Wild, Wild West Highlights Changes to Boys' Regional Top 10 Rankings

Every Tuesday during the high school lacrosse season, USA Lacrosse updates Regional Top 10 and National Top 25 rankings to reflect the results of the previous week. Below are the USA Lacrosse High School Boys’ Regional Top 10 updates through games played March 31.

Much of the Northeast Region had been waiting to get their seasons started, and the first full week shook all the rankings up. St. Anthony’s (N.Y.) and Brunswick (Conn.) are still at the top unbeaten, but three new teams join the Top 10 after Belmont Hill (Mass), Fairfield Prep (Conn.) and LaSalle Academy (R.I.) picked up big wins against regional foes. Manhasset (N.Y.) remained unbeaten to slide up, and St. John’s Prep (Mass.) won its opener, while Chaminade (N.Y.) slipped after a pair of out-of-region losses but remains a strong team.

Malvern Prep (Pa.) has a perilous schedule, but it is paying off. The Friars flipped spots with Boys’ Latin (Md.) to jump to No. 2 after winning their Mid-Atlantic Region contest. Malvern sees a chance to move up to No. 1 this week. After taking on national No. 2 St. Anthony’s (N.Y.), the Friars host top-ranked Lawrenceville (N.J.). Calvert Hall (Md.) slides up a spot by virtue of playing Lawrenceville more competitively than Gilman (Md.).

The South Region looks largely like it did a week ago in part because of a light holiday week schedule. The one notable move came from Highland Park (Texas). Mike Pressler’s squad has challenged itself out of region, and the results are paying off.

The Midwest Region comes in exactly as it was last week. Top-ranked Culver (Ind.) was idle, and the top-ranked teams in the region had their way with regional opponents. Upper Arlington (Ohio) tested itself against a pair of West Region opponents and came away with a split, while St. Viator (Ill.) ventured into the South Region, where it suffered its first losses against Florida squads.

The West Region is getting wild. St. Ignatius Prep (Calif.), Valor Christian (Colo.) and Torrey Pines (Calif.) seem firmly established in the top three spots, but beyond them, it depends on the day. Sacred Heart Prep (Calif.) is yo-yoing up and down, mixing tough losses with impressive wins in a very good schedule. Brophy Prep (Ariz.), Foothill-Santa Ana (Calif.) and Loyola-Los Angeles (Calif.) have been going around in circles as they hold onto top-10 rankings. St. Margaret’s Episcopal (Calif.), Santa Fe Christian (Calif.), Santa Margarita Catholic (Calif.), Legend (Colo.), Bishop’s School (Calif.) and Redwood (Calif.), all have proven they can beat good teams. And Mercer Island (Wash.) and Arapahoe (Colo.) are unbeaten early. Yet none of those teams are ranked in the Top 10 – for now.

NORTHEAST

1. St. Anthony’s (N.Y.), 2-0

Luke Breslin scored five goals and added three assists, Quinn Langston had four goals and five assists and Gary Merrill added three goals and two assists in a 15-11 win over St. John’s College (D.C.) March 29 at Drexel University. The Friars take on Mid-Atlantic No. 2 Malvern Prep (Pa.) before finally playing their home opener against Delbarton (N.J.) on April 6. Previous: 1

2. Brunswick School (Conn.), 3-0

Sean Ryan scored four goals, including the overtime winner, Payton Anderson scored three goals, Lucas Garcia had two goals and two assists and Aidan Diaz-Matos won 18 of 22 faceoffs in an 11-10 overtime win at Deerfield (Mass.) which followed an 11-5 win over Radnor (Pa.). Next up is the annual showdown against Darien (Conn.) on April 4. Previous: 2

3. Staples (Conn.), 0-0

Ben Burmeister and Josh Marcus highlight a Staples (Conn.) team that will take on Archbishop Stepinac (N.Y.) April 6 as the Wreckers’ title defense officially begins. Previous: 6

4. Manhasset (N.Y.), 4-0

Marco Petruccelli scored three goals, Patrick Arnold had four assists and Matthew Im made 10 saves in an 8-7 win over John Jay-Cross River. The Indians, who previously knocked off Farmingdale (N.Y.), 10-7, have a busy week, with a home game against Carey (N.Y.) sandwiched between trips to Connecticut to take on Ridgefield (Conn.) and Darien (Conn.). Previous: 7

