for the first time in nine years, only lost two games and beat all comers save for 'wick, who they played without their Hop-bound FOGO (who is one of the best in the country and certainly would've impacted the outcome if he were healthy).

However you would rank them behind the Big Green, a team that LC beat by three in a game that the Pelicans controlled throughout, a team with six losses vs LC's two and a team that lost to AOF by two, which LC beat by nine.

Huh, interesting call.

I don't think there's much to support it but interesting nevertheless. BTW, I agree with your "every-team-falls-on-their-face-once-a-season" allowance. LC's would be its loss to Taft and it redeemed itself in the FL championship by controlling the game from the first whistle.

After reading this argument, I concede. It's just my history bias, I guess. Loomis was never better than OK throughout the 21st century until last year when they were pretty good and, you're right, this year they shone. As a Rhino watcher who missed the FL champ game, you can understand that by my eyeballs LC is talented but flawed. By the end of the season, DA played like the DA we all know and hate (or love). I guessed that DA would defeat LC.

If we draw the focus out a bit, NEWest1 has 5 teams capable of being a top 10, or at least top 20, in any National ranking. If we accept our hopeful proposition that AOF and Choate have the talent (or access to it) and program support to get into that top 5 fur ball, this isolated league has 7 teams that can compete with (and usually defeat) any pre-collegiate squad -- club or HS.

40 NEWest1 graduates are D1 lacrosse recruits, per JAP.

Trying to rank these squads is a study in 'Any given Saturday'.

I would argue that the difference between a win and a loss at this level of pre-collegiate lacrosse is not talent or conditioning or scheme or home field. It's a variation of "every-team-falls-on-their-face-once-a-season" versus 'Now-and-then-the magic-actually-happens'. Let's remember that these teams field kids in their late teens. If you can remember that period of your life as anything but a period of hormones, mistakes, and hard lessons, you're an alien

That's why I like JAP's concept of 'The Big Three' which has morphed to 'The big 4' and will soon be 'The Big 7'.

One last question: Please visit the NEWest 2025 thread to consider it.........

Under Grim, Loomis was always a top contender, beating Deerfield, Taft, AOF, or Brunswick during the season. It wasn't until after his retirement in 2008, was there a drop off in consistency... with up and down seasons starting in 2009. Coach Ball had been an assistant under Ted Garber before moving to Maryland and coaching down there for a bit. Must be a great feeling to come back to steer the ship and win the FL title in your 3rd season. I suspect the Pelicans won't be going anywhere with him at the helm.

[Sportin' Life]

Ball deserves to be lauded for the quick turnaround he has led at LC. He was NEW1 coach of the year in 2023 and it's hard to envision another coach being more deserving this season except maybe 'wick's Bruce. The Pelicans lose a lot of talent and culture carriers with the graduation of its 2024 class but it has some players ready to take on larger roles in addition to new recruits coming in.

I agree wholeheartedly that teams comprised of teenaged boys are heavily impacted by off-field factors (social lives, sleep patterns, diet and of course academics). Those factors can directly lead to otherwise unexpected close calls, upsets and blowouts that characterize HS athletics and make every game worth playing. There is also a tremendous amount of change - growth and regression - that takes place in a short season. The squads that take the field in late March are far from what they will be in late May (cuts both ways as we saw with Taft and Salisbury). If they played in May would Taft drop a one-goal game to St. John's? Would DA lose to BH? Would LC give 'wick more of a run for its money? Would Salisbury beat Nobles? Would Westy beat Hotchkiss? Would AOF beat CRH? We'll never know the answers but that's part of the beauty of the season. Give your all today then move on to the next one. Players and coaches should savor competing in what's arguably the best HS league in the country. Fans should appreciate getting to see the high quality lax that is played over the course of approx. two months. Compared to other leagues, NEW1 is the flame that burns twice as bright and half as long. There was a changing of the guard in the coaching ranks at Taft, Hotchkiss, AOF and Westy in 2024 but there's no reason to think those schools won't be very competitive in the years ahead. Let's hope that NMH and Kent can get on the right path too. As much as I'll miss the excitement and competition that this season brought us I'm already excited for 2025.

[Run2theEL]

The Pelicans must be shaking their heads and channeling Rodney "I don't get no respect" Dangerfield.

They win the FL for the first time in 16 years, beat Salisbury for the first time in 17 years, beat DA for the first time in nine years, only lost two games and beat all comers save for 'wick, who they played without their Hop-bound FOGO (who is one of the best in the country and certainly would've impacted the outcome if he were healthy).

However you would rank them behind the Big Green, a team that LC beat by three in a game that the Pelicans controlled throughout, a team with six losses vs LC's two and a team that lost to AOF by two, which LC beat by nine.

Huh, interesting call.

I don't think there's much to support it but interesting nevertheless. BTW, I agree with your "every-team-falls-on-their-face-once-a-season" allowance. LC's would be its loss to Taft and it redeemed itself in the FL championship by controlling the game from the first whistle.

