Joey Epstein’s spot in Landon (Md.) boys’ lacrosse history is secure.

With 75 goals and 48 assists this spring, the junior attackman vaulted past a who’s who of decorated stars at the Maryland private school to reach the top of its all-time scoring list. Of course, he’s also still got another season left to add on to his 248 career points.

He is the Epoch/US Lacrosse Mid-Atlantic Player of the Year after leading the Bears to the consensus national championship and a No. 1 ranking in the Nike/US Lacrosse Mid-Atlantic Top 10.

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

“It tells me that I’m playing with great guys,” Epstein said of his individual performance. “If the defense was just worried about me, I’m sure those numbers would go down, but with so many weapons offensively, guys can flourish.”

Epstein powered Landon to a perfect 21-0 record this spring, finishing with a thorough 18-7 victory over Bullis (Md.) in the Interstate Athletic Conference championship May 12.

The Johns Hopkins recruit was the centerpiece of a dominant offense that averaged more than 13 goals per game, a starring role that allowed him to surge past high-scoring alums like Matt Ward, Jake Byrne and Patrick Keena in the Landon record book.

“Most guys you’re lucky to have a game or two in a career with three or four points,” Landon coach Rob Bordley said. “To average six, that’s just unheard of.”

Epstein creates problems around the net with a game that takes advantage of his physical toughness and smart approach. At 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, he’s well-suited to fight through traffic in front. He plays linebacker and fullback on the football field, so he doesn’t mind some contact.

But, Epstein has plenty of other tools to complement the power as well. He worked meticulously last summer to improve his angles while shooting on the move. He knew he’d have to make the most of limited space. The result was 47 percent of his attempts found the net this season.

Most importantly, Epstein managed to pile up the points without dominating the ball. The attackman picked the right spots to create, and it usually ended up with an open look for somebody.

“It’s about making the right play when it’s it there,” Epstein said. “I, obviously, had many moments when I didn’t do that this season. Nobody’s going to be perfect, but I definitely improved a lot from sophomore year.”

That talent has been apparent for a while. Epstein earned a starting spot in Landon’s attack as a freshman before posting 43 goals and 24 assists last season. For all that acclaim, he still found ways to get even better this spring.

Bordley – who has won more than 600 games in his 42 seasons in charge at Landon – has long kept a policy of only nominating his seniors for US Lacrosse All-American honors. He surprised fellow coaches this time by pushing to get Epstein on the list.

The veteran coach said his reasoning goes beyond Epstein’s incredible stats.

“If he has an ego, it’s invisible,” Bordley said. “He’s not some fat-headed kid. He just leads by example, and he works hard. He’s a great, great kid.”

Landon entered the season with sky-high expectations, thanks to a slew of returning talent. It was Epstein who first suggested that this group should try to secure a place on the decorated program’s “Mount Rushmore,” a motto that the players carried through the spring.

Landon declared that mission accomplished with its first unbeaten season since 2002. The Bears beat all their traditional rivals in the Washington, D.C. region and added impressive wins over Brunswick School (Conn.), St. Ignatius Prep (Calif.) and Cardinal Gibbons (N.C.) to their résumé.

The attack of Epstein, Nate Buller and Gilbert Sentimore combined for 164 goals, Justin Shockey won nearly 80 percent of his face-offs and goalie Shane Corcoran stopped 55 percent of the shots he faced.

“It’s not really a stressed-out group,” Epstein said. “It’s a bunch of goofy guys just having fun. Obviously, we were all aware of what’s possible, but we never really put pressure on each other or on ourselves.”

Along the way, Epstein kept motoring past Landon legends on the all-time scoring list. The attackman edged Keena for the top spot April 28, notching his 220^th career point in a win over Gonzaga (D.C.). He’d add 28 more points to pad his lead over the final two weeks of the season, including a six-goal, two-assist effort in the IAC final.

And then there’s next year.

EPOCH/US LACROSSE MID-ATLANTIC REGION PLAYER OF THE YEAR

JOEY EPSTEIN
School: Landon (Md.)
Year: Junior
Position: Attackman
Stats: 75 goals, 48 assists to help Landon go 21-0 and win IAC title. Already holds school record with 248 career points
Coach Rob Bordley: “If he has an ego, it’s invisible. He’s not some fat-headed kid. He just leads by example, and he works hard. He’s a great, great kid.”
Also notable: Brett Baskin, La Salle (Pa.); Jacob Kelly, Calvert Hall (Md.); Trevor Patschorke, Severna Park (Md.); Matt Douglas, Delbarton (N.J.); James Spence, Springfield-Delco (Pa.); Alex Trippi, Bullis (Md.)

