Upsets Fuel Debuts in High School Boys' Regional Rankings

Three new teams, led by St. Xavier (Ohio), joined this week's regional Top 10 rankings. 

The Northeast welcomed Half Hollow Hills (N.Y.). Its unbeaten start helped garner a spot in the Top 10. Most of the Mid-Atlantic changes occurred outside the Top 10, as last week's ranked teams did not change at all.

In the South, the rankings were reinforced more than anything, with higher-ranked teams beating lower-ranked teams during the week. The South is readying for playoffs. 

The Midwest saw an upheaval up top. St. Xavier shook things up with a win over highly regarded Culver Academy (Ind.). The Bombers made a huge move to No. 1, dragging Upper Arlington (Ohio), whom they lost to earlier, with them. Brother Rice (Mich.) has put together an encouraging start to earn its way into the Top 10.

In the West, Mater Dei (Calif.) picked up a solid win to jump into the rankings. Sacred Heart (Calif.) was the only other team to change places, slipping a few spots to No. 6.

See how this week's Top 10 updates for high school boys' lacrosse in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, South, Midwest and West regions changed, complete with recaps of the teams' recent and upcoming action.

Compiled by USA Lacrosse writers with input from coaches around the country, rankings and records reflect results as of previous Sunday. 

NORTHEAST Top 10

Half Hollow Hills (N.Y.) is the lone newcomer to the Northeast Region Top 10 after a week that saw one small flip in the rankings while others reinforced their spots. 

St. Anthony’s (N.Y.) and Salisbury (Conn.) remained unbeaten atop the rankings, and Loomis Chaffee (Conn.) leapfrogged Brunswick (Conn.) thanks to their head-to-head win. 

Half Hollow Hills entered the Top 10 on the strength of an unbeaten start. Fairfield Prep (Conn.) continued their mastery of Darien (Conn.) to uphold their higher ranking. 

Unbeatens McQuaid Jesuit (N.Y.) and Wantagh (N.Y.) are lurking outside the rankings along with Garden City (N.Y.) and Deerfield (Mass.) which faces a matchup with No. 6 Choate (Conn.) that could impact the Top 10.

Our Northeast rankings cover Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont.

1. St. Anthony's (N.Y.), 5-0

Jacob Johnston (Johns Hopkins) scored six goals, Gary Merrill (North Carolina) had four goals and one assist, Dylan Harrigan (Maryland) had two goals, Ethan Bramoff (Virginia) scored a goal and Danny Rooney (Maryland) added a pair of assists for the Friars in a 13-8 win over Malvern Prep (Pa.). Previous: 1

2. Salisbury (Conn.), 4-0 

Cam Kelley (Notre Dame) had five goals and two assists, Connor Wambach (Duke) won 17 of 18 faceoffs with 13 ground balls and Chris Alexis (Maryland) chipped in four goals in a 19-7 victory over Berkshire (Mass.). Previous: 2

3. Loomis Chaffee (Conn.), 3-1 

Rowyn Nurry (Cornell) had six goals and two assists, Jayden Rodriguez (Syracuse) had four goals and two assists, Cole Goodwillie (Harvard) had two goals, Milki Conway-Reppert (Dartmouth) had a pair of assists and Liam O’Keefe (Harvard) made 10 saves for the Pelicans in a 14-11 win over Brunswick (Conn.). Previous: 4

4. Brunswick (Conn.), 3-1 

Lucas Garcia (Virginia) erupted for six goals and two assists, Rick Giordano (North Carolina) had a pair of goals and Aidan Diaz-Matos (Notre Dame) won 68 percent of his faceoffs for the Bruins in a 14-11 loss to Loomis Chaffee (Conn.). Next up is Lawrenceville (N.J.) at home before traveling to face Malvern Prep (Pa.) on April 12. Previous: 3

5. St. Sebastian's (Mass.), 3-1 

Tedy Frisoli (Duke) had three goals and two assists, John Stenberg (Dartmouth) had three goals and one assist, Ty Curry (Notre Dame) netted a hat trick and Ethan Abdella had a pair of goals as St. Sebastian’s (Mass.) cruised to an 18-0 win over St. George’s (R.I.). Previous: 5

