While some teams and regions have yet to begin their spring lacrosse seasons, there is still some movement to report in the Nike/US Lacrosse High School Boys’ National Top 25.
Archbishop Spalding (Md.) makes the biggest leap, going from unranked to No. 12 after a 12-10 win over then-No. 4 Malvern Prep (Pa.) on March 20. Michael Weisshaar (Towson) had three goals and three assists, Ryan Schrier (Towson) added four goals and Finn Kelly (Syracuse) scored one goal with three assists. Spalding then topped Severn three days later.
The biggest regression came from Culver Academy (Ind.), which ranked No. 5 in the preseason but fell to No. 19 after an overtime loss to Malvern Prep.
This is the first of our weekly updates to the rankings, including Regional Top 10 lists for teams representing the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, South, Midwest and West. Check back to uslaxmagazine.com each Tuesday for updates and each Wednesday for Player of the Week recognition.
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National Top 25
March 30, 2021 |
W/L |
Prev |
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|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calvert Hall (Md.) | 1-0 | 1 |
| 2 | St. Anthony's (N.Y.) | 0-0 | 2 |
| 3 | Gonzaga (D.C.) | 0-0 | 3 |
| 4 | Bullis (Md.) | 0-0 | 4 |
| 5 | Chaminade (N.Y.) | 0-0 | 6 |
| 6 | Darien (Conn.) | 0-0 | 7 |
| 7 | Victor (N.Y.) | 0-0 | 8 |
| 8 | Delbarton (N.J.) | 0-0 | 10 |
| 9 | Brunswick (Conn.) | 0-0 | 11 |
| 10 | Manhasset (N.Y.) | 0-0 | 12 |
| 11 | Georgetown Prep (D.C.) | 0-0 | 13 |
| 12 | Archbishop Spalding (Md.) | 3-0 | NR |
| 13 | Boys' Latin (Md.) | 1-0 | 14 |
| 14 | McDonogh (Md.) | 1-0 | 15 |
| 15 | Shoreham-Wading River (N.Y.) | 0-0 | 16 |
| 16 | Massapequa (N.Y.) | 0-0 | 17 |
| 17 | Ward Melville (N.Y.) | 0-0 | 18 |
| 18 | Malvern Prep (Pa.) | 3-1 | 9 |
| 19 | Culver Academy (Ind.) | 6-1 | 5 |
| 20 | Haverford (Pa.) | 2-1 | 19 |
| 21 | St. Mary's Annapolis (Md.) | 1-0 | 24 |
| 22 | Mountain Lakes (N.J.) | 0-0 | 20 |
| 23 | Garden City (N.Y.) | 0-0 | 21 |
| 24 | Smithtown West (N.Y.) | 0-0 | 22 |
| 25 | Seton Hall Prep (N.J.) | 0-0 | 23 |
Also considered (alphabetical order): Gilman (Md.), Jamesville-DeWitt (N.Y.), Landon (Md.), Ridgewood (N.J.), Salesianum (Del.), Smithtown East (N.Y.), St. John's (Md.), St. Stephen's & St. Agnes (Va.). Yorktown (N.Y.)
Nike/US Lacrosse High School Rankings
National Boys' Top 25 | National Girls' Top 25
Northeast Boys' Top 10 | Northeast Girls' Top 10
Mid-Atlantic Boys' Top 10 | Mid-Atlantic Girls' Top 10
South Boys' Top 10 | South Girls' Top 10
Midwest Boys' Top 10 | Midwest Girls' Top 10
West Boys' Top 10 | West Girls' Top 10
Northeast Top 10
Note: While this is the first in-season update to the Top 25, many teams in the Northeast have yet to begin play. The below breakdowns are based off preseason projections.
