THEGilmanfan
06-24-2005, 10:08 AM
#1 West Genesse (NY) (22-0) (Previously #2) – The conversation as to who is truly the nation's top team begins and ends with the Wildcats. With its 15-2 win over Niskayuna in the New York Class A title game on June 4, West Genny earned its fourth straight state championship, during which time it is a remarkable 88-4. The state crown was the 14th in school history and upped Genny's all-time record in state finals to 14-4. Regardless of the fact that the Wildcats never leave their section to play what many would consider "top quality" opponents, this team is as good as it gets. Its section is underrated, and its coach is the best in the country, and maybe the best in the history of the game. The lopsided win over a Niskayuna team that beat both Yorktown and West Islip by five goals speaks volumes. It doesn't get any better at the high school level than West Genesee.
Stats:
West Genesee currently has a 31 game winning streak; their last loss was to Fayetteville-Manlius by the score of 8-5 on April 28th of last year.
Home Record: 8-0
Away Record: 10-0
Neutral Record: 4-0
The Wildcats outscored their opponents 301 – 78
Goals per game: 13.68
Goals against per game: 3.54
Goal differential per game: 10.14
#2 McDonogh (MIAA) (22-1) (1) - The Eagles lost the #1 spot when they lost to Gilman. Later, they regained it. However, it is truly hard to deny an undefeated West Genesee the #1 ranking, so we didn’t. The Eagles finished the season as the MIAA “A” conference champions. McDonogh is one of two schools (Gilman being the other one) to win two MIAA championships in the past decade, McDonogh’s other championship came in 1999.
Stats:
The Eagles had a winning streak of 19 games during the season.
Home Record: 8-0 (includes one forfeited game)
Away Record: 8-1
Neutral Record: 6-0
The Eagles outscored their opponents 349 – 106
Goals per game: 15.86
Goals against per game: 4.81
Goal differential per game: 11.05
#3 Darien (CT) (23-0) (7) – Some may call ranking Darien over Lafayette controversial, but why? Darien has proven to be a top three team once again this year. No one ever says anything bad about this team. They posted big wins against Yorktown, Wilton (twice), Manhasset and New Canaan. The Blue Wave finished the season as the #1 team in CT and arguably the #1 team in NE.
Stats:
Home Record: 11-0
Away Record: 9-0
Neutral Record: 3-0
The Blue Wave outscored their opponents 270 – 90
Goals per game: 11.74
Goals against per game: 3.91
Goal differential per game: 7.82
#4 Lafayette (NY) (24-0) (15) – The Lancers capped their perfect season with a 10-9 win over Manhasset in the NY state Class C title game, their second state championship. More than anything else, Lafayette is a team of athletes that has mastered the fundamentals and is fluid on both sides of the field. Their run-and-gun style gave opponents fits all season. While their schedule may appear on the surface to be filled with a bunch of no-name schools, those in the know are well aware of how good some of the teams are in upstate NY. Plus, Lafayette beat the team many of the "experts" said was the nation's best team, in the state finals. This is a school that is small in size only. Everything else about Lafayette is as big as it gets.
Stats:
The Lancers are currently riding a 24 game winning streak; their last loss was to Penn Yann in the NY state tournament last year.
Home Record: 9-0
Away Record: 7-0
Neutral Record: 8-0
The Lancers outscored their opponents 378 – 155
Goals per game: 15.75
Goals against per game: 6.45
Goal differential per game: 9.3
#5 Boys Latin (MIAA) (18-2) (4) – The Lakers were 4 goals away from a perfect season (they had two one goal losses). This team is looking good for next year and will be a top contender for the crown once again. The Lakers lone losses were to McDonogh (one in overtime and one in the championship game) both by one goal. The Lakers finish as the second ranked team in the MIAA.
Stats:
Home Record: 10-0
Away Record: 6-1
Neutral Record: 2-1
The Lakers outscored their opponents 263 – 119
Goals per game: 13.15
Goals against per game: 5.95
Goal Differential per game: 7.2
#6 Huntington (NY) (21-0) (20)– The Blue Devils continued Long Island's incredible run of dominance in the NY Class B tournament by winning the crown in convincing fashion, outscoring their three opponents 41-9, including a 13-4 rout of Hewlett, whom almost everyone thought was going to win the title in a walk. Long Island teams have now won 11 of the last 12 Class B state titles. Huntington may be the best team on Long Island, regardless of classification.
Stats:
Home Record: 8-0
Away Record: 9-0
Neutral Record: 4-0
The Blue Devils outscored their opponents 315 – 113
Goals per game: 15
Goals against per game: 5.38
Goal differential per game: 9.62
#7 Deerfield (MA) (15-1) (13) - In arguably the second best conference in the nation, the Big Green escaped play with only one loss (to Loomis Chaffee). However, posting big wins over Brunswick School, Avon Old Farms, Salisbury School and Hotchkiss gets you noticed and much love.
Stats:
Home Record: 7-1
Away Record: 8-0
Neutral Record: 0-0
The Big Green outscored their opponents 173 – 84.
Goals per game: 10.81
Goals against per game: 5.25
Goal differential per game: 5.56
#8 Loyola (MIAA) (14-3) (10) – The Dons finished third in the tough MIAA conference. However, it’s hard to really tell where they rank amongst the nations best teams, considering their only losses were to McDonogh and Boys Latin. The one thing I don't really like about this Loyola team is their lack of good out of conference competition. They beat Cherry Creek (the CO state champions), Georgetown Prep, Gilman, Calvert Hall and St. Paul's.