5. Belmont Hill (Mass.), 2-0

Villanova commit Will Stewart scored four goals, Lafayette-bound Ben DiBattista netted a hat trick and James Mullowney made nine saves as the Hillers raced out to an 8-0 lead en route to in a 13-7 victory over Westminster (Conn.). DiBattista scored six goals, including the OT winner, and Cornell-bound Eli Friedman won 25 of 29 faceoffs in a 13-12 win over Deerfield (Mass.). Previous: NR

6. St. John’s Prep (Mass.), 1-0

Luke Kelly (Michigan) had three goals and one assist, Cam McCarthy (Loyola) netted a hat trick and Madden McGowan added a goal and an assist to pace the Eagles to an 11-9 victory over Acton-Boxborough (Mass.). The three-time defending state champions were powered by a 6-1 second quarter. Previous: 8

7. Chaminade (N.Y.), 1-2

Gavin Lynch had three goals and one assist, James Gillis had one goal and two assists and John Balsamo had one goal and one assist in a 10-9 loss to Salesianum (Del.) April 6. The loss comes after a 12-10 defeat at McDonogh (Md.). The Flyers host Saint Ignatius Prep (Calif.) on April 4 before heading to Fairfield Prep (Conn.) on April 6. Previous: 3

8. Shoreham-Wading River (N.Y.), 2-0

Liam Kershis had nine goals and one assist, Liam Gregorek scored four goals, Ryan Wilson netted a hat trick and Alex Kershis had two goals and two assists in a 13-11 win over Comsewogue (N.Y.). Previous: 10

9. Fairfield Prep (Conn.), 1-0

Luke Shannehan scored three goals, including the tying goal with 1:32 left in regulation and the overtime winner, Tim Shannehan had three goals and one assist and Ryan Backus won 13 of 17 faceoffs as the Jesuits rallied to beat host Darien (Conn.) in overtime April 6. Previous: NR

10. LaSalle Academy (R.I.), 1-0

Connor Kelley made 18 saves, Drew Bradley (Quinnipiac) and Ronan Peterson (Loyola) had two goals and one assist apiece and Providence commit Matt Hayes scored the overtime winner for the Rams in a 6-5 victory over Garden City (N.Y.). Previous: NR

— Dylan Butler

MID-ATLANTIC

1. Lawrenceville (N.J.), 6-0

The Big Red marched through another pair of teams to remain perfect this season. They blew by Penn Charter (Pa.) 24-2 and then stopped Kiski Prep (Pa.) 19-7 on March 30. Lawrenceville has a big week starting with St. Ignatius Prep (Calif.) on April 2 and culminating with a 1 vs. 2 showdown between Malvern (Pa.) on April 6. Previous: 1

2. Malvern Prep (Pa.), 5-0

The Friars face an incredible schedule through their first seven games this year, and through the first five they remain perfect. After beating Valor Christian (Colo.), 13-6, on March 25, Malvern traveled to USA Lacrosse headquarters and rallied for an 8-7 win over previously unbeaten Boys’ Latin (Md.) on March 27. Owen Mears’ third goal of the game tied the game and a goal by John Majka won it. Logan Turley scored twice and had an assist and Ennis Udo had a goal and assist. Nick Wehmeyer went 10 for 17 on faceoffs and Heath Jones made seven saves. The Friars already knocked off Georgetown Prep (D.C.), Loyola Blakefield (Md.) and Calvert Hall (Md.). They now face two more challenges back-to-back with games against national No. 2 St. Anthony’s (N.Y.) and then national No. 1 Lawrenceville (N.J.). Previous: 4

3. Haverford (Pa.), 6-0

The Fords had no difficulty in a sweep on their Virginia trip. They stomped Woodberry Forest (Va.) 20-3 on March 26 and the next day ripped St. Anne’s-Belfield (Va.) 16-5. Haverford is allowing just 5.67 goals per game. They host Sacred Heart Prep (Calif.) on April 3 and play at Hill School (Pa.) on April 5. Previous: 3

4. Boys' Latin (Md.), 4-1

The Lakers held a 7-6 lead only to see Malvern (Pa.) rally for an 8-7 win in their only game of the week. Liam White’s second goal of the game had given Boys’ Latin its slim edge with 8:45 left. Matthew Higgins scored twice as well for the Lakers in the first loss of the year. They played without Maryland-bound senior Spencer Ford. They will try to get back on track with a pair of MIAA games against Archbishop Spalding (Md.) and Calvert Hall (Md.) this week. The Lakers still haven’t allowed double-digit goals to a team this year. Previous: 2