1. St. Anthony’s (N.Y.)
The Friars aren’t as deep as they were in 2019 when they went 15-1, or as deep as they would have been in 2020, but there’s still high-level talent throughout, especially the sophomore and a senior classes. There is a plethora of Division I-bound players, led by the nation’s top-ranked senior in Duke-bound midfielder Andrew McAdorey, senior midfielder and Notre Dame commit Jake Seymour and junior attackman John Maccarone (Ohio State).
2. Chaminade (N.Y.)
There’s an embarrassment of riches at Chaminade, with the two-headed faceoff monster in seniors Will Lynch (Notre Dame) and Mac Rodriguez (Yale), a scoring machine in junior attackman Charles Balsamo (Duke) and its latest Division I goalie in Alex Zepf (Notre Dame). Coach Jack Moran’s squad opens the season behind the rival Friars, but with three anticipated showdowns this season, there are ample opportunities to leapfrog St. Anthony’s. Also consider that Chaminade has gotten the better of the matchups coming up through the younger levels.
3. Darien (Conn.)
A team Jeff Brameier thought would have been really special never got to step on the field in 2020, but this year’s squad is deep, especially in the midfield, with senior Jamison Moore (Princeton), Finn Pokorny (Richmond) and Christian Alegro (Air Force) leading the way. There’s also Loyola-bound Matthew Minicus, Georgetown commit Holt Matheis and Villanova recruit David Evanchick — all three of whom had brothers in the program. Could another state title also be in the cards?
4. Victor (N.Y.)
The defending state Class B champions have a new coach with Dan Stone replacing the legendary Jim Andre, who announced his retirement late last year. The Blue Devils return several key cogs from the 2019 championship squad, including Johns Hopkins-bound senior faceoff specialist Logan Callahan and Army-bound senior attackman/midfielder Cal Lambert. Senior Charlie Robbins (NJIT), junior Louie Germain (St. Bonaventure) and senior Alex Parton anchor the defense, which should be Victor’s strength this season.
5. Brunswick (Conn.)
The Bruins are known to play fast and play hard, and they have a ridiculously deep midfield. This season is no different. Division I seniors Blake Borges (Syracuse), Lucas Delgado (Michigan) and Luke Waters (Duke) highlight the roster, followed by highly-touted juniors in Owen Guest (Army), Will O’Connor (Michigan) and Wells Faulstich (Air Force), and there’s few better in the Class of 2023 than Tomas Delgado, Lucas’ younger brother. Their poles also are stellar with Duke-bound junior Charlie Johnson and senior Colin Mulshine (Princeton).
6. Manhasset (N.Y.)
Coach Keith Cromwell prefers his Indians to play up-tempo, attacking lacrosse, and there’s plenty of horses to deliver in 2021. That includes highly-ranked junior midfielder Joey Terenzi (Virginia), who scored the overtime winner against Garden City in the Nassau Class B championship game as a freshman, and Michigan-bound senior midfielder Aidan Mullholland, who had 36 goals and 18 assists as a sophomore.
7. Shoreham-Wading River (N.Y.)
SWR is perhaps best known for churning out shifty, explosive attackmen in recent years, like North Carolina stud Chris Gray and Xavier Arline, who started as Navy’s quarterback in the fall after leading the Wildcats to the 2019 New York State Class C title. But coach Mike Taylor’s Wildcats also have some of the region’s top poles in Duke-bound senior defenseman Jake Wilson and LSM Tyler Schwartz, who will join twin brother and midfielder Johnny at UNC next year.
8. Massapequa (N.Y.)
The Chiefs are also a reigning state champion, having captured the New York State Class A title in 2019. Coach Tim Radomski’s squad enters the 2021 season a young, but talented group led by Navy-bound senior Jack Nichtern, whose older brother Brendan is one of the leading scorers in the country at Army. Pace-bound two-way midfielder Timmy Morrow, senior LSM Sean Gillespie and senior defenseman Ryan Durnin are part of a strong defensive core.
