MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Boys Lacrosse Rankings

The action Saturday at Haverford School did not disappoint for the much-ballyhooed fourth-annual Checking for Cancer Lacrosse Invitational.

On center stage, Garden City (N.Y.) held off former No. 1 Conestoga, 12-11, to take over the top spot from the Pioneers. Senior attackman Devin Dwyer collected three goals and six assists to spark the win for the Trojans (7-0), who held the lead most of the way and countered every Conestoga comeback attempt.

"Our coaches did an unbelievable job preparing us and we executed great," said Dwyer. "It was getting scary standing at the midfield line praying our defense would (hold them). But I had confidence we could.

"It was an awesome win."

Seniors Justin Guterding (three goals, two assists) and Liam Kennedy (two goals) also had big days for Garden City. Adam Goins and Bradlee Lord led Conestoga (7-1) with three goals each.

"That attack group at times was too much for our defense," Conestoga coach Brian Samson said. "And we were undisciplined. You could see that in the penalties we took. Credit that attack they did a great job."

"Our offense can be really powerful when we are on," added Dwyer. "Today I was just the lucky guy getting the opportunities to put them away. It feels great."

Also Saturday, host Haverford School thumped Lawrenceville School (N.J.), 10-3, as Henry Blynn tallied five goals. Meanwhile, both La Salle (Pa.) and Georgetown Prep (Md.) got knocked out of the rankings after one-goal losses and No. 18 Episcopal Academy (Pa.) kept rolling with a 12-6 victory over Radnor (Pa.).

Checking for Cancer scores
St. Augustine Prep (N.J.)11, La Salle (Pa.) 10, OT
Garden City (N.Y.) 12, Conestoga (Pa.) 11
Episcopal Academy (Pa.) 12, Radnor (Pa.) 6
Haverford School (Pa.) 10, Lawrenceville School (N.J.) 3
Penn Charter (Pa.) 8, Wlton (Conn.) 7
Salesianum School (Del.) 10, Chatham (N.J.) 9, OT
Delbarton (N.J.) 11, Georgetown Prep (Md.) 10

This Week's Games to Watch
Malvern Prep (Pa.) at No. 3 Haverford School, Tuesday
No. 7 Gilman at No. 16 Calvert Hall, Tuesday
No. 18 Manhasset at No. 13 Darien, Thursday
No. 20 West Islip at No. 11 Smithtown West, Thursday
No. 3 Haverford School at No. 18 Episcopal Academy, Friday.
No. 8 Loyola Blakefield at No. 16 Calvert Hall, Friday
No. 19 Duxbury (Mass.) at No. 1 Garden City, Saturday

MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Boys Lacrosse Rankings

1. (No. 6 last week) Garden City (N.Y.), 7-0
The Trojans earned the top spot after defeating the No. 1 team, Conestoga, far from home and on the big stage at the Checking for Cancer Invitational. The offense was nearly unstoppable and they staved off every challenge from a highly skilled team that had been able to score the big goal in every game until Saturday. They host Duxbury Saturday.

2. (3) Chaminade (Mineola, N.Y.), 6-0
The Flyers had a big 15-8 win over Yorktown, but Sunday's contest with Connecticut power Fairfield Prep was cancelled due to the death of a former Chaminade athletic director. They host Kellenberg Memorial on Tuesday.

3. (4) Haverford School (Pa.), 7-1
The Fords thumped Lawrenceville School (N.J.), 10-3, Saturday as the host team in the Checking for Cancer tourney. Henry Blynn pumped in five goals and the Fords held the Big Red scoreless in the first half. They are playing their best lacrosse at the right time. Haverford hosts arch-rival Malvern Prep on Tuesday and travels to No. 18 Episcopal Academy Friday night in two critical Inter-Ac League games.

4. (1) Conestoga (Berwyn, Pa.), 7-1
The Pioneers kept coming back from three- and two-goal deficits in their 12-11 loss to Garden City Saturday, but they were foiled on their last possession in the final minute. Having the pressure of being No. 1 off their backs may help as they near big games against Hill Academy (Saturday) and Haverford School (April 28).

5. (5) Deerfield Academy (Mass.), 5-0
The Big Green routed Torrey Pines (Calif.), 11-3, and Choate (Conn.), 15-4. They play Trinity-Pawling (N.Y.) on Wednesday.

6. (7) Salisbury School (Conn.), 3-0
The Crimson Knights toppled Brunswick School (Conn.), 11-4. They host Westminster School (Conn.) on Wednesday.

7. (8) Gilman (Baltimore), 6-1
The Greyhounds had big MIAA wins over McDonogh (Md.), 8-5, and Archbishop Spalding (Md.), 13-5. This sets them up for Tuesday's showdown at Calvert Hall, which is coming off a loss to McDonogh.

8. (9) Loyola Blakefield (Towson, Md.), 10-1
The Dons won their seventh game in a row with a 13-6 conquest of Boys' Latin and a 17-6 rout of St. Paul's to open MIAA play. They play at McDonogh Tuesday and at Calvert Hall Friday.