Stats:
Home Record: 5-1
Away Record: 4-1
Neutral Record: 5-1
The Dons outscored their opponents 184 – 111
Goals per game: 10.82
Goals against per game: 6.53
Goal differential per game: 4.29
#9 Landon (IAC) (19-2) (eighth) – With 13 division one recruits, the preseason hype was buzzing. However, they, like Manhasset, did not live up to they hype. Although they only had two losses (one to St. Paul's and one to Georgetown Prep) by one goal a piece, they still did not live up to expectations. Their losses were to teams everyone expected them to beat. I will say they played a very difficult out of conference schedule though. They posted wins over Hempfield, Gilman, Haverford and DeMatha. Landon won the IAC during the regular season and lost the IAC play-offs.
Stats:
Home Record: 11-1
Away Record: 5-1
Neutral Record: 3-0
The Bears outscored their opponents 226 – 116
Goal per game: 10.76
Goals against per game: 5.52
Goal differential per game: 5.24
#10 Niskayuna (NY) (22-1) (NR) – The greatest season in school history ended with a disappointing loss to the nation's top team in the NY Class A state finals, but we must not lose sight of what the Silver Warriors accomplished this season. They absolutely destroyed the competition in Section 2 before beating both Yorktown and West Islip 11-6, games 99.9 percent of people figured they had no chance of winning. More important than getting to the state finals, Nisky may be on the verge of embarking on a run of dominance never before seen in Section 2. This dominance may just include ruling the entire region (i.e. Section I in the state quarters) for the foreseeable future. It only took 30 years, but the Albany area now has a serious program to hang its hat on.
Stats:
Home Record: 9-0
Away Record: 7-0
Neutral Record: 6-1
The Warriors outscored their opponents 316 – 83
Goals per game: 13.74
Goals against per game: 3.6
Goal differential per game: 10.14
#11. West Islip (NY) (19-2) (6) – The Lions did everything right this season until their match up with Nisky in the state semifinals. They managed to avenge their lone loss to Ward Melville with a 6-3 win over the Patriots in the Section 11 title game. West Islip has made it abundantly clear Long Island in Class A is no longer exclusively owned by Ward Melville. This is a team that will be there every year and is bound to win a Class A state title soon.
Stats:
Home Record: 9-0
Away Record: 6-1
Neutral Record: 4-1
The Lions outscored their opponents 300 – 121
Goals per game: 14.28
Goals against per game: 5.76
Goal differential per game: 8.52
#12 Delbarton (NJ) (20-2) (14) – I (TGF) think this team is one of the most underrated teams of the year. The Green Wave play one of the toughest schedules in the nation and they only lost twice (once to St. Anthony's and once to Mountain Lakes). They had huge wins over Chaminade, Mountain Lakes and Summit twice. The Big Green finished the season as the NJ state champions.
Stats:
Home Record: 14-0
Away Record: 3-1
Neutral Record: 3-1
The Green Wave outscored their opponents 225 – 68
Goals per game: 10.22
Goals against per game: 3.09
Goal differential per game: 7.13
13. Hewlett (NY) (19-1) (17) – The loss to Huntington aside, let's put to rest the debate as to who deserves to be ranked higher. Forget power ratings and ROMs and whatever else has you thinking one way or another. Hewlett beat Garden City twice, including in sectionals. End of discussion. Before running into a buzz saw in the Long Island title game, Hewlett was the nation's surprise story, seemingly coming out of nowhere to beat all-comers. The Bulldogs have to prove now they are more than just a one-hit wonder. To beat GC is one thing, to show up to the dance as much as the Trojans have is something else.
Stats:
Home Record: 7-0
Away Record: 9-0
Neutral Record: 3-1
The Bulldogs outscored their opponents 213 - 99
Goals per game: 10.65
Goals against per game: 4.95
Goal differential per game: 5.7
14. Salisbury School (CT) (14-1) (22) - This team came about as close to perfect as you can be. Their lone loss, in NE 1 West, was in double overtime to #7 Deerfield. If it weren't for that loss, this could be the #2 or 3 team in the country. They did post big wins over Loomis, Hotchkiss and Avon Old Farms.
Stats:
Home Record: 7-1
Away Record: 7-0
Neutral Record: 0-0
The Crimson Knights outscored their opponents 199 - 78
Goals per game: 13.27
Goals against per game: 5.2
Goal differential per game: 8.07
15. Ward Melville (NY) (18-1) (3) - The Patriots take a huge tumble not because they aren't a good team. They clearly are, but because this is a program that is supposed to play West Genny every year in the biggest game of the season. Melville's state title drought is now at five years and counting. In fact, Melville hasn't made it to the finals in that span. Now, we understand there are many people out there who think this Melville team was a work in progress, and that maybe the level of expectations didn't meet the talent, but when you beat a team during the regular season, you cannot lose to the same team (West Islip, 6-3) in the playoffs with everything on the line.
Stats:
Home Record: 7-0
Away Record: 9-0
Neutral Record: 2-1
The Patriots outscored their opponents 233 - 83
Goals per game: 12.26
Goals against per game: 4.37
Goal differential per game: 7.89
16. Manhasset (NY) (17-3) (11) - No matter how you slice it, this has to be considered a disappointing season for Manhasset. The Indians came in as the nation's top-ranked team and played what many would consider just two very difficult games during the regular season, losing both (to GC and Darien). Though they played well in the loss to Lafayette and nearly pulled it out, not having the title return to Long Island has to leave a big void in the hearts of Manhasset fans everywhere. I don't know if overrated is the right word, considering the geniuses at STX-Inside Lacrosse were the ones who anointed Manhasset as the kings of the country, but failing to reach their potential is a fair assessment of the Indians.