6. Choate (Conn.), 4-1 

Chris Yuh had four ground balls and two assists, Will Lawrence had one goal, one assist and six ground balls and Luke Hegarty netted a hat trick to guide Choate (Conn.) to an 18-2 victory over Kent School (Conn.). A showdown with Deerfield (Mass.) is coming up this weekend. Previous: 6

7. Chaminade (N.Y.), 4-1 

After a 12-9 home win over Don Bosco (N.Y.), the Flyers went on the road to beat Salesianum (Del.) 16-7. James Gillis (Duke) scored five goals, Gavin Lynch had three goals and three assists, John Balsamo (Virginia) had two goals and two assists, Connor Kuttin (Johns Hopkins) had two goals and one assist, and Quinn Ball (Penn) won 18 of 23 faceoffs in a 16-7 victory. Previous: 6

8. Fairfield Prep (Conn.), 1-0 

Nate Estrella (Air Force) had four goals and one assist, Fynn Mulligan (Utah) had three goals and an assist, Matt Barry (Bentley) made 10 saves and Finbar Malloy (Rutgers) scored a pair of goals, including the decisive tally with 6:24 remaining as Fairfield Prep (Conn.) knocked off Darien (Conn.) 12-11 in a season-opening rematch of last year’s CIAC Class LL final, also won by the Jesuits. Previous: 8

9. Half Hollow Hills (N.Y.), 4-0 

James Bruno (Dickinson) had five goals and one assist, Ryan Chung (Bates) had four goals, Luke Bradley had three goals and three assists, Zach Marco (Harvard) had two goals and two assists and Anthony Raio (North Carolina) had one goal and four assists in an 18-4 win over Riverhead (N.Y.). Previous: NR

10. Darien (Conn.), 0-1

It was another one-goal game, and third straight loss, for the Blue Wave against Fairfield Prep (Conn.) as Darien (Conn.) dropped a 12-11 decision to start the season. Ben Bilodeau (Georgetown) had five goals and one assist, Ryan Thurlow (Villanova) had three goals and one assist, Wes Scallen had one goal and one assist and George Persinger (St. Lawrence) made 10 saves. The Blue Wave head to Manhasset on April 12 for the latest Battle of the Sound matchup. Previous: 10

— Dylan Butler

Mid-Atlantic Top 10

Calvert Hall (Md.) picked up its fourth one-goal win to remain unbeaten and atop the Mid-Atlantic Region rankings. The Top 10 did not change despite three of them losing games because they lost to higher ranked teams. 

Calvert’s latest one-goal win came at the expense of Boys’ Latin (Md.). Lawrenceville (N.J.) rallied to edge Malvern Prep (Pa.) in a Top-3 battle that lived up to the hype. Archbishop Spalding (Md.) got back on the winning track with a win over Loyola Blakefield (Md.). 

Beyond the Top 10, Mount St. Joseph (Md.) is making noise after a win over a short-handed St. Paul’s (Md.), and Seton Hall Prep (N.J.) and Don Bosco (N.J.) have used strong out of region tests to warm up for in-state play.

Our Mid-Atlantic rankings cover D.C., Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

1. Calvert Hall (Md.), 8-0

The Cardinals put their unbeaten start on the line at McDonogh (Md.) on April 8. Calvert Hall swept Boys’ Latin (Md.) and Severn (Md.) last week to move to 3-0 in the MIAA. Peyton Forte scored six times in a 17-10 win over Severn. Ben Cuomo, Jackson Mitchell, Michael Steer and Jack Williams all had two goals apiece while Mark Botek and Caleb Kelly each had two assists apiece and Brady Stangle made 10 saves. Cuomo went 14 for 16 on faceoffs, Stangle made 12 saves and Botek and Forte scored two goals apiece in a 6-5 win over Boys’ Latin. Previous: 1

2. Lawrenceville (N.J.), 7-1 

The Big Red overcame an 8-4 third-quarter deficit with five straight goals for a 9-8 win over Malvern Prep (Pa.) to start their week. Syracuse commit Ted Rawson’s goal with 13 seconds gave Lawrenceville the thrilling win after Sawyer English tied it. Lawrenceville finished the week with an identical 9-8 win at Deerfield (Mass.). They face two more tests this week with Brunswick (Conn.) and Hotchkiss (Conn.). Previous: 2

