This has been going on for at least a decade...Club directors pick and choose kids to prop up at different times for exposure...This includes invites to Showtime and some of the big national camps...It's extremely hard to see every BEST kid and tournaments sometimes need the "suggestion"...
I have witnessed All-Star games picked before the individual day..naming All-Stars for guys who aren't even there (yikes).
At one time Ty Xanders actually was everywhere watching kids at the best tournaments...but he realized quickly that was not economically feasible on his own...Inside Lacrosse saw a revenue model by taking their "recruiting expertise" and running tournaments to generate more cash. All the clubs did the same thing and scrambled to align and now you have the game of thrones atmosphere.
I wouldn't take the rankings as anything other than nice to have. They are 100% politically motivated and unfortunately do more harm than good to credibility.
ISL
Re: ISL
This is the best summation and I wish I had included it as the opener to the post where I shared the list.
Re: ISL
All the top club teams are like musical chairs..on any given day...
to clear up 3d '24 last summer..they won 4 tournaments...one was sponsored by them (Great 8)..2 by NLF related groups (NALA and Mid Summer) and one by IL (Elite 8)..non were easy at all....
They lost 2 in the finals (NLF and Naptown)...
3D vs LXCH..LXCH is prob the largest by numbers of any club team and really the poster child for success..3D is "Natonal" and owned by 3Step but 3d New England is definitely regional
to clear up 3d '24 last summer..they won 4 tournaments...one was sponsored by them (Great 8)..2 by NLF related groups (NALA and Mid Summer) and one by IL (Elite 8)..non were easy at all....
They lost 2 in the finals (NLF and Naptown)...
3D vs LXCH..LXCH is prob the largest by numbers of any club team and really the poster child for success..3D is "Natonal" and owned by 3Step but 3d New England is definitely regional
Laxxal22 wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 9:11 am I 100% do not have a dog in this fight, but...
Clams and 3D have definitely played in Inside Lacrosse sponsored tournaments the past two summers - I don't think LXC has. While 3DNE 2024 is loaded with talent, the "#1 ranking" was largely based on performance at those tournaments against good but not great competition. At tourneys that had the best teams in the country 3D showed well but certainly didn't win them (They also lost to LXC the last time they played). Were they top team in the country? No, but they were the top team at IL events, hence the ranking. There are politics all over the sport - it's not just LXC/NLF.
There are a few lefty attackmen that are playing at the same level or higher than O'Neil (Hoffman, Stillwell, Evans, Stewart to name a few). I'd love if they did the Top 100 again in July based on 2023 performance, but this list was put together based on what players did prior to this season. I'll say it again, O'Neil had 80 points last season and made All ISL last year. He was the highest returning scorer after McClements. You can say it's based on his club or brother, but up until March of this year he'd shown more as a player in the ISL than those other guys.
The criteria for the list was "With input from high school and college coaches...". Hopefully next year they just list the coaches they asked. The transparency would either validate your concerns of cronyism or just leave you disagreeing with the results.
I probably agree that 3D will overtake LXC - national companies typically prevail over regional ones. But it won't be until at least after the 2025 and 2026 classes graduate.
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Farfromgeneva
- Posts: 23230
- Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2019 10:53 am
Re: ISL
Now I love those cowboys, I love their gold
Love my uncle, God rest his soul
Taught me good, Lord, taught me all I know
Taught me so well, that I grabbed that gold
I left his dead ass there by the side of the road, yeah
Love my uncle, God rest his soul
Taught me good, Lord, taught me all I know
Taught me so well, that I grabbed that gold
I left his dead ass there by the side of the road, yeah
Re: ISL
While the postseason results will shape the official record and our lasting opinions of this season, I feel it’s good to do a quick regular season wrap up on how these teams performed for the bulk of the season. One thing that really stood out this season is how young (by prep school standards) the league was this year. While some of this was due to injuries, outside of Belmont Hill, Nobles, Thayer, and Rivers most of the teams only had 4-5 seniors in substantial roles. Overall the league could be considerably stronger next season.
Belmont Hill (11-0): Not that the jerseys ever have names on the back, but this season Belmont Hill proved that it’s the name on the front that matters. Coming on the heels of two very strong seasons and two very strong graduating classes, a largely unheralded group of seniors really stepped up and set the tone early in non league match ups against Deerfield and Avon with a defense-first style of winning. I still think the 2021 and 2022 teams were stronger, but finishing the season 17-0 would make this team legendary.
Nobles (10-1): It‘s tough to repeat, and the Dawgs have had to manage a number of injuries and a tough non league start, but to nobody’s surprise Nobles is right near the top again. Paced by stellar specialists and great depth of skill and athleticism on offense, Nobles won 11 in a row before stumbling to BH. While you never want to see injured seniors miss time, the reshuffling of the line up for portions of the season has helped build experience of role players.
St. Seb’s (9-2): Really strong performance in what looked a bit of a rebuilding year based on graduation and a small senior class this year. It started that way with an extremely difficult non league schedule, but an upset win over Taft kickstarted a team that played fast and loose all season - losing only to a more mature and drilled BH team and an even faster and looser Nobles squad. They play a fun and fast-paced style, but could stand to slow it down and take a breath/value possessions a bit more against teams that have equal or greater talent.