Stats:
Home Record: 7-1
Away Record: 6-1
Neutral Record: 4-1
The Indians outscored their opponents 236 - 104
Goals per game: 11.8
Goals against per game: 5.2
Goal differential per game: 6.6
17. Loomis Chaffee (CT) (14-2) (NR) - The Pelicans get the short end of the stick when it comes to NE 1 West teams because they are the only top tier team to have lost 2 games. One of those games was against Trinity Pawling, a team that posts a 5-10 record. If it weren't for that loss they would probably be a top 10 team. They did beat #7 Deerfield and barely lost to Salisbury School.
Stats:
Home Record: 9-1
Away Record: 5-1
Neutral Record: 0-0
The Pelicans outscored their opponents 193 - 91
Goals per game: 12.06
Goals against per game: 5.69
Goal differential per game: 6.37
18. Haverford School (PA) (25-5) (NR) - I know we're going catch heat for not having a PA team ranked in the top 15, so I'm going try to explain it now. The #1 team in PA was Haverford, who lost to St. Paul's (the 4th ranked MIAA team) and Landon (a team that didn't win their own play-offs) and LaSalle (the 2nd best team in PA) lost to Gilman (the 6th ranked team in the MIAA). I will say that PA had a lot of good teams but none of them are top 15 worthy. Haverford finished the season as the top team in PA (knocking off both LaSalle and Hempfield).
Stats:
Home Record: 10-2
Away Record: 8-3
Neutral Record: 7-0
The Fords outscored their opponents 350 - 160
Goals per game: 11.67
Goals against per game: 5.34
Goal differential per game: 6.33
19. Garden City (NY) (18-2) (6) - The Trojans are in the same boat as Ward Melville in that they are an established national power that couldn't get out of their section. Garden City has not won a state title since 2000 and, like Melville, has not gotten to a state title game in the same span. Even if they had beaten Hewlett the second time, they would have had a hard time with Huntington. Garden City will be back, but they better do it soon because Class B is out of control on Long Island.
Stats:
Home Record: 9-1
Away Record: 8-0
Neutral Record: 1-1
The Trojans outscored their opponents 267 - 88
Goals per game: 13.35
Goals against per game: 4.4
Goal differential per game: 8.95
20. St. Paul’s (MIAA) (13-4) (1 - The Crusaders were at one point (technically two, weeks one and two) the number one team in the country according to my rankings. Since then, they have suffered four losses (two to McDonogh, one to Loyola and one to Boys Latin). During their semifinal match up against #2 McDonogh they were beaten by 15 goals. They are a borderline top 20 team and they just made the cut. They posted victories over Landon, Haverford, Gilman and Calvert Hall. The Crusaders finished the season in 4th place in the MIAA.
Stats:
Home Record: 7-0
Away Record: 3-2
Neutral Record: 3-2
The Crusaders outscored their opponents 187 - 154
Goals per game: 11
Goals against per game: 9.06
Goal differential per game: 1.94
21. Georgetown Prep (IAC) (17-5) (21) - The Little Hoyas would probably be in the top 15 if it weren't for their list of injured players in the beginning of the season. However, the country got to see what this team was made of towards the end of the season when they defeated Landon in the IAC championship game. This is the team that we're giving the benefit of the doubt too. They have losses to teams many don't respect but with the way they finished their season, it's hard to deny them of what they have accomplished.
Stats:
Home Record: 9-2
Away Record: 7-3
Neutral Record: 1-0
The Little Hoyas outscored their opponents 205 - 118
Goals per game: 9.32
Goals against per game: 5.36
Goal differential per game: 3.96
22. Brother Rice (MI) (23-0) (HM) - The Warriors play the weakest schedule out of the teams in this top 25. They play a few decent teams who post good records because they face no competition. After speaking with many people who attended the Upper Arlington - Landon preseason GAME and the St. Paul's - Western Reserve game, all told me these teams don't belong on the same field as any of the top 6 MIAA schools. However, the Warriors defeated every team they faced, including a few decent opponents and for that they receive a spot in our national top 25.
Stats:
Home Record: 8-0
Away Record: 8-0
Neutral Record: 7-0
The Warriors outscored their opponents 302 - 112
Goals per game: 13.13
Goals against per game: 4.87
Goal differential per game: 8.26
23. Yorktown (NY) (17-4) (16) - Anything short of a state semifinal appearance is a disappointment at Yorktown. They get a lot of credit this season for playing a really tough out-of-section schedule, but it obviously did little for the Cornhuskers when it came time to play Niskayuna in the state quarters. Nisky played a very weak schedule this year, but Yorktown came up small in a big spot, blowing an early lead and allowing Nisky to own the ball. Did they overlook Nisky, thinking of West Islip? We doubt it. But you have to win that game, considering how great Yorktown has been historically.
Stats:
Home Record: 9-1
Away Record: 6-1
Neutral Record: 2-2
The Cornhuskers outscored their opponents 217 - 153
Goals per game: 10.33
Goals against per game: 7.29
Goal differential per game: 3.04
24. Chaminade (NY) (17-2) (19) - Three wins over their archrivals in St. Anthony's and a CHSAA championship highlighted a solid season for the Flyers. A one-goal loss to Yorktown and an 8-3 defeat to Delbarton were the only blemishes for Chaminade, a team which will be in the mix in New York for years to come.
