1. Haverford School (PA) (23-0) • The Fords are the unanimous choice as the Lax Guys’ third annual national champion. Paced by the senior class and their superb chemistry, Haverford went undefeated through arguably the nation’s most challenging schedule, backing up their #1 preseason ranking. Led by stellar goalkeeping by Conor Kelly (Notre Dame) and the savvy play of Carl Walrath (Virginia), the Fords knocked off a handful of top ten teams on their way to a perfect season. The defense, boosted by Maryland-bound Goran Murray and junior Warner Bailey (Georgetown) improved as a unit as time went on and helped Haverford turn away powerful offenses late in the season. This Haverford team certainly warrants discussion for the best team to ever come from the state of Pennsylvania – right up there with the 2002 Ridley squad.
Goals For: 12.1
Goals Against: 6.1
Best Wins: A-St. Paul’s 10-9, A-McDonogh 12-10, St. Joseph’s Prep 9-8 OT, Darien 11-5, N-Conestoga 11-6
Losses: None
Postseason: Won Inter-Ac Championship (def. Malvern Prep)

2. Jamesville-DeWitt (NY Sect 3) (22-0) • The Red Rams captured their second consecutive Class B state title by defeating Garden City once again, this time on a diving goal by super-sophomore Jordan Evans with 3 seconds remaining in overtime. J-D has now won 44 consecutive games and three of the last five titles in the middle classification in New York. The Section 3 champions were also led by Syracuse-bound midfielder Alex Hatem and Virginia-bound defenseman Davi Sacco, and flanked by excellent goaltending by Dan DiStefano (Vermont). The Red Rams will lose a lot of experience, but with Evans and Deke Burns (Harvard) leading the way, they’ll hope to continue to turn some heads.
Goals For: 14.7
Goals Against: 3.7
Best Wins: Fairport 8-4, A-West Genesee 5-3, N-Carthage 23-7, N-Irondequoit 9-6, N-Garden City 8-7 (OT)
Losses: None
Postseason: Won NYS Class ‘B’ Championship (def. Garden City)

3. Deerfield Academy (MA, NE West) (15-0) • The Big Green, led by North Carolina bound Jimmy Bitter navigated their always difficult conference schedule flawlessly. Their two biggest scares came fittingly in their first and last games of the season. Deerfield only had four contests that were determined by four goals or fewer. With a few impressive wins and a list of highly recruited players the top-ranked NE school grabs our #3 spot. In addition to the All-American Jimmy Bitter the Big Green claims four underclass All-Americans (as selected by Under Armour) in A-Ian Ardrey, D-Ray Horgan, D-Brian Pickup and D-Alec Webster. With that kind of returning talent, specifically on defense, look for Deerfield to make yet another run at our mythical national championship in 2012.
Goals For: 14.3
Goals Against: 5.7
Best Wins: A-Brunswick 8-7, Westminster 14-8, Avon Old Farms 19-9, A-Salisbury 11-7, Phillips Exeter 6-4
Losses: None
Postseason: None

4. Conestoga (PA) (25-1) • The Pioneers started the season in excellent fashion, getting younger players to play beyond their age, helping the Pioneers knock off a formidable slate of teams. Keynote wins were accomplished when they knocked off Boys’ Latin at a neutral site, and from there, ‘Stoga didn’t have any issues into the ran into Haverford. The Fords handed them an 11-6 loss, however, the Fords reeled off ten consecutive wins to win the PIAA championship, with their final eight contests being decided by six or more goals. The young trio at attack of Tyler Brooke (Maryland), Conor Frisina (Delaware) and Bradlee Lord (Maryland), plus a dominant pole in between the lines in Brian Dailey (Duke), paved the way for ‘Stoga’s second straight state title run. An experienced group, including the attack unit, returns for 2012.
Goals For: 12.7
Goals Against: 4.0
Best Wins: N-Boys’ Latin 11-9, A-La Salle 10-8, A-Ridley 11-3, N-Hempfield 16-2, N-St. Joseph’s Prep 13-4
Losses: N-Haverford 6-11
Postseason: Won PIAA Championship (def. St. Joseph’s Prep)