5. McDonogh (Md.), 4-1

The Eagles crossed regions for a huge win with national implications. McDonogh got off to a strong start and then held off Chaminade (N.Y.) 12-10 at Salesianum (Del.) on March 27 in their lone game of the week. McDonogh led 6-0 before Chaminade got on the board. Brendan Millon paced the offense with four goals, while Bogue Hahn, Hunter Metz and Luke Miller all had two goals apiece and Aiden Seibel backstopped the defense with 12 saves, including a huge one in the final minute. McDonogh faces a pair of MIAA teams this year with St. Paul’s (Md.) and Severn (Md.). Previous: 5

6. Calvert Hall (Md.), 3-3

The Cardinals snapped their three-game losing streak with a 20-8 win over Vandermont Academy (Texas) in their only contest of the week. Owen Scott scored six times, and Sisto Averno, Cody Collier and Preston Huffman all had two goals apiece. Peyton Forte dished out four assists. At the faceoff X, Nick Pocalycko went 11 for 14 and Ben Cuomo was a perfect 11 for 11. Calvert jumps into MIAA play with a pair of good games. They will host St. Mary’s Annapolis (Md.) on April 2 and play at Boys’ Latin on April 5. Previous: 8

7. Gilman (Md.), 4-2

The Greyhounds walked over St. Albans (D.C.) 19-7. Jay Wilkerson had a hat trick and three assists, and Mike Maloney and James Meyer each had three goals and two assists apiece. Jay Rodgers fired in four goals. Chase Harrington scored twice and Graham put up a pair of assists. Gilman hosts St. Ignatius (Ohio) on April 2 and John Carroll (Md.) on April 5. Previous: 9

8. La Salle (Pa.), 2-0

The Explorers had their game at Roman Catholic (Pa.) postponed so they did not play last week. La Salle will face another early unbeaten Cape Henlopen (Del.) on April 3 and finish the week against Father Judge (Pa.) on April 5. Previous: 7

9. St. Paul’s (Md.), 4-1

The overtime faceoff was knocked around several times before Luke Bair finally scooped it up deep in the Bullis (Md.) end and quickly deposited the game-winner for a 14-13 win over the Bulls. It was Bair’s eighth goal of the contest. It was their third one-goal win of the season. They opened the year with a 11-10 win over Landon (Md.) and an overtime win over Torrey Pines (Calif.). They face stern tests this week from McDonogh (Md.) and St. Mary’s Annapolis (Md.). Previous: NR

10. Bullis (Md.), 7-1

The Bulldogs fell for the first time this season. St. Paul’s (Md.) pulled off a 14-13 overtime win over Bullis on March 26, the most goals that Bullis has allowed this season. Bullis bounced back with a 12-5 win over Worthington Kilbourne (Ohio). The Bulldogs will host Cardinal Gibbons (N.C.) and then face Landon (Md.) in a good IAC matchup. Previous: 6

— Justin Feil

SOUTH

1. St. Andrew’s (Fla.), 14-1

With the help of eight different goal scorers, the Scots pulled away in the fourth quarter and defeated St. Viator (Ill.) 12-9 after trailing by a goal entering the final period. St. Andrew’s once again used a balanced scoring attack to defeat Berkeley Prep (Fla.) 18-1. Theodore Loucas was impressive between the pipes stopping six of seven shots faced. Previous: 1

2. Lake Mary (Fla.), 14-1

The Rams notched a pair of blowout wins heading into Easter weekend. Lake Mary opened last week with an 18-3 win over Oviedo (Fla.) and followed that with a 24-0 victory over Lake Howell (Fla.). Previous: 2

3. Highland Park (Texas), 9-2

The Scots have faced arguably the toughest schedule in the region and are posting notable wins in the process. Last week, Highland Park defeated Severn School (Md.) 9-8. Harrison Brown scored the game-winner after Highland Park trailed by a pair of goals. The Scots then followed that result with a 6-2 win over Torrey Pines (Calif.). Previous: 5

4. Charlotte Catholic (N.C.), 11-0

The Cougars remained undefeated by notching a 14-9 win over Providence Day (N.C.) on March 26. Charlotte Catholic next faces Dutch Fork (N.C.) on April 4. Previous: 3

5. Bolles (Fla.), 16-1

The Bulldogs avenged their disappointing first loss of the year by defeating Fleming Island (Fla.) 19-6. Two days later, Bolles used an impressive offensive performance from Daylin John-Hill en route to a 19-6 win over Episcopal School of Jacksonville (Fla.). He had a combined seven goals between the two victories last week. Previous: 4

