Boys' Regional Top 10 Rankings: UA, St. Xavier Meet in Ohio Semis

The few ranked teams that played last week took care of business as the moved deep into their state tournaments. A huge top-three matchup between Upper Arlington (Ohio) and St. Xavier (Ohio) highlights the next round as teams look to move up in the USA Lacrosse High School Boys' Regional Top 10 rankings, presented by CWENCH Hydration. 

Garden City (N.Y.) advanced to the Nassau County final Monday but lost to Manhasset (N.Y.) in overtime, a result surely to affect next week's Northeast Top 10.

In the Mid-Atlantic, a slew of New Jersey teams led by St. Augustine (N.J.) are in the midst of their group tournament. La Salle (Pa.) will kick off state tournament play today looking to add to their Philadelphia Catholic League crown.

The Midwest features a number of hugely impactful games. Illinois hosts a top-flight matchup today in the super sectional between St. Viator (Ill.) and Lake Forest (Ill.).

The South and West region rankings will no longer be updated weekly, but rather finalized by the end of this month. Almost all teams in those areas of the country have concluded their seasons.

Compiled by USA Lacrosse writers with input from coaches around the country, rankings and records reflect results as of previous Sunday.

NORTHEAST Top 10

The one team in action in the region rankings was Garden City (N.Y.). The Trojans lost to Manhasset (N.Y.) after the rankings deadline. Garden City won the previous meeting in the Woodstick Classic. 

With the rest of the region now done, there won't be much movement possible.

Our Northeast rankings cover Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont.

1. Brunswick (Conn.), 17-3 

After defeating Lawrenceville (NJ) in double overtime in the semifinals, the Bruins edged Deerfield (Mass.), 8-7, to win the Prep Nationals title for the second time in program history. James McGinty scored the winner in transition with 1:25 left in the fourth quarter, and Will Connell (Lafayette) was a brick wall in net. Sawyer Bligh added two goals and one assist for Brunswick, which also won the Prep Nationals title in 2022. Previous: 1

2. Loomis Chaffee (Conn.), 15-2 

Make it three straight Founders League titles for Loomis Chaffee, which defeated Choate (Conn.), 10-5. Griffin Boston (Loyola) and Colton Boorda had two goals apiece, OJ Ika and Jayden Ramirez (Penn) had one goal and one assist apiece, and Rhett King (Denver) made 16 saves as Loomis stormed out of the gate at halftime to quickly turn a one-goal game into a three-goal lead. Previous: 2

3. Deerfield (Mass.), 14-4

A 13-8 win over Salisbury (Conn.) in the semifinals booked the Big Green’s spot in the Prep Nationals championship, but the script was flipped from a regular-season win over Brunswick, as the Bruins won by one at home to claim the title. Cooper Brozek (Harvard) had a goal and an assist, Mack Dance pulled Deerfield to within a goal, Jack Borg (Michigan) tied the score at 7, and Lucas Ward was stellar in cage for the Big Green. Previous: 3

4. St. Anthony’s (N.Y.), 12-4 

Make it seven NSCHSAA championship wins in a row against rival Chaminade (N.Y.) for the Friars, who rallied from a two-goal halftime deficit to win 13-12 at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium. Billy Atkinson (Bryant) got the party started with a first-half hat trick. Dylan Harrigan (Maryland) had three goals and one assist, Danny Rooney (Maryland) had two goals and an assist, and Dylan Rappaport (Loyola) made 12 saves. Previous: 4

5. Garden City (N.Y.), 17-1

Ben Smith had three goals and two assists, Charlie Koester (Lehigh) and Jeff Finnell had two goals and two assists apiece, Chase Krause and James DeBusschere had two goals each, and Zach Psilakis made nine saves as the Trojans weathered a slow start to defeat Roslyn (N.Y.), 15-6, in the Nassau Class B semifinals. A Woodstick Classic rematch against Manhasset (N.Y.) is next. Previous: 5