9. Ward Melville (N.Y.)
Providence-bound senior Chris Simonton will quarterback the offense, which also features Trevor Dunn, a big and strong senior with a laser for a shot, and Giovanni Serratore, a savvy, tough, lefty senior attackman with great vision. The Patriots are traditionally a defensive juggernaut, and that doesn’t change this year with LSM Deven Rauss guiding a deep group of poles battling for playing time.
10. Garden City (N.Y.)
The last time the Trojans played, they suffered a devastating overtime defeat in the Nassau Class B championship game to archrival Manhasset. That never sits well, especially after 23 months. Steve Finnell’s squad should again be a powerhouse in 2021, led by junior Cornell-bound faceoff specialist Jake Cascadden, senior attackman Ryan Connolly, junior defenseman Brendan Staub and senior midfielder Pierce Archer. Sophomore Stevie Finnell, the coach’s son, is a physically-gifted hard dodging midfielder to watch as well.
— Dylan Butler
Mid-Atlantic
1. Calvert Hall (Md.), 1-0
Sophomore Shuey Kelly had three goals and two assists, and Penn State commit Ethan Long had three goals and an assist to guide the offense in a 10-9 win over Gilman (Md.) on March 23. After Jordan Wray (Georgetown) gave Calvert Hall a 10-6 lead, Gilman inched back and had the ball in the final minute with the chance to tie. Defender Luke McAuliffe blocked a shot with 14 seconds to go and scooped up the ground ball to help Calvert hold on for the win. Senior Micaiah Kelly (Denver) had three assists, and junior JoJo Dean (Georgetown) added a goal and two assists to help the Cardinals pull out a tough opener. Previous: 1
2. Gonzaga (D.C.), 0-0
Gonzaga won’t open its schedule until April 27. In 2020, Gonzaga was supposed to have young attack and goalkeeping groups. Those areas are now a year older, even if those players didn’t get to play most of last season. Gonzaga has players ready to lead with Villanova signee Luke Raymond, LSM Michael Bath (Princeton), Finn Scanlon (Penn State), Justin Ennis (Michigan), Jack Norton (Navy) and North Carolina commits Leif Hagerup and James Matan. Ryan Splaine (Rutgers) is a junior LSM who will be a major part of the defense. Two seniors and a sophomore will battle for time in goal. This year will test how fast Gonzaga can come together with a later start, but the schedule will feature WCAC teams until coach Casey O’Neill can add some out-of-conference games. Previous: 2
3. Bullis (D.C.), 0-0
The Bulldogs won’t start until April 6 when they take on top-ranked Calvert Hall in a game that should be revealing. Jeff Bellistri’s squad features Division I commits Jack Fracyon (Penn State), Connor Davis (Bucknell), Tyler Kuehl (Penn), Ethan Till (Penn), Spencer Hughes (Brown), Kieran Anzelone (Brown), Mac Rietano (Penn State) and Charlie Muller (Harvard). Their defense and goaltending are outstanding, led by their Penn State commits — Fracyon in goal and defensive middie Rietano. The last time there was a full season, they won the Geico High School National Championship over Salisbury School (Conn.) to cap a great 2019 season. This year’s team is hoping it can find similar heights. Previous: 3
4. Delbarton (N.J.), 0-0
The Green Wave don’t open until April 10. In 2019, Delbarton finished as Tournament of Champions runner-up behind Mountain Lakes, and they would like nothing more than to return to that final game with a different result. Coach Matt Kovachik’s squad has won four straight Non-Public A state championships and will be bolstered by several college commitments from the Class of 2021. Trey Sacus (Bucknell) leads the attack, with Donnie Tedesco (Colgate), Andy Ross (Navy) and Matthew Johnson (Williams) at the midfield, and Tripp Robinson (Villanova), Max LaTorre (Loyola) and Declan Maseker anchoring the defensive end. Previous: 5