Middlesex (8-3): Another young team that came in with a lot of question marks after graduating a strong class which included a 4-star goalie. They had young guys really step up including some high-scoring sophomores who should be among the league’s top players for the next two seasons.
Govs (7-4): This team started pretty slow out the gate and seemed to have been dealing with injuries throughout the whole season. No big victories besides a win over Thayer, Govs never really seemed to hit their stride but have the talent to do some damage in the playoffs.
Thayer (7-4): This was the most seasoned team in the league heading into the spring but there’s been an adjustment period with a new head coach. While the senior class is very deep and strong defensively much of the scoring punch has had to come from younger players. They’ve played (and mostly lost) some very close games which makes me believe they’re still a big threat despite the 6th seed.
Milton (7-4): The best team Milton has fielded in quite a while despite their top senior having only appeared in two games. They have good balance and representation in all four classes 9-12 which leads me to believe they’ll be in contention for the next few years, unlike Lawrence and St. G’s who spiked for a year and then tumbled back down.
Tabor (6-5): A lot of talent but a combo of a very young squad and very young/new head coach led to some inconsistencies and growing pains. They rebounded nicely from a four-game skid, ending the season on a 5-2 run. Like Thayer I think they could be formidable in the playoffs, but really it’s next year should be the year for them.
Roxbury Latin (6-5): A nice season for a young RL club. The highlight was probably their win over Rivers which knocked the Red Wings out of contention. If they can find a strong goalie for the two that are graduating then they should contend next year.
Groton (5-6): This team dealt with a lot of injuries and though they finished sub .500 they made it tough on everybody they played. Highlight was winning the Zebra Bowl against Middlesex. Some strong scorers in the 2025 and 2026 classes bode well for the future.
Rivers (4-7): Tough season for Rivers in first year of a new regime. They had some very strong parts but not really a cohesive roster nor the depth they’ve enjoyed in my time following the league. With what’s graduating it’s tough to see improvement next year.
Lawrence (3-8): Some quality players on this club but had a tough time after graduating some guys who had immediate impacts for their college teams. Six straight losses to end the season marred a promising start.
BB&N (3-8): Final record is tough but this was a solid season for BB&N. A very small senior class and strong scorers in the junior and sophomore classes are positive signs for 2024.
St. Mark’s (2-9): For a team that had to postpone a game due to lack of numbers, ending the season with two wins is better than I expected. Only two seniors and seven freshmen on the roster this year. This program has a proud history. I’m rooting for a comeback.
Brooks (0-11): Just a real tough year and a long way to go to come back. They are quite strong in a few sports at the moment so hopefully lacrosse can get back in the mix soon.
St. George’s (0-11): A big fall after making the tournament as the 6th seed last season. They had some strong scoring from the junior class as well as a talented goalie to help them rebound next year.
Belmont Hill (11-0): Not that the jerseys ever have names on the back, but this season Belmont Hill proved that it’s the name on the front that matters. Coming on the heels of two very strong seasons and two very strong graduating classes, a largely unheralded group of seniors really stepped up and set the tone early in non league match ups against Deerfield and Avon with a defense-first style of winning. I still think the 2021 and 2022 teams were stronger, but finishing the season 17-0 would make this team legendary.
Nobles (10-1): It‘s tough to repeat, and the Dawgs have had to manage a number of injuries and a tough non league start, but to nobody’s surprise Nobles is right near the top again. Paced by stellar specialists and great depth of skill and athleticism on offense, Nobles won 11 in a row before stumbling to BH. While you never want to see injured seniors miss time, the reshuffling of the line up for portions of the season has helped build experience of role players.
St. Seb’s (9-2): Really strong performance in what looked a bit of a rebuilding year based on graduation and a small senior class this year. It started that way with an extremely difficult non league schedule, but an upset win over Taft kickstarted a team that played fast and loose all season - losing only to a more mature and drilled BH team and an even faster and looser Nobles squad. They play a fun and fast-paced style, but could stand to slow it down and take a breath/value possessions a bit more against teams that have equal or greater talent.
Middlesex (8-3): Another young team that came in with a lot of question marks after graduating a strong class which included a 4-star goalie. They had young guys really step up including some high-scoring sophomores who should be among the league’s top players for the next two seasons.
Govs (7-4): This team started pretty slow out the gate and seemed to have been dealing with injuries throughout the whole season. No big victories besides a win over Thayer, Govs never really seemed to hit their stride but have the talent to do some damage in the playoffs.
Thayer (7-4): This was the most seasoned team in the league heading into the spring but there’s been an adjustment period with a new head coach. While the senior class is very deep and strong defensively much of the scoring punch has had to come from younger players. They’ve played (and mostly lost) some very close games which makes me believe they’re still a big threat despite the 6th seed.
Milton (7-4): The best team Milton has fielded in quite a while despite their top senior having only appeared in two games. They have good balance and representation in all four classes 9-12 which leads me to believe they’ll be in contention for the next few years, unlike Lawrence and St. G’s who spiked for a year and then tumbled back down.