6. Choate (Conn.), 10-6

Emmanuel Nikitiades won some key faceoffs, Michael Bruketta scored a pair of goals, Paul Wable (North Carolina) gave the Wild Boars a 3-2 lead, and Mac Privateer was again solid in goal, but it wasn’t enough to overtake Loomis Chaffee, which won 10-5 and captured another Founders League title. Previous: 6

7. Chaminade (N.Y.), 13-5  

For a third straight meeting, and a second consecutive title game, the Flyers were outscored 6-1 in the third quarter en route to a loss to rival St. Anthony’s (N.Y.). Brendan Sim (Cornell) scored five goals, James Gillis (Duke) had four goals and two assists, John Balsamo (Virginia) had five assists, and Kieran Walsh (Notre Dame) made nine saves for Chaminade in the 13-12 defeat. Previous: 7

8. Holderness (N.H.), 15-0 

The Bulls entered the Lakes Region tournament as the top seed and lived up to the billing, defeating fourth-seeded Kimball Union (NH), 9-7, in the semifinals and then beating second-seeded New Hampton (NH), 8-7, in the championship game, with Trey Neally (Army), AJ Yeung (Princeton), and Trey Picard (Colby) leading the way. Previous: 8

9. Tabor (Mass.), 18-1

Tabor defeated St. Sebastian’s (Mass.), 14-10, to win its first-ever ISL championship. Leo Kavey (Loyola) and Landon O’Neil had three goals and one assist apiece, Dylan Franzen (Michigan) had two goals and two assists, Colton McNamara (Tufts) and Michael Albert (Saint Joseph’s) had two goals each, and Jayden Walters (Providence) had a goal and two assists. Previous: 9

10. Avon Old Farms (Conn.), 10-4

The Winged Beavers ended the regular season on a positive note, defeating Taft 9-6, but then ran into a Choate team healthier than it’s been all year and lost, 9-4, in the Founders League semifinals. Previous: 10

— Dylan Butler

Mid-Atlantic Top 10

While the top five teams in the region have completed their seasons, several other ranked teams still have a lot to play for, particularly in the Garden State.

New Jersey's Non-Public Group state tournament has gotten underway with three of the group's top four seeds ranked in the Mid-Atlantic Region. 

St. Augustine (N.J.) and Seton Hall Prep (N.J.) stayed on their collision course and could meet in a semifinal showdown. On the other side of the bracket, Delbarton (N.J.) is looking to reach the final and get another shot at one of those teams. All three had an easy time in their second-round matchups.

La Salle (Pa.) will open the Pennsylvania AAA state tournament today. The Explorers come off a decade of Philadelphia Catholic League titles. 

Our Mid-Atlantic rankings cover D.C., Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

1. Lawrenceville (N.J.), 13-4

The Big Red’s season ended in a double-overtime loss to Brunswick (Conn.) in the National Prep Lacrosse Championship tournament. It was their second loss to Brunswick this season. Lawrenceville, though, picked up some big wins over teams that we ranked in the region and nationally throughout the season. They knocked off Calvert Hall (Md.), Malvern Prep (Pa.), Deerfield (Mass.), St. Anthony’s (N.Y.), Hill School (Pa.) and La Salle (Pa.). Previous: 1

2. Malvern Prep (Pa.), 20-3 

The Friars captured both the Inter-Ac League title and the PAISAA Championship. Along the way, they defeated rival Haverford School (Pa.) three times. Malvern had significant wins this season over ranked teams such as Calvert Hall (Md.), Chaminade (N.Y.), La Salle (Pa.), Episcopal (Pa.), Delbarton (N.J.) and Hill School (Pa.). Previous: 2

3. Calvert Hall (Md.), 13-4 

The Cardinals repeated as MIAA A Conference champions with a commanding 14-8 win over second-seeded McDonogh (Md.). It took Calvert Hall a few weeks to get themselves together after graduating 10 seniors from a year ago. They lost three of their first five games before winning 11 of their next 12 games to close the season. Previous: 3

