US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums MID-ATLANTIC LACROSSE MARYLAND FORUM Boys High School

Loyola lacks in leadership from the administration, coaches, captains and players. I would not send my kid to that school until they get it together. Otherwise you will end up transferring like so many kids have.[/quote]

Best academic Catholic school in the region hands down. The administration is strong. You can criticize the coaches, but captains and players? You don't have any clue what you are talking about.

Loyola administration chose to hire the inadequate coaching staff. Regardless of the bad coaching, you have kids who are holdbacks and have been playing for 10+ years! They can’t even beat Gilman! Gilman whose academics put Loyola to shame. We all know this is true! Not everyone can be wrong! You do have really nice fields!

Severns best players to Spalding.

Going to Spaulding to sit out a year? Don’t think so.

Best academic Catholic school in the region hands down. The administration is strong. You can criticize the coaches, but captains and players? You don't have any clue what you are talking about.[/quote]

If you have fundamental or schematic shortcomings, its up to the senior leadership to address it quickly and get the problem fixed. These young men (18 and 19 year olds) know how to play the game correctly. Watch the LB game film. One or two games of poor offensive and defensive fundamentals can be attributed to poor preparation by the coaching staff. When poor play extends for two full seasons the onus for poor fundamentals and not addressing schematic failures shifts from the staff soley to the players and staff collectively. Ultimately, the players "own" the team experience (especially the seniors) for that year. Giving the captains and players a pass does not prepare them to be leaders on collegiate teams or in life. Effective team leaders aka top players and captains take action (as a group generally after building consensus) for positive change. If that means additional team film sessions, calling the staff and their teammates out (in a constructive way) to play the game the "right" way, etc. so be it. Intelligent coaching staffs will welcome properly channeled and respectful leadership group input. Teams only reach their potential when everyone on the squad takes ownership for the team's performance.

If you have fundamental or schematic shortcomings, its up to the senior leadership to address it quickly and get the problem fixed. These young men (18 and 19 year olds) know how to play the game correctly. Watch the LB game film. One or two games of poor offensive and defensive fundamentals can be attributed to poor preparation by the coaching staff. When poor play extends for two full seasons the onus for poor fundamentals and not addressing schematic failures shifts from the staff soley to the players and staff collectively. Ultimately, the players "own" the team experience (especially the seniors) for that year. Giving the captains and players a pass does not prepare them to be leaders on collegiate teams or in life. Effective team leaders aka top players and captains take action (as a group generally after building consensus) for positive change. If that means additional team film sessions, calling the staff and their teammates out (in a constructive way) to play the game the "right" way, etc. so be it. Intelligent coaching staffs will welcome properly channeled and respectful leadership group input. Teams only reach their potential when everyone on the squad takes ownership for the team's performance.[/quote]


Well said! This is why Loyola has not and will not be successful! On and off the field a total lack of leadership!

Loyola is doing just fine evident in the college placement of their recent graduates: Harvard, Yale, Berklee, Princeton, Brown, Michigan, Notre Dame, Naval Academy among others. The campus is spectacular with the new middle school building and athletics fields. The lacrosse program is in a transition but will rebound one way or the other similar to the football program.

One successful football season in the B Conference and a dramatic victory over CHC does not a program rebound make. Let’s see how LB fares in the A Conference. Both the football and lacrosse programs have been “in transition” for the last 8-10 years. Academic, collegiate admissions and the physical plant aren’t the topic of discussion here.

Yep - and their roster is older than more than half the freshman class at all the Ivy League schools

You mean Spalding average players going to Severn. Now 15 players from The 2025 True team are all trying out for Hawks in hopes to make the A team. True kids to Severn and Severn still the bottom of the pack.

Focus on your boys recovery coach.

The Loyola list of college placements are NOT from their lacrosse team. We are taking about the demise of their lacrosse program. I have heard Loyola has some talented football players coming in next year probably why they decided to jump back into A. Loyola can only hope some of them can play lacrosse also like the old days.

Loyola's 2026 class is strong. Particularly on the defensive side.

Totally agree. My son goes to BL and Loyola was easily the best 8th grade team we played, followed by Gilman. McD didn't field a squad.

Your statement means nothing. Loyola and Gilman are bottom dwellers in the MIAA.

If you think Severn has great coaching…..none of us can take your post seriously. Severn has the second worst coach in the MIAA. The LB head coach is surrounded by dads that won’t let him meet his potential which makes him the worst but the Severn coach is gawd awful and a very close 2nd. Please don’t ever say Severn has great coaching it takes any of your credibility away.

The next 3-4 years- StP, Sev, and JC will be much improved. STM is a wild card. Not sure it will translate into wins or different playoff scenarios, because I don’t see BL, McD or CH falling off too much. But it will make the league very interesting. Spaulding has since peaked and will fall back to the middle of the pack.

Good list for sure I would have Weischaar and Lockwood lower with Larkin in top 10 Agree that Petro is outside top 10. I do think Ty X will do all he can to keep him top 10 probably 7-10.

For those programs who expect incoming freshmen to put you into the playoff hunt good luck. That happens once every ten years due to a generational talent.

