MASS HS Lax

[Laxboy78]

So unimpressed by SJP today. Offense looked terrible. Tons of turnovers. The turnover in over time was sad! Played super conservative with a 2 goal lead. LS will beat both of these teams if they play like this again.

[laxforall]

We will see tomorrow as BC High plays LS @ 3 pm at BC High.

[Laxrules10]

If anyone attended both BCH vs SJP games, I'm curious what changed from a 14-5 SJP win to today's OT win by BCH? Dramatic change in outcomes a few weeks apart.

[Laxrules10]

LS beat BCH 14-13 today. Game was back and forth but LS built up a 14-9 lead mid 4th and held on for the 1 goal win.

[Laxboy78]

AB with back to back wins over LS. Today 11-6 win, convincingly. SJP struggled early against Billerica, down 6-1 at one point. Came back and won 8-6. SJP offense seems to struggle against the zone, and their opponents all know it now.

Will be interested to see who gets the 1 seed in the North, after the conference playoffs.

[Matnum PI]

when do States start in Mass?

[Laxboy78]

Next week I believe.

[Laxboy78]

The MIAA website says tournament seeding is by winning percentage. Does that mean Chelmsford would get the top seed over AB and SJP? LS would be the 4 seed which would be a much better position then 2 and 3.

[Laxboy78]

Pairings came out. AB gets the 4 seed due to winning percentage. Will have to play LS in the north quarterfinals. Medford with the 2 seed is laughable! SJP should roll into the North final.

I like Franklin to come out of the south, but BC High and Hingham are tough.

[MA Lax Fan]

Can some explain to me why Saint Johns Shrewsbury, with a 1,000 boys, plays in D2?

And then you have Algonquin Regional HS with 1,500 students playing down in D2 also.

These are not “upstart” lacrosse programs that need to play down.

SJS has over 90 kids in their HS program and they make cuts to get to that 90.

Algonquin Regional has a huge youth program that pulls from very affluent, sport oriented towns.

Am I missing something or is this typical MIAA math that has no reasoning behind it?

[MA Lax Fan]

And what is the difference between Chicopee Compressive HS (11-1) and Chicopee HS (10-2)?

They are ranked #1 and #2 in D2 West Central.

[Laxboy78]

Central Mass has no D1 lacrosse. They would have to move under Eastern to play D1. I wonder with SJS move to the Catholic Conference if that will change in the future?

[laxforall]

Why are some of the tournament games scheduled so early in the afternoon on weekdays? Some are as early as 2 pm. Kids have started summer jobs and need to ask for time off, parents have to take time off to attend games and the games are during the warmest part of the day.

Some divisional comments:

DI North - As expected SJP and LS in the final. SJP the favorite but never count out LS
DI South - An argument could be made for any one of the remaining teams, Franklin, Natick, Hingham and BC High. If BC High beats Natick will they have enough left in the tank for the sectional finals having had to play 4 playoff games in 7 days.

DII North - Reading vs. Wakefield. Reading has had the easier path so far. They are the favorite.
DII South - #13 Hanover making a run but now faces #1 Canton. Scituate over Old Rochestet.
DII Central/East - Medfield vs. Concord Carlisle should be a great one. Medfield the slight favorite.
DII Central/West - Should be Longmeadow

DIII North - Triton vs. Newburyport. Looks a like toss-up.
DIII South - Winner of Norwell/Cohasset should win the section. Norwell has the dreaded having to beat the same team three times in a season syndrome playing Cohasset in the semis.
DIII Central/East - Dover-Sherborn looks to be hitting their peak.
DIII Central/West - Grafton vs Wahconah. Grafton based on past history.

[Laxxal22]

Wow, Franklin beat up on Hingham 15-7. Great to see somebody new in a sectional final.

[MA Lax Fan]

I was at the Hingham v Franklin game.


Hingham got absolutely blown up by Franklin. It was never even close.

Hingham should be better year in and year out….. period.

They have a monster feeder program that produces armies of talent.

The only town that matches their TPL numbers and success is LS…….and LS wins.

[Laxxal22]

I know that every town loses kids to private schools but Hingham might lose the most. In any given year if you put together a team of kids who live in Hingham but play for BC High, Xaverian, St. Sebastian's, Nobles, and Thayer, they'd definitely be able to hang with the Hingham varsity. I think a lot of that is driven by the town's strength in hockey as well; kids have been leaving to play Catholic Conference or ISL hockey for over 25 years, so the social pressure for top athletes to stay public probably isn't as strong there as some other places.

[Laxboy78]

SJP with a convincing win over LS. I like Franklin over BC High. Think Prep just has too much talent and depth. Their D, lsm, 2 fogo’s and goalie are all really good. Lazaro might be the best player in the state but Prep has studs everywhere.

Don’t need to see Prep play BC 4 times! Rooting for a public to make it.

[Gorilla Fan]

The BCH coach (via Wayland) is in over his head.

That aged well

[MA Lax Fan]

He is absolutely in over his head. He is reaping the benefits of Lyndon’s recruiting. In 2-3 years when he has his own kids in there and the momentum has slowed, it will be a different story. BCH barely got by SJS and X and got beat by LS.

SJP & BCH both have high end D1 talent but Pynchon knows how to scheme and adjust.

I have seen both teams play and the talent is equal — the coaching is not.

If BCH even comes close to beating SJP - then I will eat crow but until then……

[Laxrules10]

SJP likely rolls BCH again in the final. They will win almost every faceoff and have a much better D. Only chance for BCH is to start off in a zone D and stall it out to try and win a low scoring game.