5. Gilman School (MIAA) (13-5) • What a rollercoaster ride it was for Coach Matthews and his Greyhounds this season. Coming in with reasonable expectations, Gilman started the season stumbling by losing four of their first eight games. After an April 12th loss to Cloverdale’s Crusaders, the Greyhounds loss just one more contest, a 9-5 defeat at the hands of Calvert Hall. After that loss on 4/12, the Greyhounds went on to collect six victories against teams in our top 50 including “the comeback” in the MIAA semifinals. With less than 1:10 remaining and down by three goals the Greyhounds tied the game, while man-down, to force OT and won in the extra session. Gilman followed that victory with a dismantling of #6 Calvert Hall in the MIAA finals. The Greyhounds return standouts at each position in Gordie Koerber, Jake Matthai (North Carolina) and Robby Haus (Ohio State) but lose the senior leadership of Conor Doyle (Notre Dame), and Ryan Tucker (Virginia).
Goals For: 10.1
Goals Against: 7.7
Best Wins: A-Landon 9-8, Boys’ Latin 8-7 (OT), McDonogh 11-10 (OT), A-St. Mary’s 12-9, A-Boys’ Latin 12-11, N-Boys’ Latin 8-7 (OT), N-Calvert Hall 13-8
Losses: Georgetown Prep 9-12, St. Mary’s 7-11, Loyola Blakefield 5-9, A-St. Paul’s 7-8 (OT), Calvert Hall 5-9
Postseason: Won MIAA ‘A’ Championship (def. Calvert Hall)

6. Calvert Hall (MIAA) (17-2) • The Cardinals had a magnificent season and if it were not for a disappointing performance in the MIAA final, they would almost certainly be ranked in our top 3. Coined the ‘Baby Birds’ due to their abundance of talented youth, the Hall were on par with McDonogh all year, splitting the series with their division rival but grabbing the #1 seed for the playoffs. After dismantling St. Paul’s in the semifinals thanks to a 6-goal outburst by Hopkins-bound Ryan Brown, the Cardinals fell to Gilman in the championship. There’s plenty of reason to be optimistic if you’re a CHC fan though, as they will almost definitely be the #1 team and will be paced by a Carolina-bound pair in Evan Connell and Pat Kelly as well as rising junior face-off middie Stephen Kelly.
Goals For: 10.6
Goals Against: 6.0
Best Wins: La Salle 8-5, Boys’ Latin 8-5, Gilman 9-5, McDonogh 13-7, N-St. Paul’s 11-4
Losses: A-McDonogh 7-11, N-Gilman 8-13
Postseason: Lost in MIAA Championship (def. by Gilman)

7. Farmingdale (NY Sect 8) (17-4) • Due in part to our decision this season to emphasize post-season success, the New York Class A champions make a huge jump into the top ten after upsetting West Islip in overtime on a Mike Perretine goal and then getting another overtime tally from Korey Hendrickson to end the final against Ithaca. After losing to archrival Massapequa on April 29, Farmingdale was just 7-4 and considered by many to be a disappointment. A strong finish did more than salvage a season for the Dalers’ large senior class, but it gave coach Bob Hartranft his long-awaited first state championship after 43 seasons as Farmingdale coach.
Goals For: 11.9
Goals Against: 7.2
Best Wins: Hicksville 13-4, N-Massapequa 15-13, N-West Islip 10-9 (OT), N-Shenendehowa 14-10, N-Ithaca 12-11 (OT)
Losses: Holy Trinity 9-10, A-Wantagh 9-11, A-Shoreham Wading River 2-7, A-Massapequa 9-10 (OT)
Postseason: Won NYS Class ‘A’ Championship (def. Ithaca)

8. West Islip (NY Sect 11) (19-1) • The Lions won the Suffolk ‘A’ championship for the eighth consecutive year when an overtime goal by junior Brendan Smith edged Smithtown West, allowing West Islip to hold on after giving up an early 9-2 lead. However, WI’s luck ran out in the Long Island championships against eventual champion Farmingdale, as they were beaten for the first time in five OT contests. Seniors Drew Federico (Fairfield), Mike Sagl (Quinnipiac), Conor Braddish (Colgate), Kyle Carrick (Sacred Heart), and Kyle Turri (Duke) helped lead the program to 40 consecutive wins over the last three seasons.
Goals For: 11.5
Goals Against: 7.2
Best Wins: Connetquot 8-7 (OT), Chaminade 8-7, at Ward Melville 7-6 (OT), Smithtown West 8-7 (OT), Connetquot 6-2, N-Smithtown West 12-11 (OT)
Losses: N-Farmingdale 9-10 (OT)
Postseason: Won Suffolk Class ‘A’ championship (def. Smithtown West), lost in Long Island Championship (vs. Farmingdale).