4. Haverford School (Pa.), 14-7

The Fords reached the PAISAA finals, but settled for a silver medal. Haverford advanced to the championship game by defeating a strong Episcopal (Pa.) team for a third time this season. They also owned wins over McDonogh (Md.) and Don Bosco (N.J.), and they took St. Anthony’s (N.Y.) to overtime. Previous: 4

5. Episcopal Academy (Pa.), 13-7

Early season wins over Georgetown Prep (Md.), Lawrenceville (N.J.) and St. Augustine (N.J.) set the tone for a good season for the Churchmen. Their toughest losses came in-league to Malvern and Haverford. They also were within a goal of national No. 1 Brunswick (Conn.). Previous: 5

6. St. Augustine (N.J.), 15-2

Seeded fourth in the Non-Public Group tournament, the Hermits stayed perfect against New Jersey teams with a 19-5 win over Pope John (N.J.) in the second round. Brayson Thurber and Ryan Wodazak each had hat tricks. Thurber also had a pair of assists. Sebastian Varallo scored twice and had two assists, and Brendan Cleary supplied three assists. St. Augustine will host fifth-seeded Christian Brothers (N.J.) today in the quarterfinals. No. 1 seed Seton Hall Prep (N.J.) is a possible semifinal foe. Previous: 6

7. Hill School (Pa.), 13-4

The Blues’ run in the PAISAA tournament ended with a 13-7 loss to Malvern in the semifinals. It was their first meeting with Malvern since 2018, and Hill is a far improved team since then. They picked up early wins this season over St. John’s College (D.C.) and Ohio power Worthington Kilbourne (Ohio). Previous: 7

8. La Salle (Pa.), 18-3

The Explorers enter the Pennsylvania AAA state tournament on the heels of their 10th straight Philadelphi Catholic League championship. La Salle will open state play hosting Spring-Ford (Pa.) today in a first-round matchup. The quarterfinals are set for Saturday. Previous: 8

9. Seton Hall Prep (N.J.), 12-7

The Pirates will host Notre Dame (N.J.) in the Non-Public Group state tournament today. Seton Hall is the top seed in their group and advanced out of the second round with an 18-0 win over St. Peter’s Prep (N.J.). Jack Merklinger finished with a hat trick, Quinlan Oakes and Gavin Martin scored twice and assisted once apiece and Cooper Christian scored a pair of goals. They could face St. Augustine in the semifinals with the chance to avenge one of their regular-season losses. Previous: 9

10. Delbarton (N.J.), 17-6

The Green Wave opened the Non-Public Group tournament with a 15-0 win over Paul VI (N.J.) in the second round. Chase Houser had a hat trick, Jack Render scored twice and Brandon Fodor and Gus Cummings each had a goal and two assists apiece. Delbarton will host 10th-seeded Pingry (N.J.) in the semifinals. Previous: 10

— Justin Feil

midwest Top 10

Ted Wolford had a huge impact on Ohio lacrosse. He won 16 state titles and compiled a 460-61 record with Upper Arlington (Ohio) from 1992-2016. Wolford had served as an assistant coach after stepping down in 2016. He died May 28, a day before his Golden Bears won a regional crown to move on to the state tournament. 

Upper Arlington will face another regional champion, St. Xavier (Ohio), in one of the most highly anticipated games of the season. Ranking right up there with it is today's showdown between St. Viator (Ill.) and two-time defending state champion Lake Forest (Ill.).

Carmel (Ind.) avenged one of its two losses by taking down the Culver (Ind.) varsity team for their state championship.

Both Stillwater (Minn.) and Detroit Country Day (Mich.) advanced to their respective state semifinals. Stillwater is riding an unbeaten season. 

Our Midwest rankings cover Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.