5. Georgetown Prep (D.C.), 0-0
Scott Urick’s team will get a test early with Bullis on April 15. Prep has a tremendous senior class of 17, many of whom are lined up to play college lacrosse. The strength of the roster sits in a midfield as deep as any in the country, led by Will Angrick (Notre Dame) and Michael Ridgway (Notre Dame), who are senior captains and experienced veterans. Hugh Mullane (Penn) and Quinn McBride (Navy) strengthen it further, along with underrated Patrick Fitzgerald (Bowdoin) and Connor McMahon. Attackman Zach Whittier (Maryland) and defender Tim Kirlin (Lehigh) join Angrick and Ridgway as captains. In the pandemic-shortened three-game season, Urick saw plenty of potential for a big 2021. Previous: 6
6. Archbishop Spalding (Md.), 3-0
Spalding set the tone for a great season when it traveled into Pennsylvania and captured a 12-10 win over then-No. 4 Malvern Prep on March 20. Michael Weisshaar (Towson) had three goals and three assists, Ryan Schrier (Towson) added four goals and Finn Kelly (Syracuse) scored one goal with three assists. Jake Oliver made 12 saves to help at the other end. After a sluggish first half, Spalding stopped Severn 13-5 on March 23 with Weisshaar scoring seven goals and adding two assists to pace the offense. Oliver had 13 saves. Ripley had another four points on two goals and two assists, Schrier tallied two goals and Josh Tang (UMBC) and Nick Gutierrez (UMBC) each registered a goal and two assists, while juniors Alex Ross (Penn State) and Jackson Roberts (Navy) inspired the defensive effort. Previous: NR
7. Boys' Latin (Md.), 1-0
Coach Brian Farrell’s crew had a game postponed since opening the season with a 13-10 win over then-No. 9 Haverford (Pa.). Dom Pietramala (North Carolina) had four goals and an assist, Ben Smith (Penn) recorded a goal and five assists, Mac Moreland (Salisbury) had three goals and Garrett Glatz (Navy) added two goals. Cardin Stoller (Rutgers) made five saves. Previous: 7
8. McDonogh (Md.), 1-0
Hugh Brown (Loyola) had six goals to lead the McDonogh offense in a 16-3 win over Mount St. Joseph on March 23. The Eagles were able to display some of their passing and finishing that has them excited for the season. They notched 10 assists in the win, paced by four from freshman Luke Miller and three from Bucknell-bound Jack Dudad. Jack Horrigan (Providence) had four goals. Dante Trader (Maryland) added two goals and two assists. McDonogh also displayed strong defense by causing multiple turnovers and holding St. Joe’s scoreless over the final 20 minutes. Previous: 8
9. Malvern Prep (Pa.), 3-1
After Culver Academy (Ind.) sent the game into overtime with 39 seconds left in regulation, Malvern’s Eric Spanos ripped a goal into the upper-right corner off a feed from Will Peden for a 14-13 win on March 27. It was Culver’s first loss in seven games and helped Malvern bounce back from a 12-10 loss to Archbishop Spalding on March 20. Spanos (Maryland) finished with six goals and an assist in the win over Culver. Colin McGill (Dartmouth) had four goals, Peden (Penn State) added three assists and Nick Potemski (Duke) tallied three goals and an assist. Junior Dylan Almonte was key while winning 12 of 13 faceoffs. Spanos had two goals and three assists in the loss to Spalding, Peden finished with three goals, and Tucker Milhous (Villanova) had a pair of goals. Chris O’Grady made four saves. Previous: 4
10. Haverford School (Pa.), 2-1
Haverford defeated Conestoga (Pa.) 15-8 on March 27 for its second straight win. The Fords jumped out to a 6-1 lead and never looked back. They got five goals from junior attackman Avi Mehl, 11 saves from junior goalie Chuck Cacciutti (Penn) and five ground balls from Adam Greenfield. Teddy Malone (Harvard) had two goals and two assists, sophomore Ryan DiRocco had three points, Nolan Cooleen (Williams) added two goals and sophomore Brendan Leary chipped in two assists. The Fords had dropped their opener 13-10 to No. 7 Boys’ Latin on March 13. Previous: 9