3. Malvern Prep (Pa.), 6-4 

The Friars lost a pair of games this week in their unrelenting schedule. After leading Lawrenceville (N.J.) 8-4 in the third quarter, the Friars fell, 9-8. They finished the week with a 13-8 loss to St. Anthony’s (N.Y.) despite two goals apiece from Mike Ortlieb and Danny Lucovich and five ground balls from Will Tantillo. Heath Jones made 10 saves. Malvern has three games on the slate this week with Episcopal (Pa.), Germantown Academy (Pa.) and Brunswick (Conn.). Previous: 3

4. Boys' Latin (Md.), 6-3 

Garrett Held made 16 saves but the Lakers’ offense was stymied in a 6-5 loss to Calvert Hall. Matt Higgins and TJ Shaw had two goals apiece. Boys’ Latin rebounded with an 18-4 win over John Carroll (Md.) with Lincoln Herring scoring four goals and Joey Keller and Shaw both registered hat tricks. Up next are Loyola Blakefield (Md.) and Mount St. Joseph (Md.). Previous: 8

5. Archbishop Spalding (Md.), 9-1 

The Cavaliers won both of their MIAA games to start another win streak. Joseph Matassa and Grady Swidersky had hat tricks, Brady Mollot scored a goal and provided three assists and the defense never allowed Loyola Blakefield (Md.) more than one goal in any quarter in a 10-4 win. Mollot scored a hat trick and added two assists and Matassa had a hat trick and assist in a 14-8 win over Gilman (Md.) in a pair of MIAA games. Spalding faces St. Mary’s (Md.) and McDonogh (Md.) this week. Previous: 5

6. McDonogh (Md.), 7-3 

Brendan Millon scored five goals and had two assists and Bogue Hahn added a hat trick and assist in a 14-6 win over Severn (Md.). The Eagles ran their win streak to five games with a 15-5 win over St. Mary’s (Md.). The Eagles have a huge week with two games against teams ranked ahead of them — Calvert Hall (Md.) and Archbishop Spalding (Md.). Previous: 6

7. Delbarton (N.J.), 3-1 

The Big Green was a 13-8 winner over Caldwell (N.J.) in their lone game of the week. Gavin Romweber scored four goals and had two assists, and Andrew Johnson and Alex Schobel each found the back of the net twice. They have a challenging week with St. Anthony’s (N.Y.) and Seton Hall Prep (N.J.) both visiting. Previous: 7

8. Haverford School (Pa.), 5-2 

Colin Decker saved 10 shots, Conor Morsell had a pair of goals and Finn French, Charlie Halpert, Gavin Morrissey and Cam Esposito all had three ground balls apiece in a 6-5 win over La Salle (Pa.).  The Fords doubled up Don Bosco (N.J.) 12-6 to finish the week with Decker saving another 10 shots and Morsell, Reed Campbell and Evan Large all scoring two goals apiece. Haverford will play Penn Charter (Pa.) and Springside Chestnut Hill (Pa.) this week. Previous: 8

9. Loyola Blakefield (Md.), 6-3 

Luca Ball, Matt Joerres, Cooper Pasko and Johnny Sippel all scored, but the Dons couldn’t get their offense on track in a 10-4 loss to Archbishop Spalding (Md.). Loyola plays at Boys’ Latin (Md.) and hosts St. Mary’s (Md.) in two MIAA games this week. Previous: 9

10. Landon (Md.), 9-1 

The Bears took it to one of Virginia’s best public school’s, Riverside (Va.), for a 20-3 win. Landon also handled St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes (Va.), 16-2, with Sean Murray scoring five goals and Aedan Cassidy scoring a hat trick and adding an assist. Previous: 10

— Justin Feil

SOUTH Top 10

The South Region rankings remain intact, even after several great head-to-head matchups within the Top 10. 

Benjamin (Fla.) held its No. 1 spot though it was tested in a pair of overtime victories. IMG Academy (Fla.) and Lake Mary (Fla.) — along with idle Lambert (Ga.) — are also undefeated. 

Episcopal Dallas (Texas) won a rivalry match and St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) upheld its case to be ahead of St. Andrew’s (Fla.) with a win in their latest meeting. Highland Park (Texas) did the same with a resounding win over Westlake (Texas). 