Stats:
Home Record: 9-0
Away Record: 7-2
Neutral Record: 1-0
The Flyers outscored their opponents 191 - 84
Goals per game: 10.05
Goals against per game: 4.42
Goal differential per game: 5.63
25. LaSalle (PA) (29-3) (12) - The Explorers played ALOT of games. I believe this could have hindered them in the play-offs. But nevertheless they squeaked into the top 25. They posted big wins against Calvert Hall, Haverford, Hempfield and Springfield-Delco.
Stats:
Home Record: 13-0
Away Record: 9-2
Neutral Record: 7-1
The Explorers outscored their opponents 430 - 126
Goals per game: 13.44
Goals against per game: 3.94
Goal differential per game: 9.5
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
*Highland Park (TX) (17-0) - They went undefeated but then again, the lack of a good schedule keeps another team out of the top 25.
*Duxbury (MA) (22-1) - They've been blowing teams out, but when they faced a real opponent, they lost. Good season but they need to face better competition.
*Summit (NJ) (20-4) - The Hilltoppers played many good opponents and that is shown in three of their losses (what happened in the Ridgewood game?). They did put up a good win over Mountain Lakes.
*Mountain Lakes (NJ) (18-2) - The Lakers split games with Delbarton (the primary reason they are HM'd). They lost early in the NJ state tournament to Summit. They didn't play a hard schedule and they are hindered by that.
*Gilman (MIAA) (8-6) - My Hounds, I love 'em. They played one of the toughest schedules in the country. All of their defeats came from ranked teams (excluding Calvert Hall who is HM'd) and they beat LaSalle and McDonogh.
*Calvert Hall (MIAA) (8-6) - The Cardinals get HM'd for the tough schedule and beating both Gilman and Malvern Prep. They won the games they should, and lost the games they should. Decent season for the Cards.
*Jamesville DeWitt, NY (20-3) - JD gets some praise for advancing to the Class B state finals for the fourth time in school history.
*St. Anthony’s, NY (14-5) - The Friars had their problems this season, but they still played arguably the toughest schedule in the country. For that, they deserve a lot of respect.
*La Costa Canyon (CA) (24-0) - Although we have been backing them all year, there just weren't enough spots in the top 25 for them to be included. It was their S.O.S. that pushed them out. Rumor has it they will be taking a trip to visit some MIAA schools next year, best of luck.
*Lawrenceville (NJ) (21-1) - The Big Red's were 2 goals away from a perfect season (a one goal loss to Penn Charter). Their schedule is relatively weak but they did posts wins against Malvern Prep, Hotchkiss and the Brunswick School.
*Upper Arlington (OH) (19-2) - The Golden Bears made it through the season with only two losses (to Brother Rice and Cincinnati St Xavier). They didn't play the best schedule and when they went against legit competition they lost (i.e. their preseason game against Landon which was a blowout and Brother Rice).
*Springfield Delco (PA) (16-3) - A team that many feel is in the top 2 or 3 in PA. They beat Haverford and Ridley while only losing to Boys Latin by 6 and Haverford by 3 in the play-offs(they also lost to LaSalle by four in the regular season).
*Cold Spring Harbor (NY) (15-3) - The Seahawks had a good season contrary to popular belief. They beat Massapequa and Bethpage while only losing to South Side and Manhasset twice.
*Wilton (CT) (16-5) – Another team that played a good schedule (I love ‘em). All of their losses were to formidable opponents such as Darien and Yorktown. They had big wins over Greenwich and New Canaan.
State by State break down (including HMs):
MIAA/IAC- 8
NY- 14
NJ- 4
CT- 4
MA- 2
PA- 3
MI- 1
OH- 1
CA- 1
TX- 1
Awards:
Ballsiest team of the year: Mercer Island.
They went undefeated in Washington and traveled to NY for five games in seven days. More West Coast teams need to follow their exmaple.
Biggest bust of the year: Manhasset.
Still a great team, but considering the hype, not having a state title is a big disappointment.
Surprise of the year: Niskayuna.
Beat Yorktown and THEN West Islip in the state tournament. 'Nuff said.
Offense of the year: McDonogh. They averaged just under 16 goals per game.
Defense of the year: Delbarton. They averaged just over 3 goals per game.
TGF’s favorite team he has no affiliation with: Yorktown. It's all about schedule, and Yorktown, along with St. Anthony's, plays the best schedule around, rivaling an MIAA team.
SU9’s favorite team he has no affiliation with: Lafayette. West Genny Jr. That's all you need to know.
The “I don’t feel like arguing” team of the year: John Jay. Never was more breath wasted on a team. They were good, but not great. They will be excellent next year. I hope their fans keep things in perspective.
NY game of the year: Lafayette 10 Manhasset 9. The Lancers concluded their magical season by holding off the Indians with everything on the line. There were other great games in NY this year, but considering the circumstances, this was the biggest.
MD game of the year: McDonogh 9, Boys Latin 8. In the regular season their were two top 5 teams facing off. The game was a defensive struggle that took overtime to determine the winner.
Rest of the country game of the year: Salisbury 7, Deerfield 8. Two phenomenal teams going at it, it took 2 overtimes to determine this winner.