6. Westlake (Texas), 10-1

The Chapperals had a bye week after last facing St. Mark’s (Texas) on March 23. Westlake returns to play April 6 versus Memorial (Texas). Previous: 6

7. Benjamin (Fla.), 13-1

Alex Ponchock had another all-around good effort for the Buccaneers. The junior’s four-goal, eight-ground ball effort helped Benjamin past Colorado Academy (Colo.) 15-14. Benjamin closed out the week with a 12-7 win over St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.). Campbell Hogan had a hat trick in the win over St. Thomas Aquinas. Previous: 7

8. Lake Highland Prep (Fla.), 11-1

The Highlanders posted a solid 16-6 win over New Trier (Ill.). Owen Lenox, a senior attacker committed to Rutgers, had a four-goal effort. Lake Highland’s regular season closes this week with a tough test against Lake Mary (Fla.). Previous: 8

9. Roswell (Ga.), 13-2

The Hornets ended a two-week layoff with a 16-5 win over Centennial (Ga.). Ezra Moore contributed five goals in the win. Roswell is off until April 10 when it faces Cambridge (Ga.). Previous: 9

10. Green Level (N.C.), 9-1

The Gators had a bye week after suffering their first loss of the year on March 22 to Middle Creek (N.C.). Green Level’s season continues April 2 against Apex Friendship (N.C.). Harrison Murray has a team-leading 27 goals. Previous: 10

— Justin Boggs

MIDWEST

1. Culver Academy (Ind.), 6-1

The Eagles have traveled all over the country to start their season, playing games in New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington, D.C. Culver can finally relax at home a bit, following a two-week break with a couple of home games against Spire Academy (Ohio) and St. Xavier (Ky.). Previous: 1

2. Brother Rice (Mich.), 2-0

The Warriors have now outscored their first two opponents by a 34-4 margin after topping Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (Mich.), 17-1. The schedule gets much tougher for Brother Rice, including this week’s trip to the Land of Lincoln to face two of the top teams in Illinois: Wheaton Academy (April 5) and St. Viator (April 6). Previous: 2

3. Dublin Jerome (Ohio), 2-0

The Celtics have started their season with a pair of wins by double-digit margins. In their 19-6 win over Olentangy Orange (Ohio) on March 30, UMass commit Xander Johns led Dublin Jerome with six goals while Tampa commit Kyle White had two goals and three assists and Seth Siddell went 12 of 13 from the X. The Celtics have three games this week, including a rematch of last year’s Region 1 championship game against Olentangy Liberty (Ohio), which Dublin Jerome won 20-12. Previous: 3

4. Rockhurst Jesuit (Mo.), 5-2

The Hawklets put up some remarkable numbers heading into spring break, including Luke McNamara’s 40 goals and Gentry Curtis’ 64 ground balls and 97 faceoff wins. Rockhurst Jesuit returns to action April 2 against St. Thomas Aquinas (Kan.) followed by a solid April 6 showdown against Chaminade Prep (Mo.). Previous: 4

5. Upper Arlington (Ohio), 3-1

The Golden Bears split a pair of games against top Colorado competition, edging Cherry Creek (12-11) and falling to Valor Christian (12-8). Jack Caine had hat tricks in both games, with five goals against Valor and three goals and three assists against Cherry Creek. Fellow junior Sam Old had 23 saves over the weekend. Previous: 5

6. Detroit Catholic Central (Mich.), 2-0

After a tight opening victory over Detroit Country Day (Mich.), the Shamrocks had a much less stressful second game, shutting out University Detroit Jesuit (Mich.). DCC now hits the road for two straight, traveling to Cranbrook (Mich.), followed by 2023 state champion Brother Rice (Mich.). Previous: 6

7. Hartland (Mich.), 1-0

The Eagles haven’t played since March 20. They’re scheduled to return next week with three games, starting with back-to-back tilts against in-state foes Lake Orion and Northville April 9 and 10. Previous: 7

8. St. Viator (Ill.), 2-2

The Lions competed well in losses to two of the top teams in Florida, falling 12-9 to St. Andrew’s (which boasts a 14-1 record) and 15-8 to IMG. This week includes a must-watch game against one of Michigan’s best teams in Brother Rice. Previous: 8

9. MICDS (Mo.), 5-1

The Rams got a little revenge with their 14-8 win over DeSmet Jesuit (Mo.), which snapped MICDS’ streak of eight straight state titles last spring. Washington and Lee commit Willy Carpenter had four goals out of the midfield while Boston University commit Henry Oliver wreaked havoc on defense with eight ground balls and four caused turnovers. With four assists March 28, Steele Crissman is now up to 21 through six games. Previous: 9

