The eyes of the high school boys lacrosse world will be focused on Cabrini College in Radnor, Pa., near Philadelphia, on Wednesday.
That's when the team that has held down the top spot in the MaxPreps Xcellent 20 since the start of the season, Haverford (Pa.), will take its 22-0 record into the Inter-Ac final against Malvern Prep (Pa.).
The Fords, who will be making their third straight conference final appearance, have won 26 straight games.
Which was the last team to beat them, you ask?
Midfielder Joe McCallion of Haverford.
Photo by Richard Rector
Answer: Malvern, which pulled out a 7-6 win on May 7, 2010.
Top-seeded Haverford beat the fourth-seeded Lawrenceville School (N.J.), 13-11, in the semis. Malvern won its semifinal-round game over Penn Charter (Pa.), 6-4.
Nearby in New Jersey, Bridgewater-Raritan avenged for an earlier defeat by dealing Immaculata its first loss of the season, 14-6, in the finals of the Somerset County Tournament.
A bit more south in Baltimore, Gilman (Md.) upset Calvert Hall (Md.), 13-8, in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference championship game after edging Boys Latin (Md.) by 7-6 in the semifinals. It was Gilman's second MIAA title in the last three years.
Friends School (Md.) took the MIAA B Conference crown by beating Annapolis Area Christian School (Md.), 10-2, behind
David Magdeburger's four goals and an assist.
Jay Davis had three goals and an assist as Baltimore Lutheran (Md.) defeated St. Joe's Catholic Prep (Md.), 9-3, to win the MIAA C Conference title.
Another state champion was crowned last week as Regis Jesuit (Colo.) defeated Kent Denver (Colo.), 11-10 in the title game.
MAXPREPS XCELLENT 20 NATIONAL BOYS LACROSSE RANKINGS1. Haverford School (Pa.), 22-0: Matt Walters,
Brendan McGrath,
Hup Hupfeldt,
Gavin McBride and
Sam Rohr all scored two goals in the previously mentioned two-goal win over Lawrenceville (N.J.) in the Inter-Ac semis. (Last week's ranking: No. 1)
2. West Islip (N.Y.), 16-0: The top-seeded Lions take a 37-game win streak into their Suffolk County (N.Y.) Class A quarterfinal against No. 8 Smithtown East this week. (Last week's ranking: No. 2)
3. Ward Melville (East Setauket, N.Y.), 15-1: A 7-6 overtime setback to No. 2 West Islip is the Patriots' lone setback this season. (Last week's ranking: No. 3)
4. Conestoga (Berwyn, Pa.), 19-1: The Pioneers are set to face Pennsbury (Pa.) in the PIAA District 1 semifinals on Tuesday. (Last week's ranking: No. 4)
5. Garden City (N.Y.), 14-2: Johns Hopkins University-bound
Tom Gordon scored four times as the Trojans started Nassau County (N.Y.) Class B playoff action by picking up their 10th straight victory, beating Glen Cove (N.Y.) 14-2. (Last week's ranking: No. 5)
6. Darien (Conn.), 15-2: The top-seeded Blue Wave, in pursuit of its first Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference title since 2008, faces No. 5 Wilton in the semifinals on Tuesday, with the winner facing either No. 2 Greenwich or No. 3 Ridgefield on Friday in the finals. (Last week's ranking: No. 6)
7. Summit (N.J.), 18-0: Nick Kilkowski had four goals and two assists and
Mike Ford had four goals and one assist as the Hilltoppers won the Union County Tournament title game and extended their winning streak to 63 games by beating Cranford (N.J.), 15-2. (Last week's ranking: No. 7)
8. Manhasset (N.Y.), 15-1: John Tompkins had four goals and an assist as the Indians started Nassau County Class B playoff action by beating Bellmore JFK (N.Y.), 16-6. (Last week's ranking: No. 8)
9. Jamesville-DeWitt (DeWitt, N.Y.), 16-0: The top-seeded Red Rams will face No. 5 Watertown in the Section 3 Class B quarterfinals on Thursday. (Last week's ranking: No. 9)
10. Chaminade (Mineola, N.Y.), 15-2: Brendan DeTommaso scored five goals in an 11-3 win over Holy Trinity (N.Y.). (Last week's ranking: No. 10)
11. Deerfield Academy (Mass.), 15-0: The Big Green passed major back-to-back tests by beating Salisbury (Conn.) 11-7 and Phillips Exeter (N.H.) 6-4. (Last week's ranking: No. 11)
12. Smithtown West (N.Y.), 13-3: James Pannell scored six goals and
Craig Madarasz won 19 of 22 faceoffs in a 17-4 win at Northport (N.Y.). (Last week's ranking: No. 12)
13. St. Anthony's (Melville, N.Y.), 13-3: Sean McDonagh had three goals in a 13-4 win over Fairfield Prep (Conn.). (Last week's ranking: No. 14)
14. Regis Jesuit (Aurora, Colo.), 18-1: Ryan Ball had five goals in the previously mentioned one-goal state title game win over Kent Denver (Colo.). (Last week's ranking: No. 15)
15. Comsewogue (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.), 16-0: Nick Pelella was 13 of 16 on faceoffs and scooped up seven ground balls as the top-seeded Warriors defeated No. 8 Miller Place (N.Y.), 10-3, in the Suffolk County Class B quarterfinals. (Last week's ranking: No. 19)
16. Calvert Hall (Baltimore), 17-2: Other than the previously mentioned MIAA A Conference title game loss to Gilman (Md.), the Cardinals' only other setback was against McDonogh (Md.) (Last week's ranking: No. 13)
17. Bridgewater-Raritan (Bridgewater, N.J.), 13-2: Ryan Hollingsworth had four goals and an assist and
Ray Mastroianni and
Tyler Barbarich each had three goals and an assist in the aforementioned triumph over previously undefeated Immaculata (N.J.)
18. St. Ignatius (San Francisco), 19-3: Midfielder
Matt Emery is one of the nation's top sophomores, helping the Wildcats win 16 of their last 17. (Last week's ranking: Not ranked)
19. Lake Highland Prep (Orlando, Fla.), 20-1: A goal by
Nick St. Laurent with 7 seconds left gave the Highlanders an 11-10 win over St. Andrew's in the state title game. (Last week's ranking: No. 16)
20. Coppell (Texas), 15-4: The Cowboys' 10-8 Division I state-title game win against Dallas Jesuit avenged for a 13-11 regular-season loss to the Rangers and followed an 11-10 triumph over St. Mark's in the semifinals. (Last week's ranking: No. 17)
Dropped out: Immaculata (N.J.), No. 19; La Costa Canyon (Calif.), No. 20
Joe Lombardi writes the "Lax with Joe" blog at LaxLessons.com and is an analyst for the MSG Varsity Television Network. He is also the primary author of the new edition of "Lacrosse for Dummies," which was released last year. He may be reached at joe@laxlessons.com.