NY upset of the year: Nisky 11, West Islip 6. As said before, the Silver Warriors surprised everyone by beating Yorktown (but not SU9), and the surprised the rest by beating the best team on Long Island, period. The loss to Genny in the state finals doesn't ruin the fact that this was the greatest season by a team in the history of Section 2, in Albany.
MD upset of the year: Gilman 10, McDonogh 9. C’mon, who envisioned that one (besides me).
Stats:
West Genesee currently has a 31 game winning streak; their last loss was to Fayetteville-Manlius by the score of 8-5 on April 28th of last year.
Home Record: 8-0
Away Record: 10-0
Neutral Record: 4-0
The Wildcats outscored their opponents 301 – 78
Goals per game: 13.68
Goals against per game: 3.54
Goal differential per game: 10.14
#2 McDonogh (MIAA) (22-1) (1) - The Eagles lost the #1 spot when they lost to Gilman. Later, they regained it. However, it is truly hard to deny an undefeated West Genesee the #1 ranking, so we didn’t. The Eagles finished the season as the MIAA “A” conference champions. McDonogh is one of two schools (Gilman being the other one) to win two MIAA championships in the past decade, McDonogh’s other championship came in 1999.
Stats:
The Eagles had a winning streak of 19 games during the season.
Home Record: 8-0 (includes one forfeited game)
Away Record: 8-1
Neutral Record: 6-0
The Eagles outscored their opponents 349 – 106
Goals per game: 15.86
Goals against per game: 4.81
Goal differential per game: 11.05
#3 Darien (CT) (23-0) (7) – Some may call ranking Darien over Lafayette controversial, but why? Darien has proven to be a top three team once again this year. No one ever says anything bad about this team. They posted big wins against Yorktown, Wilton (twice), Manhasset and New Canaan. The Blue Wave finished the season as the #1 team in CT and arguably the #1 team in NE.
Stats:
Home Record: 11-0
Away Record: 9-0
Neutral Record: 3-0
The Blue Wave outscored their opponents 270 – 90
Goals per game: 11.74
Goals against per game: 3.91
Goal differential per game: 7.82
#4 Lafayette (NY) (24-0) (15) – The Lancers capped their perfect season with a 10-9 win over Manhasset in the NY state Class C title game, their second state championship. More than anything else, Lafayette is a team of athletes that has mastered the fundamentals and is fluid on both sides of the field. Their run-and-gun style gave opponents fits all season. While their schedule may appear on the surface to be filled with a bunch of no-name schools, those in the know are well aware of how good some of the teams are in upstate NY. Plus, Lafayette beat the team many of the "experts" said was the nation's best team, in the state finals. This is a school that is small in size only. Everything else about Lafayette is as big as it gets.
Stats:
The Lancers are currently riding a 24 game winning streak; their last loss was to Penn Yann in the NY state tournament last year.
Home Record: 9-0
Away Record: 7-0
Neutral Record: 8-0
The Lancers outscored their opponents 378 – 155
Goals per game: 15.75
Goals against per game: 6.45
Goal differential per game: 9.3
#5 Boys Latin (MIAA) (18-2) (4) – The Lakers were 4 goals away from a perfect season (they had two one goal losses). This team is looking good for next year and will be a top contender for the crown once again. The Lakers lone losses were to McDonogh (one in overtime and one in the championship game) both by one goal. The Lakers finish as the second ranked team in the MIAA.
Stats:
Home Record: 10-0
Away Record: 6-1
Neutral Record: 2-1
The Lakers outscored their opponents 263 – 119
Goals per game: 13.15
Goals against per game: 5.95
Goal Differential per game: 7.2
#6 Huntington (NY) (21-0) (20)– The Blue Devils continued Long Island's incredible run of dominance in the NY Class B tournament by winning the crown in convincing fashion, outscoring their three opponents 41-9, including a 13-4 rout of Hewlett, whom almost everyone thought was going to win the title in a walk. Long Island teams have now won 11 of the last 12 Class B state titles. Huntington may be the best team on Long Island, regardless of classification.
Stats:
Home Record: 8-0
Away Record: 9-0
Neutral Record: 4-0
The Blue Devils outscored their opponents 315 – 113
Goals per game: 15
Goals against per game: 5.38
Goal differential per game: 9.62
#7 Deerfield (MA) (15-1) (13) - In arguably the second best conference in the nation, the Big Green escaped play with only one loss (to Loomis Chaffee). However, posting big wins over Brunswick School, Avon Old Farms, Salisbury School and Hotchkiss gets you noticed and much love.
Stats:
Home Record: 7-1
Away Record: 8-0
Neutral Record: 0-0
The Big Green outscored their opponents 173 – 84.
Goals per game: 10.81
Goals against per game: 5.25
Goal differential per game: 5.56
#8 Loyola (MIAA) (14-3) (10) – The Dons finished third in the tough MIAA conference. However, it’s hard to really tell where they rank amongst the nations best teams, considering their only losses were to McDonogh and Boys Latin. The one thing I don't really like about this Loyola team is their lack of good out of conference competition. They beat Cherry Creek (the CO state champions), Georgetown Prep, Gilman, Calvert Hall and St. Paul's.