9. (10) St. Anthony's (Melville, N.Y.), 6-1
The Friars dealt La Costa Canyon (Calif.) its first loss, 7-6, on a late goal by John Puchaber. Then they clipped Malvern Prep (Pa.), 7-4, in the Evanfest benefit. They host Wilton (Conn.) Friday.

10. (11) Irondequoit (Rochester, N.Y.), 5-0
The Eagles were off last week and are gearing for a big game Saturday at Ithaca (N.Y.).

11. (13) Smithtown West (N.Y.), 5-0
The Bulls gained big victories over Ward Melville (N.Y.), 12-6, and Yorktown (N.Y.). They have a big home date Thursday with West Islip.

12. (14) Bridgewater-Raritan (Bridgewater, N.J.), 6-0
The Panthers blanked Moorestown (N.J.), 8-0, and have allowed just 18 goals in six games. They host Montgomery (N.J.) on Wednesday.

13. (15) Darien (Conn.), 5-0
The Blue Wave avenged last year's playoff loss to defending state champion Wilton, 10-8, and then toppled Torrey Pines (Calif.), 16-10, as Case Matheis has five goals and two assists. They host New Canaan (Conn.) Tuesday and No. 15 Manhasset Thursday.

14. (16) Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.), 9-1
The Purple Eagles dealt New York's Hamburg its first loss, 10-3. They host two big WCAC games this week, Paul VI (Va.) today and St. Mary's Ryken (Md.) on Thursday.

15. (18) Manhasset (N.Y.), 4-1
The Indians edged John Jay-Cross River (N.Y.), 11-10, on an overtime goal by Quinn Moroney. They host No. 13 Darien Thursday and 8-0 Bethpage (N.Y.) on Saturday.

16. (2) Calvert Hall (Baltimore), 7-2
The Cardinals were surprised by McDonogh (Md.), 7-6, in the MIAA. They need to recover quickly because they host Gilman Tuesday and Loyola Blakefield on Friday.

17. (20) Niskayuna (N.Y.), 3-0
The Silver Warriors toppled previously undefeated Burnt Hills (N.Y.), 20-8, as Blake Pfohl had three goals and three assists and Matt Sexton had three goals and two assists. They play at Guilderland (N.Y.) on Tuesday.

18. (22) Episcopal Academy (Newtown Square, Pa.), 10-1
The Churchmen handled Radnor (Pa.), 12-6, Saturday at Checking for Cancer after Thursday's 9-4 thumping of Malvern Prep (Pa.) in the Inter-Ac League. Connor Haab had three goals and Morgan Westby added two goals and an assist in that win. They host Penn Charter Tuesday and No. 3 Haverford school Friday.

19. (23) Duxbury (Mass.), 5-1
The Green Dragons gained big wins over Billerica (Mass.), 5-4, and Jamesville-DeWitt (N.Y.), 10-8. They play Saturday at No. 1 Garden City.

20. (24) West Islip (N.Y.), 5-1
The Lions routed previously undefeated Sachem North (N.Y.), 14-3. They gear for a key showdown Thursday at Smithtown West.

21. (25) West Genesee (Camillus, N.Y.), 6-0
The Wildcats won three games last week, giving their 37-year coach, Mike Messere, career win No. 746. Messere stands one victory behind former Ward Melville and Mt. Sinai coach Joe Cuozzo, who owns the state record (and unofficially the national mark) with 747. They can give their coach a tie for the mark by beating 1-5 Auburn (N.Y.) on the road Tuesday, and then they can give him the record by himself with a win at home Thursday over 5-1 Oswego (N.Y.).

22. (NR) Summit (N.J.), 6-0
The Hilltoppers had big wins last week over Seton Hall Prep (N.J.), 11-4, and Cold Spring Harbor (N.Y.), 9-6. They have won an amazing 74 of their past 75 games. They have a big home date Saturday with 4-0 Ridgefield (Conn.).

23. (12) Lawrenceville School (N.J.), 6-1
The Big Red suffered a 10-3 loss to host Haverford School Saturday at Checking for Cancer. They look to rebound today when they host Immaculata (N.J.).

24. (NR) Massapequa (N.Y.), 5-1
The Chiefs have won five in a row since opening the year with an overtime loss to Chaminade. They have a big game Thursday at Syosset (N.Y.).

25 (NR) St. Ignatius (San Francisco), 15-0
The Wildcats enter the rankings after defeating San Clemente (Calif.), 9-6, and Brophy Prep (Phoenix), 8-6. They host Bellarmine Prep (San Jose, Calif.) on Wednesday.

Dropped out: Georgetown Prep (North Bethesda, Md.), 9-4; Yorktown (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.), 4-2; La Salle (Wyndmoor, Pa.), 4-3.

Chris Goldberg, editor and owner of Lacrosse Media, operates Phillylacrosse.com, LILacrosseNews.com and BaltimoreLacrosseNews.com, as well as the new national gear site, LaxGearZone.com. He may be reached at golax@phillylacrosse.com.