Florida teams are eyeing the playoffs that always have the chance to alter the rankings and finish the season on a high note.

Our South rankings cover the region from North Carolina south to Florida and west to Texas. 

1. Benjamin (Fla.), 17-1

The Buccaneers head into the postseason battle-tested after earning a pair of overtime victories. Benjamin started the week with an 11-10 victory over St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.). Sean Sheean scored the game-winner in overtime. Three days later, Benjamin snuck past Jupiter 13-12. Jack Kelleher scored the golden goal for Benjamin. Previous: 1

2. IMG Academy (Fla.), 11-0

With an undefeated record on the line, the Ascenders pulled out an overtime victory over Episcopal Academy (Fla.). The win followed a 13-9 victory over Wheaton Academy (Pa.) and a 7-5 victory over Springside Chestnut Hill (Pa.). Previous: 2

3. Lake Mary (Fla.), 14-0

The Rams finished the regular season undefeated thanks to a 13-6 victory over Bolles (Fla.). Lake Mary previously defeated West Orange (Fla.) 17-6. Previous: 3

4. Episcopal Dallas (Texas), 12-1

The Eagles faced one of their biggest rivals, Dallas Jesuit (Texas), and toppled the Rangers 10-7. Jesuit stayed within reach as it was a 6-6 game just before halftime. ESD next takes on Lovejoy (Texas). Previous: 4

5. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.), 14-3

In their most daunting week of the season, the Raiders split a pair of overtime contests against ranked opposition. St. Thomas Aquinas lost a 11-10 contest to Benjamin, but rebounded from the defeat with an 8-7 victory over St. Andrew’s (Fla.). The loss to Benjamin was the only in-state defeat for STA. Previous: 5

6. Highland Park (Texas), 10-2

The Highlanders were overwhelming in an impressive victory over Westlake, defeating the Chaps 12-1. Highland Park remains undefeated against in-state competition. Previous: 6

7. St. Andrew’s (Fla.), 12-6

Despite a five-point effort from Dylan Faison, the Scots were unable to find a game-winner, falling to Benjamin (Fla.) 8-7 in overtime. St. Andrew’s also earned a 21-1 victory over Spanish River (Fla.). Nick Testa had a team-leading five assists. Previous: 7

8. Westlake (Texas), 7-3

The Chaps were completely dominated by rival Highland Park (Texas), falling to the Highlanders 12-1. Westlake next faces an up-and-coming TMI Episcopal (Texas) squad. Previous: 8

9. Lambert (Ga.), 12-0

The Longhorns got to enjoy their week off as an undefeated squad. Lambert returns to play April 8 to face Forsyth Central (Ga.). Previous: 9

10. The Woodlands (Texas), 8-3

The Highlanders recovered from their loss to Westlake by pounding St. John’s (Texas) 23-3. Woodlands had its match against Lake Travis (Texas) canceled due to weather. Previous: 10

— Justin Boggs

midwest Top 10

It's newsworthy enough that Culver Academy (Ind.) is not No. 1 in the Midwest Region. 

St. Xavier (Ohio) fought for an overtime win over the perennial frontrunners to take over the top spot. That win had another significant effect in pulling up Upper Arlington (Ohio), a team that already has two losses in three games — both against East Coast powers — and its one win came over St. Xavier. 

Detroit Catholic Central (Mich.) asserted itself with a big regional win over Lake Forest (Ill.), and Brother Rice entered the rankings after a significant win capped a fast start to their season. Olentangy Liberty (Ohio), Hamilton Southeastern (Ind.) and Rockhurst Jesuit (Mo.) are all unbeaten in the early going in a region that now has some unique intrigue.

Our Midwest rankings cover Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.

