The lacrosse teams representing the New York Archdiocese approved a merger to form a 16-team league with the teams now in the Long Island Archdiocese. Formal approval is expected in November.
What does this mean? A pretty impressive eight-team "super division" that will include such teams as St. Anthony’s, Chaminade, Iona Prep and Fordham Prep, with all those teams eventually playing one another home-and-home during the regular season.
This coming season, because the non-league schedules of St. Anthony’s and Chaminade are close to being finalized, some teams in the league will play St. Anthony’s twice and Chaminade once in 2010, and others will play Chaminade twice and St. Anthony’s once. Iona Prep, for instance, is expected to play St. Anthony’s home and home in 2010 and one game vs. Chaminade.
The combined New York Catholic League will include two divisions, with the most competitive teams in Division AA. Each division will have eight teams. The A Division will add Cardinal Spellman and Cardinal Hayes in 2011 when those schools field varsity teams for the first time.
Here’s a breakdown of the teams:
New York Catholic League
Division AA
St. Anthony’s, Chaminade, Iona Prep, Holy Trinity, St John the Baptist, Kellenberg, Fordham Prep, Monsignor Farrell
Division A
Mount St. Michael, Stepinac, Xaverian, St Joe’s by the Sea, St. Francis, St. Mary’s, St. Dominic’s, St. Raymond’s
There’s also talk that more changes could be coming, including a Tri-State Catholic League playoff in 2011, in which teams such as Fairfield Prep, Delbarton, Bergen Catholic and Don Bosco could join teams in the New York Catholic League for a postseason event.
New York-vs.-Connecticut border war
There has been a lot of talk here as to why John Jay (N.Y.) and Ridgefield (Conn.) don’t meet on a regular basis. John Jay, after all, has won four Section 1 titles in five years. Ridgefield unseated defending state champion Darien to win the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Association title last year.
Well, wait no more.
Ridgefield coach Roy Colsey, the former Syracuse star midfielder, announced that his Tigers and John Jay will meet next season. And the game will be under the lights — on Saturday, May 15, at 7 p.m.
"That will be a great game," Colsey said. "It’s the battle of the border."
Joe Lombardi, who has been a fixture on the lacrosse scene during the sport’s rapid growth in the New York metropolitan area, produces editorial and video content for LaxLessons.com. He may be reached at joe@laxlessons.com.
