MASS HS Lax

[Laxxal22]

Interesting tweet from Matt Feld who seems as plugged into MA high sports as anyone at the moment...

"News that will develop over the coming months - A number of Catholic and parochial schools have begun to aggressively consider leaving the MIAA within the next half decade.

The departure of some of the larger schools would lead to a dramatic shakeup in MIAA membership."

I think this makes sense as private schools competing for state championships never made much sense to me, and this would allow catholic schools to operate more like the ISL or possibly even allow PG years. I wonder what this might mean for MA high school lacrosse though. If 8 of the 10 best teams in eastern Mass aren't even competing for state titles, does that then increase the size and speed of the snowball rolling downhill of kids heading to privates & catholics?

[MA Lax Fan]

Any thoughts on the realignments for boys lacrosse?

[Laxxal22]

Any thoughts on the realignments for boys lacrosse?

I'm not familiar with them. Any major shake ups?

[MA Lax Fan]

Here they are:

http://www.miaa.net/gen/miaa_generated_ ... 121721.pdf

Dux moving to D2 jumps out.

[Laxxal22]

Here they are:

http://www.miaa.net/gen/miaa_generated_ ... 121721.pdf

Dux moving to D2 jumps out.

Are Concord-Carlisle and Beverly new to D1 as well or have they been there for a bit?

I can understand why a school Duxbury dropped down when looking at the total enrollment number. 9 D1 titles in 11 years was an absurd run that probably never happens again, but the last one was 2012. Did a few programs simply catch up or has lacrosse lost its luster a bit in that town?

The thing that jumps out to me are the enrollment numbers and the big advantage that BC High and St. John's Prep appear to have as lacrosse has become a big deal at those schools. I realize the number on that chart is double their actual enrollments (since they don't have girls) but still, when you have +250 boys per class many of whom that chose to go Catholic because of strong athletics, it's tough for publics to compete.

[Laxboy78]

They are new this year, but have been in D1 in the past. CC was D2 state champ last year. Beverly actually beat Duxbury years ago in the D1 state championship. Think it was the only in state game Max Quinzani ever lost!

Lax is still big in Duxbury but they lose kids to prep schools, and like you said it is getting really hard to compete with the talent BC High and SJP bring in. Think this could be an issue for every d1 public going forward. Franklin and LS had amazing teams last year but SJP and BC High just have so much more depth. Tons of very talented freshman and sophomores that barely play due to the strength of the upper classsmen. I would imagine they will both be in the championship again this June.

[Laxxal22]

Outside of Deerfield (which exists in its own universe) I see BC High and SJP becoming the dominant lacrosse programs in Massachusetts as somewhat inevitable; especially if they leave the MIAA and can start allowing transfer/reclasses in high school instead of just middle school. While still quite expensive they're significantly less so than ISL schools, and they're both triple the size of Belmont Hill and Milton Academy which are a good bit larger than the rest of the ISL. At the end of the day it'll just come down to math.

[Superlite2]

A very good point. Sheer size and academic flexibility will help these massive schools (and 1/2 the price)..Austin Prep just left the MIAA and athletics must have been a factor in the decision making process....You will always have club coaches at the other privates (ISL) as well as non local kids at the ones that board to keep them as incredibly competitive programs....

but huge benefit if/when the bigger Catholics really throw their hat into recruiting

[MA Lax Fan]

I know that the Catholics are already re-classing kids in HS and I have no clue how they get the MIAA to approve it. I know of a case at CM for football amongst others.

But I agree. The Catholics are a sleeping giant. I imagine their days in the MIAA are numbered. They are just 2 big.

I also think that that public schools (and the MTA) have made some awful decisions over the past 2 years and parents want their kids out of that environment — regardless of cost.

[Ol'Southlacrosse]

Hey does anyone know Ray O'Brien? Followed him in hs curious as to wear he ended up?

[Laxxal22]

Hey does anyone know Ray O'Brien? Followed him in hs curious as to wear he ended up?

Looks like he's at Hampden-Sydney and got on the field a good amount as a freshman.

https://hscathletics.com/sports/mens-la ... brien/4356

[Laxboy78]

SJP opens up against LS first game of the season. Should be a good one. Have two out of state games against Lasalle and Staples-Westport.

[chosen1lax]

Just moved to MA from the south and my son is into lacrosse he was playing with Thunder and now playing with 3d. Would it be smart to send him to his Div 2 public school then repeat him in ISL. I know all of your kids are old up here. Just want to do the best thing for my son

[Laxboy78]

What grade is your son in? Lots of kids take that route. The Director of 3D is the head coach of Nobles, so def talk to him about your interest. He will be able to tell you the pro's and cons of those schools and what makes the most sense. 3D also has a Prep Bound event each fall, where you can meet the schools and coaches and also get to play and get evaluated. Very competitive league now, with tons o high ends kids at many schools.

