MIAA A Conference lacrosse notebook: 6-team playoff field set but seeding still up for grabs
The six-team field is set but there’s still plenty to sort out.
Top-ranked Boys’ Latin (12-2 overall, 8-1) earned the top seed for the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference playoffs, while No. 5 Gilman (11-5, 6-3) and No. 9 Loyola Blakefield (8-7, 5-4) are locked in as the fifth and sixth seeds, respectively, but who will be the Nos. 2, 3 and 4 seeds won’t be decided until after Tuesday’s slate of games, the last day of the regular season.
After its 13-8 win at No. 2 Calvert Hall (10-5, 7-2) on Friday, No. 4 Archbishop Spalding (12-4, 7-2) can pin down the second seed with a win at Mount Saint Joseph on Tuesday. Calvert Hall, which visits Loyola, and two-time defending champion and No. 3 McDonogh (11-3, 7-2), which hosts Gilman, are currently slotted in as the third and fourth seeds, respectively.
Boys’ Latin and the eventual second seed earn byes in Friday’s quarterfinal round. The semifinals (5 and 7:30 p.m. next Tuesday) and the championship game (7:30 p.m. on May 17) will be played at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis.
Former Boys’ Latin coach Bob Shriver, who serves as an analyst on Blackbyrd Events’ MIAA Game of the Week livestream productions, has watched every playoff team and sees several candidates capable of winning the championship.
“Spalding is the hottest team playing right now with six wins in a row and you can say Boys’ Latin has been the most consistent team all year,” he said. “But I think the top four teams have been bundled pretty closely together all season.”
Shriver said that when teams are so evenly matched, faceoffs and goalie play often make the difference.
And then there’s the due respect to two-time defending champion McDonogh.
“From a purely experience perspective, McDonogh has the championship experience,” Shriver said. “Their senior and junior classes have both won two in a row and both classes are pretty talented.”
Cavs are cruising
From missing out on the playoffs last year to nearing a first-round bye this postseason, Archbishop Spalding has enjoyed a tremendous breakthrough under first-year coach Evan Hockel.
After a 1-2 start in conference play, the Cavaliers have rattled off six straight with a 10-9 win at McDonogh on April 16 and Friday’s win at Calvert Hall the biggest statements.
The Cavaliers are getting it done with a balanced attack and plenty of youth.
Sophomore attack Brady Mollott (24 goals, 33 assists), senior midfielder Connor Wilbur (16 goals, 36 assists), junior attack Joey Matassa (33 goals, 16 assists) and junior midfielder Jack Newell (26 goals, 5 assists) have effectively shared the offensive workload. The junior class also boasts faceoff specialist Ryan Criswell, goalie Jacob Neuman, long-pole midfielder Robby Hopper and defenseman Greyson Dunn.
“This is a team that truly loves being around each other. We say we play for each other, not with each other,” Hockel said.
Rivalry game awaits
While No. 1 Boys’ Latin has already clinched the top seed and St. Paul’s has been eliminated from the postseason, there will still be plenty to play for when the Lakers visit the Crusaders in the rivalry’s 106th meeting on Tuesday.
Boys’ Latin has a 56-48 edge in the series with one tie.
Just how close has the competition been over the decades?
The Lakers have scored 893 goals to 881 for the Crusaders. In 2015, the rivalry introduced the Darrell-Ehrhardt Cup named in honor of two revered employees of the schools — St. Paul’s Skip Darrell and Boys’ Latin’s Dyson Ehrhardt.
Boys’ Latin currently possesses the Cup following last year’s 9-5 win.
“Boys’ Latin-St. Paul’s is a great rivalry and means a lot to the programs, the schools and the players. Tuesday afternoon will be an amazing environment and a very competitive game,” Lakers coach Brian Farrell said.
A special thanks for the series’ history to 1976 Boys’ Latin graduate Mac Kennedy, who currently serves as the school’s director of alumni relations.