Culver Military Academy (Ind.) laid claim to the No. 1 spot in the national rankings after the first week of the season and proved it belonged throughout a 23-0 start.
The Eagles finished as the top-ranked team in the Nike/US Lacrosse High School Boys National Top 25 after rolling to a 24-2 record. They went unbeaten against American competition, dropping two of three meetings with Canadian powerhouse Hill Academy (Ontario), and had three impressive wins over top 25 opponents.
Culver was loaded with talent.
Meanwhile, Strath Haven (Pa.) senior midfielder Jeffrey Conner made some waves as one of the nation’s most prolific players while carrying the Panthers to the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Class 2A championship game and 19-6 finish.
Conner dominated the competition, averaging 6.24 points per game during a 156-point season, and finished his high school career with 405 points on 237 goals and 168 assists. He was named the Warrior/ US Lacrosse National Player of the Year.
The Virgina-bound middie averaged 5.0 points per game in the playoffs to help Strath Haven to the championship game, where the Panthers fell to Bishop Shanahan.
“I’ve coached high school lacrosse as a head coach for 33 years,” Strath Haven head coach Jef Hewlings said. “I said two years ago, he could be the best player I ever coached, and at the end of this season, he confirmed it. He committed years ago to become the best lacrosse player he could be, and he didn’t just say that he worked at it. He was always the kid that was staying after practice or showing up early.”
Nike/US Lacrosse National Top 25 (Final)
Final |
W/L |
Prev |
Next |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Culver Academy (Ind.) | 24-2 | 1 | Season complete |
| 2 | Calvert Hall (Md.) | 16-3 | 2 | Season complete (MIAA-A champ) |
| 3 | Ward Melville (N.Y.) | 21-1 | 3 | Season complete (NYPHSAA-A champ) |
| 4 | Boys' Latin (Md.) | 14-4 | 4 | Season complete (MIAA-A runner-up) |
| 5 | Brunswick (Conn.) | 16-1 | 5 | Season complete (NE West co-champ) |
| 6 | Chaminade (N.Y.) | 17-3 | 6 | Season complete (CHSAA champ) |
| 7 | McDonogh (Md.) | 13-5 | 7 | Season complete |
| 8 | Garden City (N.Y.) | 18-3 | 8 | Season complete (NYPHSAA-B champ) |
| 9 | Victor (N.Y.) | 20-2 | 9 | Season complete (NYPHSAA-B runner-up) |
| 10 | Loyola Blakefield (Md.) | 14-6 | 10 | Season complete |
| 11 | Gonzaga (D.C.) | 17-3 | 11 | Season complete (WCAL champ) |
| 12 | Delbarton (N.J.) | 19-1 | 12 | Season complete (TOC champ) |
| 13 | Ridgefield (Conn.) | 16-5 | 13 | Season complete (CIAC-L champ) |
| 14 | Darien (Conn.) | 22-1 | 14 | Season complete (CIAC-L runner-up) |
| 15 | Torrey Pines (Calif.) | 19-1 | 15 | Season complete (CIF-SD champ) |
| 16 | Paul VI (Va.) | 19-4 | 16 | Season complete (VISAA champ) |
| 17 | St. Anthony's (N.Y.) | 16-5 | 17 | Season complete |
| 18 | Bullis (Md.) | 16-4 | 18 | Season complete (IAC champ) |
| 19 | Islip (N.Y) | 19-2 | 19 | Season complete (NYPHSAA-C champ) |
| 20 | Malvern Prep (Pa.) | 15-5 | 20 | Season complete (Inter-Ac champ) |
| 21 | Haverford School (Pa.) | 16-4 | 21 | Season complete |
| 22 | Boston College High (Mass.) | 20-3 | 22 | Season complete (MIAA-1 champ) |
| 23 | West Genesee (N.Y.) | 18-3 | 23 | Season complete (NYPHSAA-A runner-up) |
| 24 | Massapequa (N.Y.) | 17-2 | 24 | Season complete |
| 25 | Bishop Shanahan (Pa.) | 22-1 | NR | Season complete (PIAA-2A champ) |
Also considered (alphabetical order): Cold Spring Harbor (N.Y.), Lambert (Ga.), Manheim Township (Pa.), Niskayuna (N.Y.), Regis Jesuit (Colo.), Smithtown West (N.Y.), Summit (N.Y.)
Warrior/US Lacrosse National Player of the Year
Jeffrey Conner, Strath Haven (Pa.)
Regional Players of the Year
Northeast: Zach Hobbes, Ward Melville (N.Y.)
Mid-Atlantic: Jeffrey Conner, Strath Haven (Pa.)
South: Nicky Solomon, Centennial (Ga.)
Midwest: Graham Bundy Jr., MICDS (Mo.)
West: Evan Egan, Torrey Pines (Calif.)