US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums MID-ATLANTIC LACROSSE MARYLAND FORUM Boys 2023 - 7th Grade Fall 2017/Summer 2018

Knocked out by Tristate
4 teams going Next Level, Tristate, BBL and Team 5

Karma... Cavs were first team out. Not going to Denver.

Game really shouldn't have been that close. Agreed about the FCA turnovers. Looney's played the more complete game. However, had the refs flagged all the late hits by Looney's, game might have had different result.

It's not so much that they boycotted the qualifier, it's their 7th grade teams have too many kids that don't meet the age qualification and they don't want to send their 6th grade teams.

It’s going to be a very boring season for the Hawks goalies.

Thats what happens when you play a 3-3 zone at this age. Will come back to bite those defensemen though if they don't practice man-to-man defense with slides.

Fake news! The best team there is a MD Elite Division team.

Don’t worry. They know how.

The Hawks were as advertised. Big, athletic, skilled. Our boys had no chance yesterday. We ended early enough to catch the end of FCA/Looney's. Looney's was also big and athletic. I'm looking forward to that matchup. Hope I get to watch it. I think Looney's can match up.

What role did the head coach play in the break up of the 2023 crabs? He was the head coach for the successful 5th and 6th grade years, which included the 91 bandits. Now he is gone. This team could not even beat freedom in the fall.

Even more ridiculous because the goals meant nothing for tiebreaker purposes....Total points was 4th on the list for potential tiebreaker scenarios and only +3 at the max, so a score of 3 - 0 or 100 - 0 would have been treated exactly the same...Although there were a few hiccups along the way for some teams, I think that the final standings are pretty accurate. There were some very good games played over the weekend, especially between the top teams.

Are the top four or top five going?

This was the best tournament that the CAVs will ever be in and they came in 6th. So yes they will continue to play in B & C level tournament instead of trying to play against good (not great) teams to get better. BUT WAIT they had the best tent out there, HANDS DOWN

Top 5 teams go. By the way, CONGRATULATIONS to Next Level 2023 team that went undefeated this weekend in the qualifications.

Silly statement, sounds like your kid's team must have lost to the Hawks.

Actually my kid is on the hawks.

Top 5 - Saltwater knocked out Cavs in 5th place game

Hawks vs Looney's April 22 @ 3pm
Ought to be a great game.

Hawks by 6

So what? Crabs isn't there because of this. Hawks aren't there because of this. Sure, one HOCO Elite team showed up. Great. Haven't played a league game yet.

Certainly isn't the only reason. But Crabs had to retool their roster in 2015 when they went and they got destroyed by a Team 91 Crush team that didn't have to retool. The top-level MD teams see that, and that's why most of them don't go. The hold-back phenomenon hasn't taken nearly as big a hold on Long Island, and that's one reason why those teams dominate that age-based tournament. Plus, they do play really good lacrosse up there.

Plus, there are a lot of great tournaments in the area. You don't have to travel to play great competition when you're in the mid-Atlantic.

Against an over matched opponent like 91 did they really play zone?

No one in MD can beat the Hawks. We missed their game yesterday but saw them for week one. They look like a good HS team with size, speed, advanced play and excellent keeper play.

The only thing you could hear in the stands were parents complaining about playing time. They may have had 28 players and five coaches. Infighting is the only thing that can bring them down.

How could the team that just beat 91 by one goal be competition for a team that could have scored 30 yesterday against that same 91 team?

Tell me if I am right but has Loonies ever beaten Hawks?

Then it's an even sillier statement

Wow, so one kid leaves, and the whole team apparently fell apart. I guess if he's so vital to their success and these coaches are so talented, they might want to make a game plan that doesn't rely on just one kid.

Just wondering if the Crabs changed anything at half ..Might also have been a factor.

Looney's is going to expose the Holdbacks. Let's go!

No. They have played twice and lost both times. Hawks are the best team at this grade level and I am not affiliated with them. It will take a great effort for any of the Elite teams to take them down.

What's silly is your understanding of the game.

yep

Who ever said "yep" either didn't watch the game or doesn't know what a zone looks like? They played man to man 85% of the time. That being said they didn't have to play much defense.

Ok then, you watched a different game entirely. There was some zone, but there was a lot of on high ball pressure and pressure behind. Team 91 kids were stripped of possession over and over far outside what a packed 3-3 zone could produce- and I am not bashing 91. They worked hard and undoubtedly are good players. How amazing is it that when a team loses against the Hawks, they blame it on the Hawks' defensive schemes and somehow indict them over this? When has this been a thing? Hawks are good. Teams need to adjust against zones, man to man, and everything in between. Maybe someone will beat them, maybe not. That is why you play the game.

The question was - 'did they really play zone?' - and the answer is yes. You even admit it in your response - if they played man 85% of the time then they would have played zone the other 15% of the time. And in my estimation it was more like 60/40.

By the way, hawks parents are some of the most RN people I've seen at a lacrosse game in a while.

(quote)Top 5 teams go. By the way, CONGRATULATIONS to Next Level 2023 team that went undefeated this weekend in the qualifications.
Next Level good team but I thought 4 teams were invited...Next Level, Tristate, Team 5 and BBL. BBL and Tristate good game to watch...

There has been a lot of talk on this Forum about HOLDBACKs and how they are ruining the game. This weekend at the WSYL qualifiers in MD, there were numerous kids that were 6 feet and taller, some kids are definitely shaving (as you could see the 5 o'clock shadow). I mean real big boys!!!

All of these kids regardless of their MS class are 2023 age appropriate, but would be abused by the HOLDBACK Bashers on this site. So next time you see a tall kid that is really good, why don't you find out his age before calling out his name or number

Oh, please tell me your vast knowledge of team and individual defense. I am going to pop some corn right now and grab a soda, so I will be ready for your enlightened response. I assume you are smarter than the men that are coaching your son, so am curious to see what you have to say. I just hope I'm able to understand what you say.

That's the silliest statement yet.

who cares how much they played zone? 15%? 25? 53.58%? can explain why you care? Ridiculous and embarrassing. Nothing the Hawks have done in the last two games have been gimicky, illegal, unsportsmanlike, or ill advised, either on the offensive end or the defensive end or their ride. This is called "playing lacrosse." Would people care if they played Zone 65% and lost? or 10% of the time?

You're the one getting all worked up about it. I simply made the statement that the defensemen on that team are learning nothing by playing zone. Doesn't bother me either way, it's just an observation and an informed comment about the situation. Why don't you stop being so silly.

Actually their defense is gimmicky and ill advised. But hey - whatever it takes to win!

The fifth place game (Saltwater/Cavs) finished early so Saltwater was not there at the end, but invited. Some very good games this weekend, and surprisingly, a decent group of parents (with a few minor exceptions)