— Justin Feil
South Top 10
1. Ponte Vedra (Fla.), 11-0
The Sharks survived a tight 9-8 contest against Creekside (Fla.) on March 27 to continue their unbeaten campaign. Joe Tarabolletti scored the tying goal and the eventual winner. Ponte Vedra next plays Menendez (Fla.) on March 30. Previous: 1
2. Highland Park (Texas), 7-1
The Highlanders picked up an 18-1 win last week over Plano West (Texas) to build a seven-game winning streak. Highland Park next plays Episcopal Dallas on April 3 in a rematch of Highland Park’s 12-9 win over ESD on March 2. Previous: 3
3. Lassiter (Ga.), 10-2
The Trojans have wins this season against John’s Creek (Ga.), Starrs Mill (Ga.) and Centennial (Ga). Lassiter has been jumping on opponents early, averaging more than eight goals per game in the first quarter alone. Previous: 4
4. Cardinal Gibbons (N.C.), 17-0
The Crusaders completed an unbeaten season with a state title on March 26, defeating Hough 14-5. Bryce Wojnovich, a Jacksonville recruit, was named the state title MVP for his five-goal performance. Junior Caden Zadell led Cardinal Gibbons in 2021 with 42 goals. Previous: 5
5. Dallas Jesuit (Texas), 5-2
The Rangers defeated Coppell 15-6 on March 25 powered by Curran Rose’s hat trick. Rose has 13 goals for the season, leading the squad. Previous: 6
6. Westlake (Texas), 2-2
The Chaparrals have not played since March 7 after having their March 27 game against Shawnee Mission East (Kansas) canceled. Westlake had early-season losses to IMG (Fla.) and Highland Park (Texas). Westlake managed a 10-7 win over Woodlands (Texas) to bolster its resume. Previous: 7
7. Blessed Trinity (Ga.), 10-0
The Titans are unbeaten to start the season, racking up wins last week against Milton (Ga.) and Westminster (Ga.). Blessed Trinity has outscored opponents 145-62 to start the season. Previous: 9
8. Middle Creek (N.C.), 12-1
The Mustangs’ season came to an end on March 17, losing to eventual state champion Cardinal Gibbons 12-7. Eight Mustangs tallied double figures in goals, led by junior Tate Jones, who had 36. Charlie Riesett won more than 90 percent of faceoffs. Previous: 10
9. St. Andrews (Fla.), 9-0
The Scots improved to 9-0 after a March 17 win over Boca Raton (Fla.). Before that, St. Andrews survived a 5-4 decision against previously unbeaten St. Thomas Aquinas. Anthony Borodiak scored three of the Scots’ five goals against one of Florida’s top teams. Previous: NR
10. Jupiter (Fla.), 8-1
Max Sanderson led the Warriors with seven goals in last week’s 19-8 win over Boca Raton (Fla.). The senior committed to Lafayette has led the team with 41 goals in nine games. Junior Jackson Bashaw has 27 goals so far this season. Previous: NR
— Justin Boggs
Midwest Top 10
1. Culver Academy (Ind.), 7-1
Playing top competition, the Eagles have been entangled in one close game after another, including a one-goal win over Salesianum (Del.) and an overtime loss to Malvern Prep (Pa.). Previous: 1
2. Brother Rice (Mich.), 1-0
Coming off an undefeated 2019 campaign, the Warriors got off to a nice start this weekend with a 6-5 win over talented Hamilton Southeastern (Ind.). With a midfielder like Paulie Fortino III (Penn), expect more big wins in the future. Previous: 2
3. MICDS (Mo.), 3-0
Senior Crawford Bundy sparkled early in an 11-6 victory over Memphis University School (Tenn.) on Saturday, but coach Andy Kay was most pleased with the way his defense played in pitching a shutout over the second and third quarters. Key to that effort was Will Kacemarek, a 6-6, 240-pound beast who “moves so well and provides an incredible backbone” for the team, according to Kay. Previous: 3
4. New Trier (Ill.), 0-0