9. St. Anthony’s (NY CHSAA) (14-3) • The Friars are also beneficiaries of our decision to weight the playoffs more heavily than in the past. Despite losing twice to rival Chaminade in the regular season, St. Anthony’s is above the Flyers in our final rankings on the strength of their victory in the CHSAA ‘AAA’ final. Led by standout defenseman Greg Danseglio (Virginia), and athletic, hard-shooting midfielder Joe LoCascio (Maryland) as well as one of the top faceoff specialists on LI in Charlie Raffa (Maryland), the Friars really only scratched the surface of their enormous potential this season. A stacked junior class makes them the early favorite to repeat in 2012.
Goals For: 11.8
Goals Against: 6.1
Best Wins: Delbarton 8-6, Wilton 10-6, A-Yorktown 12-11, Fairfield Prep 13-4, N-Chaminade 12-10.
Losses: A-Chaminade 5-10, Darien 8-9 (OT), Chaminade 7-9
Postseason: Won CHSAA ‘AAA’ championship (def. Chaminade)

10. Garden City (NY Sect 8) (19-3) • Despite all the improvements that Trojans fans witnessed throughout the year, the ending was all too similar as Garden City fell to upstate juggernaut Jamesville-DeWitt for the second consecutive year in the Class ‘B’ championship game. After starting just 4-2, GC reeled off 15 consecutive wins to reach the state finals, including two victories over archrival Manhasset. They boasted perhaps the best defense in the country with the Harvard-bound pair of Stephen Jahelka and Brian Fischer alongside JP ‘The General’ Burnside (Penn State) and star junior goalie Dan Marino (Virginia), allowing just under four goals per game.
Goals For: 10.9
Goals Against: 3.9
Best Wins: Smithtown West 6-2, N-Duxbury 10-0, A-Manhasset 10-6, N-Manhasset 6-5, N- Shoreham-Wading River 9-4, N-Yorktown 10-8
Losses: A-Ward Melville 7-10, St. Paul’s 5-7, N-Jamesville DeWitt 7-8 (OT)
Postseason: Won Long Island Championship ‘B’ championship (def. Shoreham-Wading River, lost in NYS ‘B’ final (def. by Jamesville-DeWitt)

11. McDonogh School (MIAA) (15-4) • The Eagles soared for a majority of the season before crashing in the MIAA quarterfinals to Boys’ Latin. McDonogh surprised many this season and finishes as our 3rd highest rated MIAA squad. McDonogh carries an impressive resume with quality victories and close losses to highly rated teams, including a two goal defeat at the hands of #1 ranked Haverford. McDonogh is the only team in the MIAA to boast two US Lacrosse All-Americans: D-Bryson Greene (Georgetown) and M-Keegan Michel (Harvard). Next year may be a little rough for McDonogh as they return very little and will need their youth to step up big time.
Goals For: 10.89
Goals Against: 6.58
Best Wins: A- St. Paul’s 11-6, St. Mary’s 11-6, Calvert Hall 11-7, A-Boys’ Latin 10-7, St. Paul’s 10-8,
Losses: Haverford 12-10, A-Gilman 11-10 (OT), A-Calvert Hall 13-7, Boys’ Latin 8-7
Postseason: Lost in MIAA Quarterfinals (def. by Boys’ Latin)