1. Western Reserve (Ohio), 14-1

The Pioneers had a tremendous season, beating a number of the nation’s top teams, including No. 3 Culver Academy (Ind.) and five others that were in the latest USA Lacrosse rankings (Archbishop Spalding (Md.), Loyola Blakefield (Md.), Salesianum (Del.), Seton Hall Prep (N.J.) and St. Mary’s (Md.)). They also avenged their lone loss when they topped the Eagles in the Midwest Scholastic Lacrosse Association Tournament title game. Previous: 1

2. Culver Academy (Ind.), 14-1

Like the Pioneers, the Eagles ended their season on a high note, venturing over to Massachusetts and topping Deerfield Academy (currently ranked sixth in the nation) by a goal in early May. Culver’s impressive resume also includes wins over No. 2 Western Reserve, No. 7 St. Anthony’s (N.Y.) and No. 23 Delbarton (N.J.). Previous: 2

3. Upper Arlington (Ohio), 19-3

A day after legendary Golden Bears coach Ted Wolford passed away, the program clinched yet another state berth with a 13-4 win over New Albany. (Upper Arlington won 16 state titles during Wolford’s tenure as head coach and he was an assistant in the program when he passed.) Luke Backes and Parker Old each had hat tricks and Aiden Joly made 10 saves to secure the Golden Bears’ regional title. Previous: 3

4. St. Xavier (Ohio), 19-1 

Well, we’re in for a Bombers-Golden Bears Division I state semifinal — again. The programs met in three straight state semifinals from 2022-2024 with Upper Arlington winning the first and St. Xavier capturing the last two. The Bombers have been on fire of late, winning all of their regional contests by at least 13 goals. Their 18-5 win over rival Moeller in the regional title game included a four-goal performance from D.J. Frazier. Previous: 4

5. Carmel (Ind.), 17-2

Just 17 days after a loss to the Culver varsity, the Greyhounds got their revenge with a 15-11 victory over the Eagles in the state title game. Ike Stitle led the way with five goals while Stitle and E.B Warren each tallied a combined eight goals between the title game and Carmel’s state semifinal win over Hamilton Southeastern. Evan Coulter added five assists between the two victories. Previous: 5

6. Stillwater (Minn.), 14-0

The Ponies prevailed in emphatic fashion in their lone game of the week, topping Mounds View 21-4 in their Class 1A, Section 4 quarterfinal. Brady Schneider scored a game-high five goals, Robert Appert IV and Beckett Sender added four apiece and Easton Abrams also tallied a hat trick for Stillwater. Previous: 6

7. Detroit Country Day (Mich.) 18-1

The Yellowjackets continue to roll, doubling up on all six of their opponents since their lone loss of the season (to Indiana state champion Carmel). That included topping Cranbrook 16-8 in the regional finals (after winning their regular-season contest by two) and besting Mattawan 16-4 in the state quarterfinals. Previous: 7

8. MICDS (Mo.), 17-2

Justin Bishop had a tournament run to remember, scoring four goals in the Rams’ state quarterfinal, semifinal and championship game wins. Steele Crissman added an absurd five goals, 13 assists and seven ground balls over that stretch. Previous: 8

9. St. Viator (Ill.) 21-2

Talk about a hotly anticipated game as the Lions, winners of 19 of their last 20, travel to 2024 and 2025 state champion Lake Forest (Ill.) for today's super-sectional (which could also be considered a state quarterfinal). St. Viator already picked up a thrilling 7-6 win on that same field back on May 9. Previous: 9

10. Shawnee Mission East (Kan.) 10-4

For the second straight season, the Lancers closed with a 7-6 Lacrosse Association of Kansas City title game win over Rockhurst Jesuit (Mo.). It capped a noteworthy turnaround given Shawnee Mission East lost three straight games to end April, including a six-goal loss to MICDS (Mo.) and a three-goal loss to the Hawklets. Two games over .500 at the time, the Lancers ended the year on a four-game win streak. Previous: 10

— Jonah Rosenblum