When they last left the field, the Trevians were a 20-win state championship squad. This New Trier team is entirely new, with no returning starters from 2019, but still has the top talent fans have come to expect, including midfielder Jesse Shapiro (Williams) and a shutdown defender in Vincent Flannagan (Providence). Previous: 4
5. Loyola Academy (Ill.), 0-0
Don’t read too much into Loyola Academy’s 15-7 record in 2019, when the Ramblers lost just one in-state game all year — that was the state final against New Trier. With Will Maheras (Yale) leading the attack, expect the Ramblers to be dangerous. Previous: 5
6. Dublin Coffman (Ohio), 3-0
The Shamrocks have had little trouble scoring, averaging 17.3 goals over their first three games. Ben Holland (17 goals, five assists), Gavin Guette (eight goals, six assists), Peter Tyack (six goals, 10 assists) and Nate Brown (six goals, four assists) all have posted hat tricks already. Meanwhile, OJ Morris has been dominant on faceoffs, winning 54 of 63 (86 percent). Previous: 6
7. Dublin Jerome (Ohio), 3-0
Following a 20-15 victory over a Cleveland power in St. Ignatius, there’s no question the Celtics are dangerous. Coach Andy Asmo noted that game marked the first time his starters played more than a half, no easy feat given Dublin Jerome’s “high-tempo/high-pressure style of lacrosse.” Previous: NR
8. Hamilton Southeastern (Ind.), 3-1
The Royals are off to an impressive start, with a road win at Carmel (Ind.), a victory over Forest Hills Central (Mich.) and perhaps, most impressive, coming within a goal of regional power Brother Rice (Mich.). EJ Reichert impressed with a hat trick against the Warriors. Previous: 10
9. Detroit Catholic Central (Mich.), 0-0
Three of Detroit Catholic Central’s four 2019 losses came to Brother Rice, and the Shamrocks once again will be a tough matchup in Michigan. They finished as state runners-up the last time they were on the field and will be a force in 2021. Previous: 7
10. Prior Lake (Minn.), 0-0
After ending the 2019 season on a 12-game win streak, the Lakers should have plenty of depth in 2021, with well-rounded defender Matthew Kallberg, do-it-all midfielder Keaton Sowder and talented attackers Jack Smith and Justin Simonson leading the way. Previous: 9
— Jonah Rosenblum
West Top 10
1. St. Ignatius Prep (Calif.), 0-0
In their last full season on the field, the Wildcats returned to prominence after a down season in 2018, and they were looking to continue their climb last year. That plan got delayed; not derailed. St. Ignatius Prep seeks to defend its West Catholic Athletic League title from two years ago with a much different lineup, but there’s still plenty of talent, led by a strong senior class. Top returning players include senior attackmen Nils Barry (Bates College) and Jackson Kane (Colgate), senior midfielder Henry Niehaus (Brown) and senior defender Duke Reeder (Stanford football). St. Ignatius has a scrimmage Tuesday before the regular-season slate gets underway. Previous: 1
2. Torrey Pines (Calif.), 0-0
The Falcons open their season April 14 at Canyon Crest (Calif.). After claiming their second straight CIF San Diego Open Division state title in 2019, they were off to a 3-0 start last year when the season shut down. Torrey Pines lost 16 to graduation, but the program has a strong history of reloading and building depth through young talent. That remains the case in 2021, with senior attackman Dewey Egan (UNC), senior defenseman Tyler Blackburn (Brown), senior midfielder Logan Gutzwiller (Notre Dame) and junior midfielders Tayden Bultman (UNC) and Griffin Grant (Notre Dame) leading the way. Previous: 2
3. Regis Jesuit (Colo.), 0-0