1. St. Xavier (Ohio), 4-1

No Midwest program had a bigger win this week, or perhaps this season, than the Bombers, who edged the region's longtime top team, Culver Academy, in overtime on April 4. For a reference point, the Eagles were the top-ranked team in the Midwest Scholastic Lacrosse Association's Pre-Season Coaches Poll while the Bombers came in tied for seventh. Khalif Hocker (2 goals, 3 assists) and Luke Sprong (3 goals, 1 assist) led the scoring charge for St. Xavier while Magnus Violet went 13 of 22 on faceoffs with 12 ground balls and Trent Yelton came up clutch with 11 saves. Previous: 6

2. Culver Academy (Ind.), 6-2

Overtime loss to the Bombers aside, the Eagles have still put together one of the Midwest's top resumes. Culver's successes include wins over two teams receiving votes nationally, Gonzaga (D.C.) and St. John's College (D.C.), as well as victories over two of the top teams in Texas: Highland Park and Jesuit Dallas. There's no break for the Eagles either as they head to Caledon, Ont., to take on two top teams this weekend in Western Reserve (Ohio) and host Hill Academy (Ont.). Previous: 1

3. Western Reserve (Ohio), 8-2

The Pioneers appear ready for their big showdowns with the Eagles and the host Pride this weekend. WRA has won four straight since its one-goal loss to Loyola Blakefield (Md.) in mid-March, prevailing by a combined score of 66-25, though its last game was a bit of a challenge with the Pioneers edging St. Xavier (Ky.) by four on April 6. Previous: 2

4. Upper Arlington (Ohio), 1-2

While the Golden Bears were off, it was still a good week for them. Why? Well, Upper Arlington beat St. Xavier on the road earlier this season, a win that only looks better after the Bombers topped Culver in overtime. The Golden Bears, whose lone losses came against top teams from Maryland (Archbishop Spalding) and Delaware (Salesianum), return from spring break with a four-game week, including weekend clashes with the nation's top-ranked team, St. Anthony's (N.Y.), and the West's second-ranked team, St. Ignatius (Calif.). Previous: 5

5. Detroit Catholic Central (Mich.), 5-0

The Shamrocks delivered another big set of performances, shutting out University Detroit Jesuit (Mich.) to start the week, then topping Illinois state champion Lake Forest to end it. Ryan Dye, Connor Lukas and Cisco Williams all had hat tricks in the latter as DCC will bring an undefeated record into their April 8 rivalry showdown with Brother Rice (Mich.). Previous: 3

6. Olentangy Liberty (Ohio), 3-0

The Patriots remained undefeated, topping a pair of traditionally strong Buckeye State opponents in Dublin Jerome (13-10) on April 3 and Hudson (18-11) on April 5. Jake Struck delivered another strong performance in their win over the Celtics, scoring five goals. It wasn't just Struck through as Liberty's success at the X helped it turn a 5-4 halftime lead into a heftier 10-6 advantage entering the fourth. Keep an eye on the Patriots this weekend, when they travel to Michigan to face Detroit Catholic Central (April 11) and Detroit Country Day (April 12). Previous: 4

7. Hamilton Southeastern (Ind.), 8-0

The Royals certainly earned their break, not just with their undefeated record but in the caliber of the teams they've beaten. Among its wins, Hamilton Southeastern has bested top teams from Michigan (East Grand Rapids and Forest Hills Central), Kentucky (South Oldham) and Missouri (MICDS). There's plenty of tough competition still on the docket for the Royals, including Cathedral (April 16), Detroit Catholic Central (April 25) and Brother Rice (April 26). Previous: 7

8. Rockhurst Jesuit (Mo.), 6-0

The Hawklets shone on April 5, starting with James Bundy's hat trick leading them past Strake Jesuit (Texas) 7-5. Two hours later, Rockhurst topped a longtime leading rival in DeSmet Jesuit (Mo.), thanks to a smothering defensive effort. The Hawklets' defenders combined to amass 30 ground balls and nine takeaways while Draden Torline stopped five of the six shots that came his way. Senior Fletcher Anderson scored six goals and sophomore JP Stegall won 12 of 15 faceoffs in the victory. Previous: 8

9. Lake Forest (Ill.), 4-1

The Scouts suffered their first defeat in nearly a year when they fell to Detroit Catholic Central (Mich.) April 5 as their last loss came against New Trier on May 16. Perhaps most surprising was the 11 goals Lake Forest yielded, which topped the combined total it gave up over its first four games (eight). Previous: 9

10. Brother Rice (Mich.), 6-1

The Warriors certainly proved they belong in the top 10. After a tough loss to Lake Forest (Ill.) on April 4, Brother Rice bounced back with a 9-5 win over St. Viator (Ill.). The Warriors got it done with a dominant start, outscoring the Lions 6-0 in the opening quarter and 7-1 in the first half. Senior Payton Fortino led the way against St. Viator with a whopping 18 saves. Previous: NR

— Jonah Rosenblum

West Top 10

Mater Dei (Calif.) topped previously ranked Santa Margarita (Calif.) to claim a spot in the West Region rankings. Mater Dei is the only newcomer while the first five teams all held their spots. 