12. Georgetown Prep (MD IAC) (18-3) • While they had a few losses sprinkled in every now and then, the Little Hoyas had a remarkable season, ousting archrival Landon in overtime of the IAC final to win the league outright. There were question marks at the beginning of the season but they managed to turn things around and finish on an eight-game winning streak. Bobby Gribbin, a beast of a player headed to Maryland, led the charge for Prep along with the talented defensive tandem of Jeff Hale (High Point) and Henry Williams (Notre Dame). The Little Hoyas will lose a great deal to graduation, so it’s hard to say how they’ll perform, but talented young guns LIam Giblin and Bear Altemus should be up to the task.
Goals For: 10.7
Goals Against: 6.2
Best Wins: A-Gilman 12-9, A-Gonzaga 7-6 (OT), N-Delbarton 11-6, A-Bullis 8-6, A-Landon 7-6 (OT)
Losses: A-St. Paul’s 8-11, A-Bullis 7-8 (OT), A-Landon 5-10
Postseason: Won IAC Championship (def. Landon in OT)
13. Ithaca (NY Sect 4) (18-2) • The Little Red made it one step closer to their overall goal of winning the NYS Class ‘A’ championship this year, but lost a heartbreaker in the final to Farmingdale after Riley Lasda (Penn State) had tied the game on a rip with under a minute remaining. Lasda and Joe Bucci (Georgetown) both dominated the game at times and scored four goals each. Ithaca wasn’t challenged often, with only two of their sectional contests not ending in running time, and amassed extremely impressive offensive statistics. They also defeated West Genesee for the third consecutive season in the state quarterfinals, an unprecedented accomplishment.
Goals For: 16.1
Goals Against: 5.2
Best Wins: Fairport 9-4, A-Corning 15-9, Corning 18-7, Corning 12-9, N-West Genesee 15-10, N-Pittsford 6-5 (2OT)
Losses: A-Irondequoit 10-13, N-Farmingdale 10-11 (OT)
Postseason: Lost in NYS ‘A’ final (def. by Farmingdale).

14. Cazenovia (NY Sect 3) (22-1) • The Lakers’ seniors finished off a spectacular year in Cazenovia athletics by winning their third state championship of the academic year. With a potent offense led by Denver-bound attackman Sean Cannizzarro and his younger brother, Connor, Caz scored less than ten goals only twice all year. After defeating Salmon River in OT, the Lakers bested shorthanded Silver Creek and their sophomore standout Zed Williams in a 15-13 shootout and then dusted off surprise Island ‘C’ champ Bayport-Blue Point 14-6 in the state final. They finished the season on an 18-game winning streak.
Goals For: 16.1
Goals Against: 6.2
Best Wins: Skaneateles 17-8, N-Skaneateles 12-6, N-Salmon River 14-13 (OT), N-Silver Creek 15-13, N-Bayport-Blue Point 14-6
Losses: A-Skaneateles 8-10
Postseason: Won NYS ‘C’ Championship (def. Bayport-Blue Point)

15. Manhasset (NY Sect 8) (17-2) • The Indians finished undefeated against the non-Garden City portion of their schedule, which would have been good enough to get off Long Island when they were still in Class ‘C.’ This year’s squad, led by the nation’s top 2012 defenseman in Rob Duvnjak, extended the program’s winning streak to 45 games by starting the season 9-0. They defeated traditional opponents John Jay, Cold Spring Harbor, Chaminade (winning Reg’s Rock for the third year in a row), and Darien on their way to a Nassau finals appearance.
Goals For: 11.2
Goals Against: 4.2
Best Wins: A-Cold Spring Harbor 12-11, Darien 10-7, Chaminade 3-2, Wantagh 10-7
Losses: Garden City 6-10, N-Garden City 5-6
Postseason: Lost in Nassau ‘B’ final (def. by Garden City)

16. Chaminade (NY CHSAA) (15-3) • The Flyers had a very good season in 2011, but they were tantalizingly close to one of their best years in a long time. Three losses by a total of four goals all to teams ranked in the top 15 spoiled an otherwise impressive season in which they defeated their archrival St. Anthony’s twice during the regular season, but were not able to finish it off in the CHSAA final. Their great senior class including attackman Matt Kavanagh (Notre Dame), midfielders Sean Mahon (Harvard) and Shane Thornton (Yale), and goaltender John Connors (Navy) was supplemented by perhaps the best sophomore attackman on Long Island, Ryan Lukacovic.
Goals For: 11.2
Goals Against: 5.6
Best Wins: Massapequa 14-8, St. Anthony’s 10-5, Fairfield Prep 7-6, A-Yorktown 14-8, A-St. Anthony’s 9-7, A- Delbarton 6-5
Losses: A-West Islip 7-8, A-Manhasset 2-3, N-St. Anthony’s 10-12
Postseason: Lost in CHSAA ‘AAA’ Championship (vs. St. Anthony’s)