NIKE/US LACROSSE MID-ATLANTIC REGION TOP 10 (FINAL)

1. Landon (Md.), 21-0

The Bears were rarely tested on the way to an IAC title that closed a perfect season. They finished in style by beating Bullis (Md.), 18-7, in the championship May 12. Joey Epstein (Johns Hopkins) smashed the school record for points in a season with 75 goals and 48 assists, and Justin Shockey (Navy) won 79 percent of his face-offs.

2. Delbarton (N.J.), 21-1

The Green Wave rolled to a second straight NJSIAA Tournament of Champions title, capped by a 15-9 win over Moorestown (N.J.) in the June 10 final. Delbarton dropped an early game to Seton Hall Prep (N.J.) before later avenging the loss with a thrilling comeback in the Non-Public A final. Six players scored at least 20 goals this season, paced by 41 from Tom Schelling (Lehigh).

3. Calvert Hall (Md.), 17-2

The Cardinals left no doubt about its spot atop the MIAA-A, closing with a 12-6 win over McDonogh (Md.) in the championship May 25. After two early losses, they finished the spring with 15 straight victories. Jacob Kelly (North Carolina) hit his scoring stride in the run and finished with a team-best 47 goals and 44 assists.

4. McDonogh (Md.), 17-4

The Eagles came up short in their bid for a repeat MIAA-A title, falling 12-6 to Calvert Hall in the championship May 25. Their non-conference résumé included defeats of heavyweights Chaminade (N.Y.), Haverford School (Pa.) and Bullis (Md.). McDonogh put five players on the all-conference team, including defensive stalwarts B.J. Farrare, Brandon Shure and Chris Smith.

5. La Salle (Pa.), 21-2

The Explorers tripped up short of a Pennsylvania state title, falling to Central Bucks East (Pa.), 8-6, in a June 3 quarterfinal. The loss finished an impressive season highlighted by a Philadelphia Catholic League title and wins over a handful of traditional Pennsylvania powers. Brett Baskin (Johns Hopkins) was named PCL MVP after tallying 41 goals and 23 assists.

6. Bullis (Md.), 18-3

The Bulldogs put together another strong season but settled for runner-up in the IAC after losing 18-7 to top-ranked Landon in the final May 12. Alex Trippi (North Carolina) posted 54 goals and 61 assists this season and won the Kelly Award as the top player in Maryland. He finishes as the program’s all-time leading scorer.

7. Severna Park (Md.), 20-0

The Falcons were perfect en route to a repeat Maryland 4A/3A title. They finished in dramatic fashion, beating Churchill (Md.), 7-6, in the May 24 final on a goal by Jack Thomas with three seconds left in regulation. UMBC-bound Trevor Patschorke posted 83 goals for an explosive club that averaged 15.8 goals per game.

8. Haverford School (Pa.), 16-7

The Fords ended a second straight season with a loss to Culver Academy Prep (Ind.) in the Inter-Ac Invitational final. They couldn’t get much going offensively in a 9-5 defeat on May 21. It was still another strong season for Haverford with a handful of notable wins against a brutal schedule and an outright conference regular-season title. Luke O’Grady (Providence) did his part in pacing a new-look attack with 56 goals.

9. Boys’ Latin (Md.), 14-5

The Lakers earned the No. 2 seed in the MIAA Tournament but had their season end in the semifinals with an 11-8 loss to McDonogh on May 22. After a nice run midseason to get to the top of the conference standings, they closed the spring with three losses in their final four games. Matt Brandau (Yale) set the offensive pace with 36 goals and 34 assists.

10.  Avon Grove (Pa.), 23-2

Zach Augustine’s double-overtime goal June 10 gave the Red Devils a 5-4 win over Conestoga (Pa.) in the PIAA 3A championship and their first state title. The victory avenged Avon Grove’s loss in the District 1 final two weeks earlier. Brendan Harmon scored a team-high 59 goals, and the defense, led by Bryce DeMuth (Yale), allowed just 4.6 goals per game.