Tabor (6-5): A lot of talent but a combo of a very young squad and very young/new head coach led to some inconsistencies and growing pains. They rebounded nicely from a four-game skid, ending the season on a 5-2 run. Like Thayer I think they could be formidable in the playoffs, but really it’s next year should be the year for them.
Roxbury Latin (6-5): A nice season for a young RL club. The highlight was probably their win over Rivers which knocked the Red Wings out of contention. If they can find a strong goalie for the two that are graduating then they should contend next year.
Groton (5-6): This team dealt with a lot of injuries and though they finished sub .500 they made it tough on everybody they played. Highlight was winning the Zebra Bowl against Middlesex. Some strong scorers in the 2025 and 2026 classes bode well for the future.
Rivers (4-7): Tough season for Rivers in first year of a new regime. They had some very strong parts but not really a cohesive roster nor the depth they’ve enjoyed in my time following the league. With what’s graduating it’s tough to see improvement next year.
Lawrence (3-8): Some quality players on this club but had a tough time after graduating some guys who had immediate impacts for their college teams. Six straight losses to end the season marred a promising start.
BB&N (3-8): Final record is tough but this was a solid season for BB&N. A very small senior class and strong scorers in the junior and sophomore classes are positive signs for 2024.
St. Mark’s (2-9): For a team that had to postpone a game due to lack of numbers, ending the season with two wins is better than I expected. Only two seniors and seven freshmen on the roster this year. This program has a proud history. I’m rooting for a comeback.
Brooks (0-11): Just a real tough year and a long way to go to come back. They are quite strong in a few sports at the moment so hopefully lacrosse can get back in the mix soon.
St. George’s (0-11): A big fall after making the tournament as the 6th seed last season. They had some strong scoring from the junior class as well as a talented goalie to help them rebound next year.
Re: ISL
Any thoughts for today's match ups?
Championship Bracket
(1) Belmont Hill v. (8) Tabor
(2) Nobles v. (7) Milton Academy
(3) St. Seb's v. (6) Thayer
(4) Middlesex v. (5) Govs
I see the 1-8 and 2-7 match ups going chalk, perhaps by 4+ goals in both. The other two games should be much tighter. Seb's-Thayer was a 2-goal game that could've gone the other way - plus Seb's faceoff guy (who got the best of it in the first match up) had an ice pack on his knee for the 4th quarter of the Nobles game. Frankly it's a coin flip imo. Middlesex-Govs went to OT in the first match up. I liked Govs' talent more at the beginning of the season but Middlesex has posted stronger results down the stretch. I'd lean MX but ready to be wrong.
Consolation Bracket
(16) Brooks at (9) Roxbury Latin
(13) Lawrence at (12) BB&N
(15) St. George’s) at (10 ) Groton
(14) St. Mark’s at (11) Rivers
The higher seed should win, perhaps by sizable margins, in three out of four of these match ups. Lawrence and BB&N has the potential to be a great game, but they didn't play this year so there's no result to reference.
Championship Bracket
(1) Belmont Hill v. (8) Tabor
(2) Nobles v. (7) Milton Academy
(3) St. Seb's v. (6) Thayer
(4) Middlesex v. (5) Govs
I see the 1-8 and 2-7 match ups going chalk, perhaps by 4+ goals in both. The other two games should be much tighter. Seb's-Thayer was a 2-goal game that could've gone the other way - plus Seb's faceoff guy (who got the best of it in the first match up) had an ice pack on his knee for the 4th quarter of the Nobles game. Frankly it's a coin flip imo. Middlesex-Govs went to OT in the first match up. I liked Govs' talent more at the beginning of the season but Middlesex has posted stronger results down the stretch. I'd lean MX but ready to be wrong.
Consolation Bracket
(16) Brooks at (9) Roxbury Latin
(13) Lawrence at (12) BB&N
(15) St. George’s) at (10 ) Groton
(14) St. Mark’s at (11) Rivers
The higher seed should win, perhaps by sizable margins, in three out of four of these match ups. Lawrence and BB&N has the potential to be a great game, but they didn't play this year so there's no result to reference.
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Can Opener
- Posts: 960
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Re: ISL
Seb's vs. Thayer livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6NePHNLrLY
Bel Hill vs. Tabor livestream: https://www.belmonthill.org/athletics/livestream
Bel Hill vs. Tabor livestream: https://www.belmonthill.org/athletics/livestream
Re: ISL
I haven't caught many of their games as it's not the best camera angle and password protection comes on after the final whistle, but they stream here. https://athletics.mxschool.edu/watch/?L ... &type=Live
Re: ISL
May be posted wrong but sites showing the score as Tabor 6 BH 4. If accurate, it is fitting they lost the game. A very strong team with an excellent defense but one which has flirted with losses several times with its packed in, slow down style. I think 8 wins when scoring <10 goals, which is both very impressive and not at all impressive. Playing that style vs good teams almost ensures a close game and when you are putting up mid single digit goals, one of those games is going to bite you. Certainly an exciting result for Nobles and Seb’s.