Cherry Creek (Colo.) and Arapahoe (Colo.) are undefeated still as they head into their showdown this week. The second half of the rankings has seen parity among teams as conference play has ramped up. Strong matchups will allow the teams that get hot down the stretch to slide into Top 10 spots.

Our West rankings cover the Mountain, Pacific and Northwest regions and at least part of the Southwest.

1. Loyola-Los Angeles (Calif.), 15-3

The Cubs are rolling on an eight-game winning streak after defeating Foothill-Santa Ana (Calif.) on the road, 13-8, then taking down Corona Del Mar (Calif.), 16-4. Up next is the Mission League tournament. Previous: 1

2. St. Ignatius (Calif.), 11-1

St. Ignatius added two more wins, taking down Bellarmine (Calif.), 10-3, and defeating Marin Catholic (Calif.), 14-10, for the second time this season. The Wildcats have a highly contested week coming up against No. 7 Chaminade (N.Y.) and No. 3 in the Midwest, Upper Arlington (Ohio). Previous: 2

3. Cherry Creek (Colo.), 8-0

The Bruins secured their first conference victory and protected their undefeated streak with an 11-1 rout over Denver South (Colo.). Cherry Creek continues league play against No. 9 Arapahoe (Colo.) and Kent Denver (Colo.). Previous: 3

4. Torrey Pines (Calif.), 6-4

After a spring break, Torrey Pines opens this week against Foothill-Santa Ana (Calif.) before taking on Carlsbad (Calif.) and No. 6 Sacred Heart (Calif.). Previous: 4

5. Valor Christian (Colo.), 6-1

Valor Christian is on a seven-game winning streak after defeating Denver East (Colo.) and league opponent Castle View (Colo.). The Eagles combined for 31 total goals and only allowed five across the two games. Next up is ThunderRidge (Colo.), the No. 1 team in the country, St. Anthony’s (N.Y.), and MICDS (Mo.). Previous: 5

6. Marin Catholic (Calif.), 12-4

Marin Catholic opened last week with a 19-0 shutout at San Rafael (Calif.) then defeated Bishop’s (Calif.), 9-6, before falling short four goals to No. 2 St. Ignatius (Calif.). The Wildcats are off for a week before hosting Redwood (Calif.) in another league matchup. Previous: 7

7. De La Salle (Calif.), 9-3

De La Salle dominated its league openers against San Ramon Valley (Calif.), 20-1, and Monte Vista (Calif.), 11-6. It was a balanced attack vs. the Wolves with 12 different Spartans netting at least one goal. Next is Corona Del Mar (Calif.) and Junipero Serra (Calif.). Previous: 8

8. Sacred Heart (Calif.), 7-4

After falling to La Costa Canyon (Calif.), Sacred Heart bounced back to defeat St. Margaret’s (Calif.), 17-8, and Bishop’s, 7-2. Next is Archbishop Mitty (Calif.) and No. 4 Torrey Pines (Calif.). Previous: 6

9. Arapahoe (Colo.) 7-0

Arapahoe secured an 11-2 victory over Kent Denver (Colo.) in its first conference game of the season. Senior Brody Nelson (High Point) led the team with four goals while adding one assist and one ground ball. The Warriors continue league play against No. 3 Cherry Creek (Colo.) and Cherokee Trail (Colo.). Previous: 9

10. Mater Dei (Calif.) 7-3

In its league opener, Mater Dei knocked off then-No. 10 Santa Margarita in a 10-6 victory before taking down Servite (Calif.), 12-5. Up next is a series of matchups against JSerra Catholic (Calif.), Monte Vista (Calif.) and St. John Bosco (Calif.). Previous: NR

— Theresa Palmquist