Boys Latin loses their two most talented players (attackman and keeper) but return a super strong nucleus and reload as always. With their seasoned and accomplished coaching staff I expect them to repeat as a semi-finalist in 23. St. Mary's loses many of their best poles, a very underrated attackman and their starting keeper but also return most of their much improved offense. I expect them to be in the top six teams and potentially back in the semis. CHC loses their best two offensive players and pole but return a super strong squad reloading as always. I expect them to battle SM for the final semis spot. Spalding loses a lot of senior talent but has a seasoned coaching staff and good AA County feeder program in place. They could remain among the playoff teams if they jell early. McD loses a three year starter in the cage, two of their top middies and three of their top four poles. They do return the best attack in the Conference, a dominant FOGO and will reload on defense and in the cage. Expect them to be a top four program. Severn is a bit of an enigma for next year. They knocked off BL, SP in mid season and played SM and CHC tight down the stretch. They lose 6 valuable seniors but return the Conference's dominant FOGO. With a team that already has depth issues, you just never know how they'll fare going forward. I see them slipping out of the top 6 but could be surprised. St. Paul's returns almost everyone and is my early season favorite to win the championship in 23. They dropped some early games in 22 that doomed their season but showed in their pasting of McD and their last game against the Lakers that they're a force to be reckoned with. Loyola returns almost everyone except for two top poles. I expect them to rebound strongly in 2023 and make the playoffs again. They do need to improve their FO game, have better team D and keeper play to get there. Gilman loses their top flight keeper and continues to pay the price for the Administration's decision not to "play" the recruiting game not even selectively for the right academically strong multi sport athlete. I see this Program continuing to languish until there is a change in philosophy. JC was vastly improved last year but did rely a lot on their one strong offensive player to score. If they can continue to recruit and develop well, they could also break into the top 6 team. MSJ had a lot of of youth on the field but needs to uptier its talent pool collectively to compete more effectively.

STM back in the ship next year and wins it. Only
Losing 1 attack 1 defense and goalie. They
Have a deep bench. Lots of kids to step up.

Gilman did well in the tournaments this summer and have a very strong freshman class. The rec team coached by Gilman's Head Coach also won a championship this summer. That should tell you something about how this team is going to be a big surprise to many this coming season!

McDonogh, BL, CHC and St. Mary's are the preaseason favorites in that order.

McDonogh
```````````````
Key Losses - Wilson (G), Hurdle (D), Jones (D), Cool (LSM), McMillen (M), Brown (M)
Key Returners - Millon (A), Millon (A), Miller (A), Marsh (LSM), Hayashi (FO), Firlie (M), Hahn (M), Green (M)

Boys' Latin
`````````````````
Key Losses - Pietramala (A), Brown (A), Zappitello (A/M), Pietramala (D), Crouse (D), Stoller (G)
Key Returners - Foster (D), Walsh (M), Pacheco (M), Owings (M), Ford (A), Karetsos (A)

Calvert Hall
`````````````````
Key Losses - Sunderland (A), Wray (A/M), Vasile (A/M), Beck (D), Kelly (D), McAuliffe (LSM)
Key Returners - Kelly (A), Steele (A), Bowen (D), Strickland (FO), Hottle (M), Johnson (LSM), Lewis (M), Brannock (M), Nagy (M), Botek (M), Stangle (G)

St. Mary's
``````````````
Key Losses - Hopkins (A), Reese (D), Acton (LSM), Overend (G)
Key Returners - Golini (A), Adams (A), Kuszinski (A/M), Chick (M), Keane (M), Burlace (M), Cotton (M), Palmisano (D), Torggler (D), Androus (FO), Webber (FO)

Is MSJ that irrelevant? They have updated their talent from the past.

I don’t think so.

They played a lot of close games with a lot of teams in the conference last year with not a ton of blue chips. Their goalie kept them in some games. But they were a gritty, well coached team. They will improve. But I’m not sure anyone else really drops. I just see the overall quality of the conference getting stronger next year, even if there aren’t a lot of shake-ups in the standings.

McD wins this coming year. Just wait until everyone sees their transfers. People on this forum are going to lose their minds

MSJ will
Finish the season above Spalding next season book it.

Stop it. Go back to your video games.

2 years out depending on whether they retain everyone

Taking some creative license calling Niko Karetsos a "returner" for BL - he's a senior transfer from GA who's committed to UNC

BL also with a new FOGO from CT

Too small and won’t see the field much. Rude awakening for him in the MIAA next year.

Sorry you meant MSJ and John Carroll didnt you?

The MSJ goalie kept them in games last year he is gone. No they will not be better than Spaulding

MSJ coach needs to learn to adapt, not an MIAA ready coach or identifier of talent. Has kids in school who should be playing more sticks with same old. Has a lot of talent coming, no not the HOCO kids

Fair enough criticism on the MSJ coach learning to adapt. The guy has only had a couple seasons under his belt. I was relatively impressed with what he did this past year given the talent he currently has. Those boys always seemed prepared, and played hard and tough. That’s the first step to success in this league. Not sure you can judge his talent as a recruiter just yet. I want to see where they are in 2- 3 years. And let’s be honest, there isn’t a lot of pressure to win there.

I agree he needs to adapt and be a better evaluator of talent. Also should work on developing program in JV and Fresh Soph. Start with a solid FreshSoph and he will be rewarded.

Why is Niko Karetsos coming to BL for just the senior season if he's already committed to a top program?

I think the rationale I read was that he wants to prepare his game for college against top comp.

If the kid wanted to prepare for college, he would play for a team like MSJ. He would get to play against the best every week and get the best defenders from the other team focused on him.
Now the kid will be getting each team's second or third best defenders.

Like Costabile did.