Predictions for D1

[LSLax6]

Before the actual season gets underway what Division 1 team do you think will win the championship this year?

My money is on princeton or navy.

Navy lost dingman but they have almost an all senior line up for defence (felber and hendler) along with clipper lennon who is very good at what he does, For offence they still have Birsner and Gill. Two very talented players. Who can forget the face off king the "ice man" who will also be returning. ANd of course matt russel. I think they are going to do alot with these boys.

Now to princeton. All i can say is that tierney brought the team to semis with pretty much all freshmen and sophmores. If not this year then next princeton will stomp every one.

[jmplax31]

I say this every year, but I really think Hopkins can pull it together this year, so they will be my preseason pick. My second would be Princeton, cause of how young they are and there coach. I like NC to do something; they could possibly win it (maybe)


Dark horse is G-Town :nofear:

[laxdevil666]

i have cuse going out latest in the semi's probably earlier. i think hopkins wins it all. And a little tid bit, i think that dartmouth is gonna knock off syracuse. they come closer and closer to beating them every year, the dartmouth goalie scored on syracuse last year, and i'm gonna go see that game so it should be a good one.

[Longest]

Navy has lost too much. Dingman AND Bossi gone hurts them incredibly. Russell came out of nowhere last year, Navy is goign to have to hope he can do it again. I don't count Navy out totally but it is not going to be a cake walk for them.

Princeton I am pessimistic about. I know, the magic of Tierney. But face it, the Tigers skated by the Terrapins last year due to MD mistakes + Ryan Boyle. Who takes up the mantle from Boyle? No one came close to matching Boyle's output last year: (23 g, 44 a). Next closest was Doneger (36, 2) but he has yet to establish himself as a go-to guy that can carry a squad. The Princeton D + Dave Law should help keep them in most games but someone is going to have to score some points. Who will that be, Doneger? Whitney Hayes? Sowanick? Trombino? Lot of good young talent there but someone is going to have to take control and lead this team.

Navy and Princeton are similar in that they have lost a lot of offensive firepower but strong goalie play and good defense can probably keep them in every game. I agree, Princeton could shape up nicely for 2006, whether 2005 goes well or poorly.

If I have to pick two teams, I'm going to say Hop and Georgetown.

Hopkins is obvous and should be no surprise. I know about the curse, I know about all that crap. But look at the roster. They lost their leading goal scorer (Ford) and leading assist man (Boland). Yet after that, they got so much production from so many guys. Harrison, Barrie, Rewkowski, LeSeur, Peyser. Keep in mind Peyser played most of the year hurt too. Two good defensemen return as well, Garvey and Pinto. Question marks: Goalie play was average last year; Rewk's ACL injury; Barrie still hasn't played to his potential; lose one of the best LSMs in the game last year in Harned. But I'm still taking the Jays. Maybe I'm a fan or something :-)

Lastly, Georgetown. They seem to be cursed in big games, coming so close last year against Cuse only to go down. They lose their 2 leading scorers in Hajj and Goldman (37, 42 pts respectively). However, I believe Sean Denihan (16 g, 13 a) is going to come into his own this year. Miaritis and Casey return to keep them dangerous. They're gonna need one more scoring threat at midfield though. Lamade is young but talented. Defensively, the Hoyas seem in great shape. Rich D'Andrea can be streaky but when he is on, he is a force. At LSM, the Hoyas have whom I would pick as the best player in D1, Brodie Merrill. Reyn Garnett returns and was picked 2nd team preseason AA. And last but not least, Andy Corno returns for his senior swan song as one of the most dominant FO men in the league (68% last year, #1). GU is going to come down to generating a scorer out of the midfield, D'Andrea playing consistently, and ignoring all the superstitions about how they can't win.

Dan

[kryptic]

Hopkins is my pick, yet they've always been my pick for the last few years...and never pulled through..

[jmplax31]

Kinda sucks for Hopkins. Not only did they choke and not get the job last year, but many people are picking them, and putting them at the top of there polls. Which means there the "team to beat" again this year and they didn't even win the whole thing. Everyone we be gunning for them. They really are cursed.

[SullyLax]

Every year you could probably make a case for any big lax school to be number one. And this year, navy, after what they accomplished last year. I have a feeling Virginia will have another off year, and I'll take Hopkins as the champs.

[laxman9]

after the way navy played last year i think its goin to be them

[exile lacrosse]

after the way navy played last year i think its goin to be them

Operative word LAST. they lost some good people, and a good golie wont keep em in the game (virginia, tilly j). im not counting them completely out, but its going to be hard for them.

This year, oo thats tuff. I am a cuse fan, but i see them making the final four then losing due to lack of experiance. However for the next 3 years they are either going to win it all or give everyone an extra run for their money with all the crazy freshman they are getting.