After reading this argument, I concede. It's just my history bias, I guess. Loomis was never better than OK throughout the 21st century until last year when they were pretty good and, you're right, this year they shone. As a Rhino watcher who missed the FL champ game, you can understand that by my eyeballs LC is talented but flawed. By the end of the season, DA played like the DA we all know and hate (or love). I guessed that DA would defeat LC.

If we draw the focus out a bit, NEWest1 has 5 teams capable of being a top 10, or at least top 20, in any National ranking. If we accept our hopeful proposition that AOF and Choate have the talent (or access to it) and program support to get into that top 5 fur ball, this isolated league has 7 teams that can compete with (and usually defeat) any pre-collegiate squad -- club or HS.

40 NEWest1 graduates are D1 lacrosse recruits, per JAP.

Trying to rank these squads is a study in 'Any given Saturday'.

I would argue that the difference between a win and a loss at this level of pre-collegiate lacrosse is not talent or conditioning or scheme or home field. It's a variation of "every-team-falls-on-their-face-once-a-season" versus 'Now-and-then-the magic-actually-happens'. Let's remember that these teams field kids in their late teens. If you can remember that period of your life as anything but a period of hormones, mistakes, and hard lessons, you're an alien

That's why I like JAP's concept of 'The Big Three' which has morphed to 'The big 4' and will soon be 'The Big 7'.

One last question: Please visit the NEWest 2025 thread to consider it.........

To me it seems that DA was playing their best lacrosse at the time they lost to Loomis. They had just come off a thumping of Taft. DA lost to a middling AOF squad to end the regular season. I would argue the outcome would have been more lopsided in favor of the Pelicans, if they were to play again.

[justanotherperson]

Man. The last few posts have cited Monty Python, Ricky Ricardo and Rodney Dangerfield. People, I think we may be aging ourselves at this point.

I cant argue the DA > Loomis logic. If you actually look at common opponents, DA had bigger margins in all but 2 games (I was kind of surprised by the squeakers Loomis had). But I had Loomis above DA for two reasons: 1) beat DA and 2) DA AOF loss while Loomis didnt lay a fart in any games.

In the new thread, S'Bury loaded for next year so we will see if they live up to potential or become a paper tiger like this years paper tiger (Sorry DA fans). But I think it is becoming a BIg 5 now (from the Big 3 a few years ago) with more parity at the top but I do fear the gap with the also-rans may be widening which makes for less overall parity. My vote is for Choate and AOF to possibly close that gap between the Top5 and the rest of the league, next year.

Good weekend weather wise for some championship lax, eating and drinking. Enjoy the break ladies and fellas.

ND > Denver
VA > MD though MD is firing on all cylinders
Lenoir Rhyne > Adelphi
RIT > Tufts, though i would love to see Tufts get one again

There's no aging anyone until Ackroyd says "Jane, you ignor...." and Belushi asks "Was it over when the German's bombed Pearl Harbor?" At that point, it becomes official.

I agree on Loomis pipping DA, and DA having some bona fides with OT losses. The final verdict throughout the land is that Lawrenceville is the best HS team in the country, and as a result of a $3 billion donation from Joe Tsai will join the Ivy League for lacrosse next Spring. High school competition simply doesn't exist for the Big Red anymore...

Back to reality, great Spring for the league and teams, and glad I was able to catch a game and watch some great lax in person.

B1 The heyday of comedy: Animal House and SNL. Good stuff!

You do bring up a good point though. Being microfocused on the region, L'VIlle has the resources to remain the team to beat for quite some time. Then there is always MD and the rise of the PA teams. The center of the lax universe has shifted from New England / LI to the south and to the west. Surely there must be some rich Gold Coats ex lax player that can do the same for a NEW1 team....

[justanotherperson]

The Pelicans must be shaking their heads and channeling Rodney "I don't get no respect" Dangerfield.

They win the FL for the first time in 16 years, beat Salisbury for the first time in 17 years, beat DA for the first time in nine years, only lost two games and beat all comers save for 'wick, who they played without their Hop-bound FOGO (who is one of the best in the country and certainly would've impacted the outcome if he were healthy).

However you would rank them behind the Big Green, a team that LC beat by three in a game that the Pelicans controlled throughout, a team with six losses vs LC's two and a team that lost to AOF by two, which LC beat by nine.

Huh, interesting call.

I don't think there's much to support it but interesting nevertheless. BTW, I agree with your "every-team-falls-on-their-face-once-a-season" allowance. LC's would be its loss to Taft and it redeemed itself in the FL championship by controlling the game from the first whistle.

After reading this argument, I concede. It's just my history bias, I guess. Loomis was never better than OK throughout the 21st century until last year when they were pretty good and, you're right, this year they shone. As a Rhino watcher who missed the FL champ game, you can understand that by my eyeballs LC is talented but flawed. By the end of the season, DA played like the DA we all know and hate (or love). I guessed that DA would defeat LC.

