The Loyola Blakefield Effect: Dons Roll into USA Lacrosse High School National Top 25

There is only one newcomer to this week’s USA Lacrosse High School Boys' National Top 25, and Loyola Blakefield (Md.) is connected neatly to some of the biggest changes in the rankings.

The Dons beat McDonogh (Md.) to improve their playoff chances in the MIAA. Cooper Pasko, Jimmy Albanesi and Luca Ball all had two goals apiece and Matt Joerres scored once and dished out three assists in their 10-9 overtime win. Loyola could be dangerous down the stretch. It also boasts wins over Chaminade (N.Y.), Western Reserve (Ohio) and Georgetown Prep (Md.).

Chaminade (N.Y.) is another big mover this week. The Flyers' loss to Loyola Blakefield is their lone defeat of the season. They have a win over McDonogh and just knocked off former No. 4 Delbarton (N.J.) to take its place in the rankings. Two weeks ago, they beat rival No. 11 St. Anthony’s (N.Y.), and they are putting together one of their best seasons in recent years.

McDonogh slipped a few spots back after the loss, but is in good shape for the MIAA playoffs that feature several of the best teams in the country. The Eagles’ losses have come against some of the league’s lower-ranked teams, and they can still earn the No. 2 seed with another win this week because of head-to-head success against the best teams.

Archbishop Spalding (Md.), Loomis Chaffee (Conn.) and Salisbury (Conn.) continued their one-loss seasons, all essentially keeping up with each other. Salisbury will play a Brunswick (Conn.) team that is up to No. 5 and has only lost to New Jersey powers Lawrenceville and Delbarton.

We’re already hoping for Act 3 of Haverford (Pa.) vs. Malvern Prep (Pa.). The Fords moved into the Top 10 by avenging their earlier loss to Malvern. The grudge match should be a great one to settle the score.

Half Hollow Hills (N.Y.) keeps its momentum and its perfect record while moving up three spots to No. 16. Just behind is Belmont Hill (Mass.) which picked up a narrow win over St. Sebastian’s (Mass.) after the sort of season-changing fourth-quarter comeback you see in movies.

» National Top 25    
» Northeast Top 10  
» Mid-Atlantic Top 10  
» South Top 10  
» Midwest Top 10  
» West Top 10  
» Public Schools

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

National Top 25

1. Archbishop Spalding (Md.), 16-1 (1)    
2. Loomis Chaffee (Conn.), 11-1 (2)    
3. Salisbury (Conn.), 11-1 (3)    
4. Chaminade (N.Y.), 12-1 (12)    
5. Brunswick (Conn.), 11-2 (7)    
6. Calvert Hall (Md.), 12-2 (8)    
7. Delbarton (N.J.), 10-2 (4)    
8. Lawrenceville (N.J.), 13-3 (9)    
9. McDonogh (Md.), 11-5 (6)    
10. Haverford School (Pa.), 13-3 (11)    
11. St. Anthony's (N.Y.), 11-4 (13) 
12. Malvern Prep (Pa.), 13-7 (10)    
13. Boys' Latin (Md.), 11-4 (14)    
14. Landon (Md.), 16-1 (15)    
15. Benjamin (Fla.), 22-1 (16)    
16. Half Hollow Hills (N.Y.), 12-0 (19)    
17. Belmont Hill (Mass.), 11-2 (24)    
18. St. Sebastian’s (Mass.), 10-2 (5)    
19. St. Xavier (Ohio), 12-1 (17)    
20. Culver Academy (Ind.), 12-2 (18)    
21. Seton Hall Prep (N.J.), 10-2 (21)    
22. Loyola Blakefield (Md.), 11-5 (NR)    
23. Western Reserve (Ohio), 13-5 (20)    
24. St. Paul's (Md.), 8-6 (22)    
25. Choate (Conn.), 8-3 (23)