[Laxxal22]

I'll echo Laxboy78's comments. The folks at 3D will have a lot of insight on potential benefits and the process as a whole.

Since your son is/will be new to a school system he won't have as much of the hometown/leaving his friends conundrum that kids face. Often in that situation, or if you're in a town with a good high school and a strong lacrosse program, staying public and then doing a postgrad year (not offered by the ISL) is an option kids take. If you want to go that route, 3D/Laxachusetts/etc. will let you play on their team associated with the potential PG year. So if your son is 2025 high school grad and a 2026 PG he'd be on a 3D 2026 team.

With the ISL, there are 16 schools and wide range of missions and cultures, so plenty of opportunities to find the right fit. Best of luck.

[MA Lax Fan]

Just looked at the D1 Hockey Final 4.

3 of the 4 teams are Catholics schools.

For hoops:
BCH is in the Final 4 for D1
Malden Catholic is in the final 4 for D2
St Marys is in the Final 4 for D3.

CM won the D1 Championship this year for Football.
SJP won lax last year.


If the Catholic schools make up 10% of the MIAA but win over 50% of titles should there be a discussion?

I know they are recruiting heavily in football, hoops and now lax.

People will jump ugly with my comment about recruiting but as an educator (and coach) at a public school, South of Boston, I see and hear from my students and the recruiting is real.

Thoughts?

[Laxxal22]

You're probably not gonna get much push back from people that the Catholics shouldn't be playing for state championships. The advantages are obvious, and it becomes more glaring every year.

I can't speak to the recruiting, which I'm sure happens to some degree, but I think there's also been overall culture shifts that makes it easier for many gifted athletes to go to privates and Catholics.

Leaving for a Catholic, private, or boarding school used to make you a bit of a pariah in your town. But now that for pretty much every sport playing for clubs has become more important than playing for town travel teams for 4th-8th graders (or at least for their parents), that stigma has greatly reduced. You can't be accused of "abandoning" your hometown if you/your family deprioritized being part of the youth teams at 10 years old.

Also, with social media, Xbox, and other associated technologies, boys can leave the school system without really severing ties to it like in previous generations. Instead of replacing your friends you simply make more of them.

Basically the "sacrifices" that had to weighed against the opportunities at private/Catholic have been greatly reduced. Now if a coach or booster comes in and gives a family a subtle nudge, they find a much more receptive audience than 15-20 years ago.

[Laxboy78]

Yeah the Catholics are just getting stronger. CM might have the best football team ever in Mass next year. Absolutely loaded. They blatantly recruit and kids are driving from far away to go there. BC High is the best team in d1 hoops, and MC is the best in d2. A Catholic should win hockey but that is nothing new. Xaverian won baseball last spring. Would think SJP will be amazing in lacrosse again this year. If Umanskey stayed they would have won every game easily. SJP also won wrestling, skiing and swimming so it goes on and on. BC High is also building a new Athletic field house, so the arms race is on to keep pace with your rivals.

[Farfromgeneva]

Yeah the Catholics are just getting stronger. CM might have the best football team ever in Mass next year. Absolutely loaded. They blatantly recruit and kids are driving from far away to go there. BC High is the best team in d1 hoops, and MC is the best in d2. A Catholic should win hockey but that is nothing new. Xaverian won baseball last spring. Would think SJP will be amazing in lacrosse again this year. If Umanskey stayed they would have won every game easily. SJP also won wrestling, skiing and swimming so it goes on and on. BC High is also building a new Athletic field house, so the arms race is on to keep pace with your rivals.

Hobart, a fairly strong D3 football program the last 20yrs, just got a terrific career out of this kid (missed parts of two seasons with shoulder problems but hit like a kid 4” and 20lbs heavier than his size.

https://hwsathletics.com/sports/footbal ... orde/16161

[Laxxal22]

Hobart, a fairly strong D3 football program the last 20yrs, just got a terrific career out of this kid (missed parts of two seasons with shoulder problems but hit like a kid 4” and 20lbs heavier than his size.

https://hwsathletics.com/sports/footbal ... orde/16161

He played under the old regime at CM. The school has gotten a lot more aggressive under the new head coach who came from a public school power that a reputation for playing fast and loose with residence rules.

Whether they leave the nest on their own or get pushed out, it's probably time for the Catholics to move on from the MIAA. I just wonder what the next step would be. I'm not sure that the NEPSAC would roll out the red carpet to BCH, SJP, and X due how huge they are. And I don't know how blatantly the Catholics could go into recruiting, reclassing, PGs, etc. and still have even the strongest publics willing to keep them as part of regular season schedules. Could be a bit of a pickle.