Stats:
Home Record: 5-1
Away Record: 4-1
Neutral Record: 5-1
The Dons outscored their opponents 184 – 111
Goals per game: 10.82
Goals against per game: 6.53
Goal differential per game: 4.29
#9 Landon (IAC) (19-2) (eighth) – With 13 division one recruits, the preseason hype was buzzing. However, they, like Manhasset, did not live up to they hype. Although they only had two losses (one to St. Paul's and one to Georgetown Prep) by one goal a piece, they still did not live up to expectations. Their losses were to teams everyone expected them to beat. I will say they played a very difficult out of conference schedule though. They posted wins over Hempfield, Gilman, Haverford and DeMatha. Landon won the IAC during the regular season and lost the IAC play-offs.
Stats:
Home Record: 11-1
Away Record: 5-1
Neutral Record: 3-0
The Bears outscored their opponents 226 – 116
Goal per game: 10.76
Goals against per game: 5.52
Goal differential per game: 5.24
#10 Niskayuna (NY) (22-1) (NR) – The greatest season in school history ended with a disappointing loss to the nation's top team in the NY Class A state finals, but we must not lose sight of what the Silver Warriors accomplished this season. They absolutely destroyed the competition in Section 2 before beating both Yorktown and West Islip 11-6, games 99.9 percent of people figured they had no chance of winning. More important than getting to the state finals, Nisky may be on the verge of embarking on a run of dominance never before seen in Section 2. This dominance may just include ruling the entire region (i.e. Section I in the state quarters) for the foreseeable future. It only took 30 years, but the Albany area now has a serious program to hang its hat on.
Stats:
Home Record: 9-0
Away Record: 7-0
Neutral Record: 6-1
The Warriors outscored their opponents 316 – 83
Goals per game: 13.74
Goals against per game: 3.6
Goal differential per game: 10.14
#11. West Islip (NY) (19-2) (6) – The Lions did everything right this season until their match up with Nisky in the state semifinals. They managed to avenge their lone loss to Ward Melville with a 6-3 win over the Patriots in the Section 11 title game. West Islip has made it abundantly clear Long Island in Class A is no longer exclusively owned by Ward Melville. This is a team that will be there every year and is bound to win a Class A state title soon.
Stats:
Home Record: 9-0
Away Record: 6-1
Neutral Record: 4-1
The Lions outscored their opponents 300 – 121
Goals per game: 14.28
Goals against per game: 5.76
Goal differential per game: 8.52
#12 Delbarton (NJ) (20-2) (14) – I (TGF) think this team is one of the most underrated teams of the year. The Green Wave play one of the toughest schedules in the nation and they only lost twice (once to St. Anthony's and once to Mountain Lakes). They had huge wins over Chaminade, Mountain Lakes and Summit twice. The Big Green finished the season as the NJ state champions.
Stats:
Home Record: 14-0
Away Record: 3-1
Neutral Record: 3-1
The Green Wave outscored their opponents 225 – 68
Goals per game: 10.22
Goals against per game: 3.09
Goal differential per game: 7.13
13. Hewlett (NY) (19-1) (17) – The loss to Huntington aside, let's put to rest the debate as to who deserves to be ranked higher. Forget power ratings and ROMs and whatever else has you thinking one way or another. Hewlett beat Garden City twice, including in sectionals. End of discussion. Before running into a buzz saw in the Long Island title game, Hewlett was the nation's surprise story, seemingly coming out of nowhere to beat all-comers. The Bulldogs have to prove now they are more than just a one-hit wonder. To beat GC is one thing, to show up to the dance as much as the Trojans have is something else.
Stats:
Home Record: 7-0
Away Record: 9-0
Neutral Record: 3-1
The Bulldogs outscored their opponents 213 - 99
Goals per game: 10.65
Goals against per game: 4.95
Goal differential per game: 5.7
14. Salisbury School (CT) (14-1) (22) - This team came about as close to perfect as you can be. Their lone loss, in NE 1 West, was in double overtime to #7 Deerfield. If it weren't for that loss, this could be the #2 or 3 team in the country. They did post big wins over Loomis, Hotchkiss and Avon Old Farms.
Stats:
Home Record: 7-1
Away Record: 7-0
Neutral Record: 0-0
The Crimson Knights outscored their opponents 199 - 78
Goals per game: 13.27
Goals against per game: 5.2
Goal differential per game: 8.07
15. Ward Melville (NY) (18-1) (3) - The Patriots take a huge tumble not because they aren't a good team. They clearly are, but because this is a program that is supposed to play West Genny every year in the biggest game of the season. Melville's state title drought is now at five years and counting. In fact, Melville hasn't made it to the finals in that span. Now, we understand there are many people out there who think this Melville team was a work in progress, and that maybe the level of expectations didn't meet the talent, but when you beat a team during the regular season, you cannot lose to the same team (West Islip, 6-3) in the playoffs with everything on the line.
Stats:
Home Record: 7-0
Away Record: 9-0
Neutral Record: 2-1
The Patriots outscored their opponents 233 - 83
Goals per game: 12.26
Goals against per game: 4.37
Goal differential per game: 7.89
16. Manhasset (NY) (17-3) (11) - No matter how you slice it, this has to be considered a disappointing season for Manhasset. The Indians came in as the nation's top-ranked team and played what many would consider just two very difficult games during the regular season, losing both (to GC and Darien). Though they played well in the loss to Lafayette and nearly pulled it out, not having the title return to Long Island has to leave a big void in the hearts of Manhasset fans everywhere. I don't know if overrated is the right word, considering the geniuses at STX-Inside Lacrosse were the ones who anointed Manhasset as the kings of the country, but failing to reach their potential is a fair assessment of the Indians.