The Raiders had some young talent get valuable experience in a disappointing 2019 campaign, and now they are upperclassmen leading the team. Regis Jesuit is especially strong at close defense and attack, but the keys will be seeing how a three-senior-goalie competition plays out and the development of the middies on offense and defense. Top returning players include senior attackmen Jack Ringhofer and Will McFadden, senior long-stick middie Adam Zdanovicz, senior midfielder Jack Egan and sophomore defender Jack Casey, who would have started as a freshman. Colorado teams begin practice April 26 with games set for the following week. Previous: 3
4. Sacred Heart Prep (Calif.), 0-0
The 2019 WCAL runner-up returned nine starters last year and didn’t get the chance to avenge a championship loss to St. Ignatius Prep. Fortunately, many of those players are back now as seniors, including midfielders Ben Ramsey and Billy Barnds and defenders Cav Williams and Paul Barton. Junior Max Sloat should pace the attack. The first game on Sacred Heart’s schedule, as of now, is April 9. Previous: 4
5. La Costa Canyon (Calif.), 1-0
The Mavericks opened with a 16-1 win over Del Norte on Saturday, as Ben Beacham led the attack with five goals and Mitch Likins made 11 saves allowed no goals. Noah Beacham added two goals and two assists, and John Ristuccia finished with three goals and two assists. LCC has only a few players back from the 2019 CIF San Diego Open Division runner-up team but a solid base from which to build. Previous: 5
6. San Ramon Valley (Calif.), 0-0
The Wolves don’t have a ton of depth but feature a strong core of players who are expected to keep SRV among the top teams in the CIF North Coast Section. SRV finished 17-2 in 2019, suffering an upset loss to De LaSalle in the quarterfinals of the postseason tournament. Top players include senior midfielder Matt Carbonell (Holy Cross), senior attackman/midfielder Charlie Tagliaferri (Tufts) and junior midfielders Charlie Iler (Johns Hopkins) and Calvin Watson. SRV is able to begin April 5. Previous: 6
7. Cherry Creek (Colo.), 0-0
The Bruins won their seventh state title in 2019 and were ready to pick up where they left off last year, but the season shut down before they ever took the field. Cherry Creek would have returned seven starters and 25 of 36 players from that championship squad, but only four of those return after 21 seniors graduated in 2020. Senior attackman/midfielder Dakota Johnson and junior faceoff specialist Sawyer Brewer lead a group that will look to improve as the season progresses. Cherry Creek still has a month before practices officially begin. Previous: 7
8. Loyola Los Angeles (Calif.), 0-0
The Cubs are set to open against Westlake on Tuesday and seek to return to their 2018 Southern Section championship form — when Owen Gaffney netted the game-winner against St. Margaret’s in overtime. Gaffney, now a senior committed to Harvard, returns to lead Loyola, which got off to a slow 3-3 start last year with a squad full of sophomores and juniors. Now upperclassmen fill the roster, including senior midfielders Preston Barnes and Matt Gottfried, and they will be looking for a quicker start in 2020. Previous: 8
9. Valor Christian (Colo.), 0-0
A state semifinalist in 2019, Valor Christian was looking to build on a 16-2 finish last year but managed just one game before the season was canceled. The Eagles are expected to be one of the top contenders in 2021. Trey Digby (Denver) is one of the top defenders in the state and will make it tough on opposing attackers. Valor gets things going at the end of April. Previous: 9
10. Corner Canyon (Utah), 8-0
The Chargers are off to a dominant start, including wins last week against two traditionally strong Utah opponents. Corner Canyon topped Park City 20-10 and Brighton 21-3. Jon King tallied six goals, two assists and three ground balls in the win over Brighton, while Mason Quick added six goals and one assist. Previous: NR
— Laurel Pfahler