in a perfect (Chaminade) world a High School lacrosse team would be made up of the best juniors and seniors in the school, the JV would be all 10th graders and the freshman team would be all freshman. but in reality very few public schools have the luxury of that kind of depth. High School coaches are much more involved in the middle school programs and the town summer programs so they know these kids and their ability and their potential so they might move up some younger kids to either help the team now or so they can practice with the older kids and be ready quicker for the Varsity.
In the real world most teams play about 15 - 17 kids in a game unless it is a blow out and unless the town has a very strong or very weak grade the break up should be 8-10 seniors, 5-7 juniors, 2-3 sophomores and 1 or 2 freshman it keeps a continuity to a good team from year to year. The Catholics have a different problem, since they are all new to the program and to the school many of these kids have not played together (maybe on the express) so keeping them together as a class for two years is a great idea IMHO.
If I was a varsity coach and I had an exceptional 8th grader that I thought might be going to a catholic I would do everything in my power to keep him in town including moving him up to varsity as an 8th grader even if he was not ready.
If Ryan Lukacovic had stayed in Syosset because he was moved up to varsity as an 8th grader then the benefits of him playing for Syosset for 5 years would have far far outweighed the moral in the locker room.