Stats:
Home Record: 7-1
Away Record: 6-1
Neutral Record: 4-1
The Indians outscored their opponents 236 - 104
Goals per game: 11.8
Goals against per game: 5.2
Goal differential per game: 6.6
17. Loomis Chaffee (CT) (14-2) (NR) - The Pelicans get the short end of the stick when it comes to NE 1 West teams because they are the only top tier team to have lost 2 games. One of those games was against Trinity Pawling, a team that posts a 5-10 record. If it weren't for that loss they would probably be a top 10 team. They did beat #7 Deerfield and barely lost to Salisbury School.
Stats:
Home Record: 9-1
Away Record: 5-1
Neutral Record: 0-0
The Pelicans outscored their opponents 193 - 91
Goals per game: 12.06
Goals against per game: 5.69
Goal differential per game: 6.37
18. Haverford School (PA) (25-5) (NR) - I know we're going catch heat for not having a PA team ranked in the top 15, so I'm going try to explain it now. The #1 team in PA was Haverford, who lost to St. Paul's (the 4th ranked MIAA team) and Landon (a team that didn't win their own play-offs) and LaSalle (the 2nd best team in PA) lost to Gilman (the 6th ranked team in the MIAA). I will say that PA had a lot of good teams but none of them are top 15 worthy. Haverford finished the season as the top team in PA (knocking off both LaSalle and Hempfield).
Stats:
Home Record: 10-2
Away Record: 8-3
Neutral Record: 7-0
The Fords outscored their opponents 350 - 160
Goals per game: 11.67
Goals against per game: 5.34
Goal differential per game: 6.33
19. Garden City (NY) (18-2) (6) - The Trojans are in the same boat as Ward Melville in that they are an established national power that couldn't get out of their section. Garden City has not won a state title since 2000 and, like Melville, has not gotten to a state title game in the same span. Even if they had beaten Hewlett the second time, they would have had a hard time with Huntington. Garden City will be back, but they better do it soon because Class B is out of control on Long Island.
Stats:
Home Record: 9-1
Away Record: 8-0
Neutral Record: 1-1
The Trojans outscored their opponents 267 - 88
Goals per game: 13.35
Goals against per game: 4.4
Goal differential per game: 8.95
20. St. Paul’s (MIAA) (13-4) (1 - The Crusaders were at one point (technically two, weeks one and two) the number one team in the country according to my rankings. Since then, they have suffered four losses (two to McDonogh, one to Loyola and one to Boys Latin). During their semifinal match up against #2 McDonogh they were beaten by 15 goals. They are a borderline top 20 team and they just made the cut. They posted victories over Landon, Haverford, Gilman and Calvert Hall. The Crusaders finished the season in 4th place in the MIAA.
Stats:
Home Record: 7-0
Away Record: 3-2
Neutral Record: 3-2
The Crusaders outscored their opponents 187 - 154
Goals per game: 11
Goals against per game: 9.06
Goal differential per game: 1.94
21. Georgetown Prep (IAC) (17-5) (21) - The Little Hoyas would probably be in the top 15 if it weren't for their list of injured players in the beginning of the season. However, the country got to see what this team was made of towards the end of the season when they defeated Landon in the IAC championship game. This is the team that we're giving the benefit of the doubt too. They have losses to teams many don't respect but with the way they finished their season, it's hard to deny them of what they have accomplished.
Stats:
Home Record: 9-2
Away Record: 7-3
Neutral Record: 1-0
The Little Hoyas outscored their opponents 205 - 118
Goals per game: 9.32
Goals against per game: 5.36
Goal differential per game: 3.96
22. Brother Rice (MI) (23-0) (HM) - The Warriors play the weakest schedule out of the teams in this top 25. They play a few decent teams who post good records because they face no competition. After speaking with many people who attended the Upper Arlington - Landon preseason GAME and the St. Paul's - Western Reserve game, all told me these teams don't belong on the same field as any of the top 6 MIAA schools. However, the Warriors defeated every team they faced, including a few decent opponents and for that they receive a spot in our national top 25.
Stats:
Home Record: 8-0
Away Record: 8-0
Neutral Record: 7-0
The Warriors outscored their opponents 302 - 112
Goals per game: 13.13
Goals against per game: 4.87
Goal differential per game: 8.26
23. Yorktown (NY) (17-4) (16) - Anything short of a state semifinal appearance is a disappointment at Yorktown. They get a lot of credit this season for playing a really tough out-of-section schedule, but it obviously did little for the Cornhuskers when it came time to play Niskayuna in the state quarters. Nisky played a very weak schedule this year, but Yorktown came up small in a big spot, blowing an early lead and allowing Nisky to own the ball. Did they overlook Nisky, thinking of West Islip? We doubt it. But you have to win that game, considering how great Yorktown has been historically.
Stats:
Home Record: 9-1
Away Record: 6-1
Neutral Record: 2-2
The Cornhuskers outscored their opponents 217 - 153
Goals per game: 10.33
Goals against per game: 7.29
Goal differential per game: 3.04
24. Chaminade (NY) (17-2) (19) - Three wins over their archrivals in St. Anthony's and a CHSAA championship highlighted a solid season for the Flyers. A one-goal loss to Yorktown and an 8-3 defeat to Delbarton were the only blemishes for Chaminade, a team which will be in the mix in New York for years to come.