17. St. Joseph’s Prep (PA) (19-5) • The Hawks had a legitimate year, picking up some notable wins before getting blow out in the championship at the hands of the Pioneers of Conestoga. SJP started off the year losing three out of their first seven, which included an overtime loss to top-ranked Haverford and another one-goal loss to La Salle, who they would beat in late May. Delaware-bound attackman Jeff Heath led the way for a promising group of Hawks, who have established themselves as a contender for years to come.
Goals For: 12.92
Goals Against: 6.12
Best Wins: Malvern Prep 9-8 (OT), N-La Salle 9-6, Manheim Township 11-10 (OT)
Losses: A-Conestoga 9-12, A-Haverford 8-9 (OT), N-La Salle 10-11, A-Central Bucks East 8-13, N-Conestoga 4-13
Postseason: Lost in PIAA Championship (def. by Conestoga)

18. Landon School (MD IAC) (19-3) • The Bears became just the second team in school history to pick up 19 wins in a season and had an impressive 18-game winning streak going all season. With Navy-bound Pat Keena, Landon’s new all time leading point-getter, leading the way for the slow-down offense and the veteran defense playing lights out, the Bears appeared headed for a championship. Unfortunately for them, they fell in overtime when Bobby Gribbin stung in a corner. Landon will return a legitimate chunk of their team in 2012 and should be among the country’s top 15.
Goals For: 8.4
Goals Against: 4.9
Best Wins: Malvern Prep 9-8 (OT), A-Good Counsel 8-5, Georgetown Prep 10-5, A-Gonzaga 7-5, A-Bullis 8-3
Losses: Gilman 7-8, St. Mary’s 3-7, Georgetown Prep 6-7 (OT)
Postseason: Lost in IAC Championship (def. by Georgetown Prep in OT)

19. Malvern Prep (PA IAC) (14-6) • Coach Metzbower and the Friars faced one of the most difficult schedules in the country. Many may look at six losses and find it hard imagine this team ranked in the top 25 but three of their losses came at the hands of our #1 ranked team. With no bad losses and several quality victories it’s not hard putting the six-loss Friars in our top 20. Malvern graduates six D-I bound seniors in attackmen T.J Hanzsche (Navy) and Mike Dougherty (St. Joseph’s) as well as top face-off man Drew Kennedy (Hopkins). Malvern returns perhaps the best defense trio in the country in Eddie Morris (Hopkins), Jack Sheridan (Notre Dame) and Kevin Samolsky (Navy), as well as Russell Atkinson (Navy) at attack.
Goals For: 9.0
Goals Against: 5.6
Best Wins: A- La Salle 12-8, A- Lawrenceville 10-8, Germantown Academy 8-7
Losses: A- Landon 8-9 (OT), Haverford 4-7, A-Germantown Academy 1-6, A-St. Joseph’s Prep 8-9 (OT), A-Haverford 5-11, N-Haverford 4-5
Postseason: Lost in IAC Championship (def. by Haverford)

20. Smithtown West (NY Sect 11) (15-4) • The Bulls finally got over the hump and beat Ward Melville handily at their place to reach their first Class ‘A’ final as a split program (they played in the Class ‘B’ final in 2009, and unified Smithtown won the ‘A’ title in 2003). However, a late goal by Brendan Smith that followed the save of the year by Kyle Turri on SW star James Pannell (Virginia) foiled a huge comeback and sent the Bulls home to watch Farmingdale upset West Islip. SW’s four losses were by a combined seven goals, including three overtime losses. Coaching turmoil has now arrived, so the outlook for next season remains to be seen.
Goals For: 13.1
Goals Against: 5.9
Best Wins: A-Yorktown 9-8, A-Connetquot 6-5, A-Ward Melville 15-7, A-Sachem North 15-8
Losses: A-Garden City 2-6, Ward Melville 9-10 (OT), A-West Islip 7-8 (OT), N-West Islip 11-12 (OT)
Postseason: Lost in Suffolk ‘A’ final (vs. West Islip)

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