10. Hamilton Southeastern (Ind.), 5-0

The Royals were dominant in their lone game of the week, topping Guerin Catholic (Ind.) on the road, 14-1. HSE is off this week before heading to Ohio next weekend to take on a pair of solid Buckeye State opponents in Olentangy Liberty and Worthington Kilbourne. Previous: 10

— Jonah Rosenblum

WEST

1. St. Ignatius Prep (Calif.), 9-0

The Wildcats remain at No. 1 after adding two more victories to stay undefeated. They defeated Saint Francis (Calif.) 18-4 then prevailed 16-7 against previously-ranked No. 5 Loyola-Los Angeles (Calif.). St. Ignatius goes head-to-head with the No. 1 ranked Mid-Atlantic Lawrenceville (N.J.) on April 2 followed by Chaminade (N.Y.) on April 4. Previous: 1

2. Valor Christian (Colo.), 3-2

The Eagles fell 13-6 to Malvern Prep (Pa.) before bouncing back 15-5 against Park City (Utah) then they topped previously-ranked Midwest region No. 5 Upper Arlington (Ohio) 12-8. Senior attack Baden Brown (Tufts) had a combined four goals and seven assists against Park City and Upper Arlington. Up next is Jackson Hole (Wyo.) and league opponent ThunderRidge (Colo.). Previous: 2

3. Torrey Pines (Calif.), 7-3

Torrey Pines took a 6-2 loss to top Texas ranked Highland Park in a defensive battle then they rallied to defeat a solid Dallas Jesuit (Texas) team 9-6. Sophomore attack Ross Jacobsen scored five goals in the win and senior goalie Andrew Cook (Johns Hopkins) had 15 and 11 saves, respectively. They take on Santa Fe Christian (Calif.) next week. Previous: 3

4. Mountain Vista (Colo.), 2-1

The Golden Eagles fell 10-9 in a narrow loss to Coronado (Calif.). Mountain Vista faces league opponent Legend (Colo.) on April 2 followed by Santa Margarita (Calif.) on April 5. Previous: 4

5. Jesuit Portland (Ore.), 4-1

The Crusaders went 2-1 on their Texas spring break trip, edging Episcopal Dallas 11-10 before falling 9-7 in a narrow battle against Dallas Jesuit then bouncing back to defeat Woodlands 16-5. Up next is West Linn (Ore.). Previous: 7

6. Sacred Heart Prep (Ariz.), 7-3

Sacred Heart fell 7-5 to Bishop’s (Calif.) but responded with a 9-8 upset over previously-ranked No. 5 Loyola-Los Angeles. Senior middie Alex Shen scored five goals and had one assist against Loyola while junior middie Cole Staley scooped four ground balls and caused three turnovers. The Gators travel east to face Haverford School (Pa.). Previous: 9

7. Marin Catholic (Calif.), 9-3

The Wildcats are on a roll after adding two more league wins, a 22-0 sweep against San Rafael (Calif.) followed by a 14-2 victory over Tamalpais (Calif.). Marin Catholic will be put to the test against tough East Coast opponents in New Providence (N.J.), Montgomery (N.J.), Chatham (N.J.) and Rumson-Fair Haven (N.J.). Previous: 10

8. Brophy Prep (Ariz.), 13-2

Brophy’s match against West Linn (Ore.) was canceled last week. The Broncos gear up for two games ahead, Curtis (Wash.) on April 1 and De La Salle (Calif.) on April 2. Previous: 6

9. Foothill-Santa Ana (Calif.), 9-3

Foothill defeated league opponent Yorba Linda (Calif.) 16-3 then proved to be victorious against Redwood (Calif.) in a hard-fought 6-5 win after double overtime. The Knights, who are undefeated at 4-0 in league play, march forward for a three-game homestead: Monte Vista (Calif.), St. Margaret’s (Calif.), and Esperanza (Calif.). Previous: 8

10. Loyola-Los Angeles (Calif.), 8-3

It was a tough week for Loyola who came up short, 9-8, against previously-ranked No. 9 Sacred Heart (Calif.) and fell 16-7 to No. 1 St. Ignatius (Calif.). The Cubs look to rebound against Corona Del Mar (Calif.) and league opponent Chaminade (Calif.). Previous: 5

— Theresa Palmquist