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© 2024 USA Lacrosse. All Rights Reserved.
© 2024 USA Lacrosse. All Rights Reserved.
St. Ignatius Prep (Calif.) tops the first West Region Boys’ Top 10 of the 2023 spring season.
With each region beginning play in different weeks — the South and West start before the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and Northeast get underway — our high school contributors will provide in-season updates in each active region prior to the first National Top 25 update.
The West and Mid-Atlantic previews are unveiled the week of March 13, and watch for the Northeast and Midwest previews the week of March 20 — along with updated top 10 rankings from the South and West. USA Lacrosse Magazine will also release 25 players to watch for both boys’ and girls’ lacrosse that week.
The first National Top 25 update comes March 28. From there, rankings will be updated each Tuesday throughout the spring.
USA Lacrosse Magazine contributors consult with high school coaches across the country to develop the Nike/USA Lacrosse National Top 25 and Regional Top 10 rankings for boys’ and girls’ lacrosse. These rankings do not include schools that admit post-graduate students.
1. St. Ignatius Prep (Calif.)
The Wildcats claimed their first CIF Central Coast Section title last year, and although they only return five starters, they’ve proven capable of reloading. This year’s group is highlighted by a strong class of seniors providing excellent leadership and experience. Players to watch include attackmen Jack Porter (Drexel) and Stu Gates, midfielders Tristan Ghosh (Yale) and Bruno Chapman (Loyola), defenders Atticus Oliven and Ben Porter, and goalies Chase Morgan and George Vlahos (Navy).
2. Corona del Mar (Calif.)
The Sea Kings are looking to build off a championship season after they avenged two of their three regular-season losses in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 final four to claim their first title. They have to replace Nike/USA Lacrosse West Region Player of the Year Lucas Newton and CIF Southern Section Player of the Year Logan Ip, among others, but they’re off on the right foot with a 13-6 win over Saugus (Calif.). Neale Bowyer led with four goals, and Scott Westrick and Gavin Gossen each added hat tricks.
3. Arapahoe (Colo.)
The Warriors surged in the second half of 2022 to collect their first state title since 2013, and they return 11 players who started games, including the entire defense and attack. Among the top returners are attackmen Finn Hauhuth (Maryland), Mikey Moynihan (Boston U) and Fred Fulkerson (Christopher Newport), midfielder Noah Hilgert (Colorado Mesa) and defender Ty Scheckenbach (Lindenwood).
4. Mater Dei (Calif.)
The Monarchs lost in the CIF Southern Section semifinals for a second straight year, but they’re proving themselves early with a pair of wins in Las Vegas against Bishop Gorman (Nev.) and Palo Verde (Nev.) and an 8-7 victory over Loyola-Los Angeles (Calif.). The team graduated its defensive leaders in goalie Nick Colignon and Andrew Crosby, but four players from the Class of 2023 led the team in scoring last season and are back: Nate Chu, Reece Lepham, Cole Crisostomo and Tristin Jewell. Standout faceoff specialist Lucas de la Paz also returns.
5. Regis Jesuit (Colo.)
The Raiders jumped out to a great start last year but fell short in the state semifinals, and that didn’t sit so well with a team that returns eight starters. Regis Jesuit’s defense will be its strength, led by senior defender Jack Casey, who missed the 2022 season with a knee injury, as well as senior goalie Spencer Day, long-stick middie Connor Nesbitt and close defender Gordon Reynolds. Senior midfielder Fletcher Sullivan also is one to watch, but the Raiders have some holes to fill on the attack.
6. Foothill-Santa Ana (Calif.)
Foothill fell in the CIF Southern Section Division I championship game for a second straight year, but the Knights once again are expected to be among the top contenders in 2023. The graduation of goalie Drew Tyson hurts after he posted the best season in Foothill history, and the defense is fairly young overall, but their top two scorers return in Jackson Hines (57 goals, 24 assists) and Luke Fox (44 goals, 39 assists) and the roster is deep.
7. St. Margaret’s Episcopal (Calif.)
The Tartans lost to Foothill in the CIF Southern Section semifinals last year, but their only other loss was an overtime defeat against fellow semifinalist Mater Dei. They lost a lot of firepower with four All-CIF Southern Section players graduating, but All-Orange County attackman Owen Binder (Dickinson) and defender Jack Stahl (Princeton) are back and will be key players to build around in 2023.
8. Torrey Pines (Calif.)
Although just five starters return, the Falcons have won the last four CIF San Diego Open titles and they’ll remain competitive thanks to the tradition of the program, the talented players and coaches that come through it and the always-challenging schedule that prepares them for the postseason. The defense is the biggest concern going in after losing three starters to season-ending injuries, including CIF San Diego Section Player of the Year Jackson Bishop, midfielder Jake Sweeney and LSM Mark Brown. Torrey Pines will be led by midfielders Ben Trask (Utah) and Ryland Roach, faceoff specialist Chandler Caster (Hofstra), attackman Jacob Mendez (Westminster) and goalie Andrew Cook (Hopkins).
9. Loyola-Los Angles (Calif.)
The Cubs lost in the CIF Southern Section quarterfinals against Corona del Mar last year, and they suffered an early setback to the 2023 campaign with an 8-7 loss to Mater Dei, but they opened with a win over Arizona power Brophy Prep and remain a top team in the West. Loyola is led by senior captains Luc Dumont, Trent Turner and Santi Goldthwait and juniors Luke Stickler and Ben Horowitz.
10. Jesuit Portland (Ore.)
The Crusaders won their first OHSLA state championship in 2022, and although they lost several top players to graduation, they are led by a solid class of seniors this year. Attackman Gavin Pope (Colorado), defenders Jackson Nichols (Middlebury) and Gus Albright (Sewanee) and midfielders Rob Pope (Bellarmine), Ben Lewis (Colorado) and Jack Duncan-Bloom (VMI) are among the players to watch.