[Longest]

Operative word LAST. they lost some good people, and a good golie wont keep em in the game (virginia, tilly j). im not counting them completely out, but its going to be hard for them.


But a good goalie AND a good close D until WILL keep them in the game.

Dan

[WHSlax42]

Hopkins will take it. I am suprised Jake Byrne is gettin the start over Kevin Huntley though..didnt see that coming

[WHSlax42]

[QUOTE]Barrie still hasn't played to his potential

he played to his potential sophomore year, but yeah he can always get better

[hseXlax]

im not by any means saying Notre Dame will win it all but i am sating i think that they will go a lot further than last year (like actually make the playoffs)

[CornerPicker22]

::Looks over at avatar:: - Yep.

[jmplax31]

This year, oo thats tuff. I am a cuse fan, but i see them making the final four then losing due to lack of experiance. However for the next 3 years they are either going to win it all or give everyone an extra run for their money with all the crazy freshman they are getting.

See thats the thing, I seem to be the only one doubting cuse that much. I REALLY don't think they can make the FF this year. They just lost way to much. This coming from a fan too, I really think it's going to be hard for them.

[Longest]

See thats the thing, I seem to be the only one doubting cuse that much. I REALLY don't think they can make the FF this year. They just lost way to much. This coming from a fan too, I really think it's going to be hard for them.

Cuse is going to be relying on 2 guys who, heretofore, have been purely defensive middies for them (Park and Plunket); a bucket of Freshmen; and probably Rommel and Bucktooth are going to have to shoulder a huge load.

Dan

[WHSlax42]

Don't forget Brian Crockett and Mike Leveille

[SDS416]

Well, I think we are crowning JHU a bit early here...remember, they play the toughest schedule in the nation this season. A slip here or there and they really could start a downhill slide...it could be easy to drop 2 or 3 in a row and never really get back in the game...much like Virginia did last season. I know the Terps lost a bunch of talent, but I think this is the breakout year for Walters. That kid can flat out play, and I think Maryland is one of the few squads that doesn't have to answer where scoring is going to come from, with NC and Prossner the other who won't have to face that question. I think Maryland is a legit final 4 team and my pick to win it all. I think NC, G-town, and Princeton are your other 3 that make the final 4.

[jmplax31]

Well, I think we are crowning JHU a bit early here...remember, they play the toughest schedule in the nation this season. A slip here or there and they really could start a downhill slide...it could be easy to drop 2 or 3 in a row and never really get back in the game...much like Virginia did last season. I know the Terps lost a bunch of talent, but I think this is the breakout year for Walters. That kid can flat out play, and I think Maryland is one of the few squads that doesn't have to answer where scoring is going to come from, with NC and Prossner the other who won't have to face that question. I think Maryland is a legit final 4 team and my pick to win it all. I think NC, G-town, and Princeton are your other 3 that make the final 4.

Thats some gutsy calling right there. UMD to win it all? How are they going to keep the ball out of the goal. There D was decmanted by graduation, there gonna have to improve real quickly to get that defense far enough in to the play-offs to have a chance at the ship. Other then that I like the FF you made, just replace Hopkins with UMD.

[SDS416]

Remember how Towson came out a few years ago and just was a run and gun affair, with a wicked transition game and just ran people into the ground? I think thats some of what Maryland has in store. Yes the D was hurt by graduation and the goaltending is a question but I think this may be one of those special kind of offensive teams you see only once in a while. I think they play adequate enough defense to win, not super strong but strong enough with the offense they have.

[jmplax31]

Remember how Towson came out a few years ago and just was a run and gun affair, with a wicked transition game and just ran people into the ground? I think thats some of what Maryland has in store. Yes the D was hurt by graduation and the goaltending is a question but I think this may be one of those special kind of offensive teams you see only once in a while. I think they play adequate enough defense to win, not super strong but strong enough with the offense they have.

Good point, we wil see in the regular season how that goes.

[laxman359]

my money is on princeton and uva...im not a hopkins fan and theyll do good but choke in the semis, and navy i think they will do very well defensively but without the dominating dingman at attack they wont make it too far

[Saintslaxn1208]

Defentily Hopkins, Navy and UVA

Hopkins because of there defense and Kyle Harrison and the other offensive weapons and most of all of their players are veterans, and I’m suspecting that Jesse swartsman
(Sp) will start over Scott Smith.

UVA has a lot of talent including yevoli ward and Christmas and Kyle Dixon and there goalie Kip turner put up a strong start against navy

Navy because they a strong team because of expiernce on a young team last year that got them into the finals

[Longest]

Yevoli is not going to play for UVA and Kip Turner's strong start in a scrimmage does nothing to make him the next Tillman Johnson.

Navy lost their 2 leading scorers, they will need more than experience to do it again.

Dan

[Saintslaxn1208]

why would yevoli not play

[Longest]

Because he's injured.

Dan