Also considered (alphabetical order): Bullis (Md.), Darien (Conn.), Deerfield (Mass.), Don Bosco (N.J.), Episcopal Dallas (Texas), Garden City (N.Y.), Georgetown Prep (Md.), Gilman (Md.), IMG Academy (Fla.), Lake Mary (Fla.), La Salle (Pa.), La Salle (R.I.), Mount St. Joseph (Md.), New Canaan (Conn.), Northport (N.Y.), Radnor (Pa.), Ridgewood (N.J.), Rye (N.Y.), Salesianum (Del.), Severna Park (Md.), Springfield-Delco (Pa.), Springside Chestnut Hill (Pa.), Staples (Conn.), St. Augustine (N.J.), St. John's College (D.C.), St. Mary's (Md.), St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.), Summit (N.J.), Valor Christian (Colo.), Westfield (N.J.)

Regional Rankings

Northeast Top 10 
Week 7

1. Loomis Chaffee (Conn.), 11-1 (1) 
2. Salisbury (Conn.), 11-1 (2) 
3. Chaminade (N.Y.), 12-1 (5) 
4. Brunswick (Conn.), 11-2 (4) 
5. St. Anthony's (N.Y.), 11-4 (5)
6. Half Hollow Hills (N.Y.), 12-0 (7) 
7. Belmont Hill (Mass.), 11-2 (9) 
8. St. Sebastian's (Mass.), 10-2 (3) 
9. Choate (Conn.), 8-3 (8)
10. Staples (Conn.), 9-2 (NR) 

Mid-Atlantic Top 10
Week 9

1. Archbishop Spalding (Md.), 16-1 (1)  
2. Calvert Hall (Md.), 12-2 (4) 
3. Delbarton (N.J.), 10-2 (2)  
4. Lawrenceville (N.J.), 13-3 (5) 
5. McDonogh (Md.), 11-5 (3) 
6. Haverford School (Pa.), 13-3 (7) 
7. Malvern Prep (Pa.), 13-7 (6) 
8. Boys' Latin (Md.), 11-4 (8) 
9. Landon (Md.), 16-1 (9) 
10. Seton Hall Prep (N.J.), 10-2 (10) 

South Top 10
Week 10

1. Benjamin (Fla.), 22-1 (1) 
2. Lake Mary (Fla.), 19-0 (2) 
3. IMG Academy (Fla.), 14-2 (3) 
4. Highland Park (Texas), 17-3 (4) 
5. Episcopal Dallas (Texas), 18-2 (5) 
6. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.), 19-3 (6) 
7. St. Andrew's (Fla.), 17-6 (7) 
8. Lambert (Ga.), 19-0 (9) 
9. The Woodlands (Texas), 12-4 (10)
10. Lucy Beckham (S.C.), 17-3 (NR) 

Midwest Top 10
Week 8

1. St. Xavier (Ohio), 12-1 (1) 
2. Culver Academy (Ind.), 12-2 (2)  
3. Western Reserve (Ohio), 13-5 (3)  
4. Olentangy Liberty (Ohio), 13-2 (4) 
5. Upper Arlington (Ohio), 9-6 (5) 
6. Detroit Catholic Central (Mich.), 15-0 (6)
7. Brother Rice (Mich.), 12-4 (7) 
8. Rockhurst Jesuit (Mo.), 12-1 (9) 
9. Lake Forest (Ill.), 14-1 (10) 
10. Worthington Kilbourne (Ohio), 13-2 (NR) 

West Top 10
Week 10

1. Loyola-Los Angeles (Calif.), 18-3 (1) 
2. Cherry Creek (Colo.), 15-0 (3) 
3. St. Ignatius (Calif.), 17-3 (2) 
4. Torrey Pines (Calif.), 13-5 (4) 
5. Valor Christian (Colo.), 13-2 (5)  
6. Marin Catholic (Calif.), 16-5 (6) 
7. Colorado Academy (Colo.), 12-3 (7) 
8. Arapahoe (Colo.), 13-2 (9) 
9. Monte Vista (Calif.), 17-2 (NR)
10. La Costa Canyon (Calif.), 11-6 (10)