Stats:
Home Record: 9-0
Away Record: 7-2
Neutral Record: 1-0
The Flyers outscored their opponents 191 - 84
Goals per game: 10.05
Goals against per game: 4.42
Goal differential per game: 5.63
25. LaSalle (PA) (29-3) (12) - The Explorers played ALOT of games. I believe this could have hindered them in the play-offs. But nevertheless they squeaked into the top 25. They posted big wins against Calvert Hall, Haverford, Hempfield and Springfield-Delco.
Stats:
Home Record: 13-0
Away Record: 9-2
Neutral Record: 7-1
The Explorers outscored their opponents 430 - 126
Goals per game: 13.44
Goals against per game: 3.94
Goal differential per game: 9.5
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
*Highland Park (TX) (17-0) - They went undefeated but then again, the lack of a good schedule keeps another team out of the top 25.
*Duxbury (MA) (22-1) - They've been blowing teams out, but when they faced a real opponent, they lost. Good season but they need to face better competition.
*Summit (NJ) (20-4) - The Hilltoppers played many good opponents and that is shown in three of their losses (what happened in the Ridgewood game?). They did put up a good win over Mountain Lakes.
*Mountain Lakes (NJ) (18-2) - The Lakers split games with Delbarton (the primary reason they are HM'd). They lost early in the NJ state tournament to Summit. They didn't play a hard schedule and they are hindered by that.
*Gilman (MIAA) (8-6) - My Hounds, I love 'em. They played one of the toughest schedules in the country. All of their defeats came from ranked teams (excluding Calvert Hall who is HM'd) and they beat LaSalle and McDonogh.
*Calvert Hall (MIAA) (8-6) - The Cardinals get HM'd for the tough schedule and beating both Gilman and Malvern Prep. They won the games they should, and lost the games they should. Decent season for the Cards.
*Jamesville DeWitt, NY (20-3) - JD gets some praise for advancing to the Class B state finals for the fourth time in school history.
*St. Anthony’s, NY (14-5) - The Friars had their problems this season, but they still played arguably the toughest schedule in the country. For that, they deserve a lot of respect.
*La Costa Canyon (CA) (24-0) - Although we have been backing them all year, there just weren't enough spots in the top 25 for them to be included. It was their S.O.S. that pushed them out. Rumor has it they will be taking a trip to visit some MIAA schools next year, best of luck.
*Lawrenceville (NJ) (21-1) - The Big Red's were 2 goals away from a perfect season (a one goal loss to Penn Charter). Their schedule is relatively weak but they did posts wins against Malvern Prep, Hotchkiss and the Brunswick School.
*Upper Arlington (OH) (19-2) - The Golden Bears made it through the season with only two losses (to Brother Rice and Cincinnati St Xavier). They didn't play the best schedule and when they went against legit competition they lost (i.e. their preseason game against Landon which was a blowout and Brother Rice).
*Springfield Delco (PA) (16-3) - A team that many feel is in the top 2 or 3 in PA. They beat Haverford and Ridley while only losing to Boys Latin by 6 and Haverford by 3 in the play-offs(they also lost to LaSalle by four in the regular season).
*Cold Spring Harbor (NY) (15-3) - The Seahawks had a good season contrary to popular belief. They beat Massapequa and Bethpage while only losing to South Side and Manhasset twice.
*Wilton (CT) (16-5) – Another team that played a good schedule (I love ‘em). All of their losses were to formidable opponents such as Darien and Yorktown. They had big wins over Greenwich and New Canaan.
State by State break down (including HMs):
MIAA/IAC- 8
NY- 14
NJ- 4
CT- 4
MA- 2
PA- 3
MI- 1
OH- 1
CA- 1
TX- 1
Awards:
Ballsiest team of the year: Mercer Island.
They went undefeated in Washington and traveled to NY for five games in seven days. More West Coast teams need to follow their exmaple.
Biggest bust of the year: Manhasset.
Still a great team, but considering the hype, not having a state title is a big disappointment.
Surprise of the year: Niskayuna.
Beat Yorktown and THEN West Islip in the state tournament. 'Nuff said.
Offense of the year: McDonogh. They averaged just under 16 goals per game.
Defense of the year: Delbarton. They averaged just over 3 goals per game.
TGF’s favorite team he has no affiliation with: Yorktown. It's all about schedule, and Yorktown, along with St. Anthony's, plays the best schedule around, rivaling an MIAA team.
SU9’s favorite team he has no affiliation with: Lafayette. West Genny Jr. That's all you need to know.
The “I don’t feel like arguing” team of the year: John Jay. Never was more breath wasted on a team. They were good, but not great. They will be excellent next year. I hope their fans keep things in perspective.
NY game of the year: Lafayette 10 Manhasset 9. The Lancers concluded their magical season by holding off the Indians with everything on the line. There were other great games in NY this year, but considering the circumstances, this was the biggest.
MD game of the year: McDonogh 9, Boys Latin 8. In the regular season their were two top 5 teams facing off. The game was a defensive struggle that took overtime to determine the winner.
Rest of the country game of the year: Salisbury 7, Deerfield 8. Two phenomenal teams going at it, it took 2 overtimes to determine this winner.
NY upset of the year: Nisky 11, West Islip 6. As said before, the Silver Warriors surprised everyone by beating Yorktown (but not SU9), and the surprised the rest by beating the best team on Long Island, period. The loss to Genny in the state finals doesn't ruin the fact that this was the greatest season by a team in the history of Section 2, in Albany.
MD upset of the year: Gilman 10, McDonogh 9. C’mon, who envisioned that one (besides me).