If we draw the focus out a bit, NEWest1 has 5 teams capable of being a top 10, or at least top 20, in any National ranking. If we accept our hopeful proposition that AOF and Choate have the talent (or access to it) and program support to get into that top 5 fur ball, this isolated league has 7 teams that can compete with (and usually defeat) any pre-collegiate squad -- club or HS.

40 NEWest1 graduates are D1 lacrosse recruits, per JAP.

Trying to rank these squads is a study in 'Any given Saturday'.

I would argue that the difference between a win and a loss at this level of pre-collegiate lacrosse is not talent or conditioning or scheme or home field. It's a variation of "every-team-falls-on-their-face-once-a-season" versus 'Now-and-then-the magic-actually-happens'. Let's remember that these teams field kids in their late teens. If you can remember that period of your life as anything but a period of hormones, mistakes, and hard lessons, you're an alien

That's why I like JAP's concept of 'The Big Three' which has morphed to 'The big 4' and will soon be 'The Big 7'.

One last question: Please visit the NEWest 2025 thread to consider it.........

3PP this may be the most salient point in the sense that not only is the NEW1 comprising of a top 5 (or 7) but that in this day and age are we going to see the ability for a team to beat a team on "any given Sunday" which is not really something we saw in the past years. You could always lock it in stone, who was going to win and who was going to lose, until you got to those Top 3 teams. This landscape has changed and will make for greater lacrosse games down the road

One small correction: the 40 D1 commits are rising seniors and not graduating this year (ie 40 D1 Juniors). I went back and looked at the data and the commits for this years graduating class are:

-AOF: 14 graduating seniors (5-D1 / 3-D3 / 2-D1 for football)
-Berkshire: 7 seniors (2-D1 / 3-D3)
-Wick: 14 seniors (10-D1 / no D2 or 3)
-Choate: 10 seniors (3-D1 / 3-D3)
-Deerfield: 19 seniors (10-D1 / 4-D3)
-Hotchkiss: 14 seniors (4-D1 / 4-D3)
-Kent: 7 seniors (0-D1 / 1-D2 / 1-D3)
-Loomis: 16 seniors (9-D1 / 4-D3)
-NMH: 6 seniors (1-D1 / 2-D3)
-Salisbury: 13 seniors (7-D1 / 1-D2 / 3-D3)
-Taft: 18 seniors (14-D1 / 3-D3)
-TP: 20 seniors (8-D1 / 2-D2 / 6-D3)
-Westy: 14 seniors (3-D1 / 5-D3)

That brings us to a grand total of:
-172 graduating seniors (121 total commits)
-76 D2 commits
-4 D2 commits
- 41 D3 commits

A curious observation: As stated before the 40 D1 commits were for "rising seniors" but looking the numbers, they have quite a bit of ways to catch the 76 D1 that are graduating this year. Does this represent a downturn in the decrease of D1 quality players in the region for next year? Will the D3 commits increase compared to last year? Does this explain greater parity? Things to ponder on a hot day...

[Laxxal22]

A curious observation: As stated before the 40 D1 commits were for "rising seniors" but looking the numbers, they have quite a bit of ways to catch the 76 D1 that are graduating this year. Does this represent a downturn in the decrease of D1 quality players in the region for next year? Will the D3 commits increase compared to last year? Does this explain greater parity? Things to ponder on a hot day...

Did you count PGs in as part of the 76 graduating seniors going D1? If so, the PG class of 2025 will probably add 12-18 D1 commits to that list of 40 rising seniors. Then there's probably a sizable group of kids across the league who are on that D1/D3 cusp, and will see where they stand after the first few club events of the summer. If a dozen or so of those kids go D1, then you're starting to get close to this year's number.

[justanotherperson]

A curious observation: As stated before the 40 D1 commits were for "rising seniors" but looking the numbers, they have quite a bit of ways to catch the 76 D1 that are graduating this year. Does this represent a downturn in the decrease of D1 quality players in the region for next year? Will the D3 commits increase compared to last year? Does this explain greater parity? Things to ponder on a hot day...

Did you count PGs in as part of the 76 graduating seniors going D1? If so, the PG class of 2025 will probably add 12-18 D1 commits to that list of 40 rising seniors. Then there's probably a sizable group of kids across the league who are on that D1/D3 cusp, and will see where they stand after the first few club events of the summer. If a dozen or so of those kids go D1, then you're starting to get close to this year's number.

Great point L22. So I went back to the data and you were right, it brings a much close. Of the 76 D1 commits, there are 22 PG's so that number is now 55 graduating non PG seniors vs 40 rising 2025 D1 commits. Still off but lets see with more commitments though the D3 commitment window dam is about to break in 3...2...1...