New York Trio Leads Newcomers in Public High School Boys' Top 25

Syosset (N.Y.) opened its season with a close win over Cold Spring Harbor (N.Y.). Now they are two of the three New York squads to join this week’s USA Lacrosse Public High School Boys’ National Top 25, presented by CWENCH Hydration.

Niskayuna (N.Y.) is the third Empire State team. The Silver Warriors are 4-0, highlighted by a win over Jamesville-DeWitt (N.Y.) to cap their week. Syosset already owns wins over two teams also considered for the Top 25 — Smithtown East (N.Y.) and Wantagh (N.Y.). Cold Spring Harbor has won four straight games since returning to full strength and has wins over Yorktown (N.Y.), which became the first team to stop Darien (Conn.), and a good Port Washington (N.Y.) team. 

Scotch Plains-Fanwood (N.J.) is the other team to debut in the national rankings. It has good in-state wins over Westfield (N.J.) and Rumson-Fair Haven (N.J.), and its only loss was by one goal to No. 3 Summit (N.J.). Summit won on Chris Davies’ overtime goal. Scotch Plains is the only public school to stay within seven goals of Summit.

After Darien's loss, Highland Park (Texas) and Summit both moved up on spot. New Canaan (Conn.) jumped to No. 4 after a 4-0 start, and it'll be tested with games this week by Staples (Conn.) and private Chaminade (N.Y.).

Both Radnor (Pa.) and Springfield-Delco (Pa.) fell to outstanding opponents before strong wins kept them highly ranked. The Raptors edged Marple Newtown (Pa.) by a goal to finish their week on a high after a tough loss to private La Salle (Pa.) on Sunday. Delco won a pair of game after falling to Marin Catholic (Calif.).

Urbana (Md.) earned a top-10 win over Kent Island (Md.). It was Kent Island’s first loss of the year, and it played only one close game before falling. Urbana won’t get it any easier. Its next three opponents are a combined 15-3 with Linganore (Md.), Middletown (Md.) and Riverside (Va.) all having just one loss apiece.

Severna Park (Md.) also won a big matchup of ranked teams, more than doubling up Broadneck (Md.) 15-7.

Darien followed a surprising loss to Yorktown with a top-10 win over Manhasset (N.Y.). Now Darien takes on Mamaroneck (N.Y.) in another showdown between ranked teams. Mamaroneck’s only two defeats came against Manhasset and New Canaan. Meanwhile, Manhasset faces Cold Spring Harbor.

Shawnee (N.J.) topped both Somers (N.Y.) and Ridgefield (Conn.), which was in the Top 20, in impressive out-of-state meetings.

In the regional rankings, the Midwest has a new pair of unbeatens, Glenbard West (Ill.) and Stillwater (Minn.), both of which opened their years with significant wins. Park City (Utah) is debuting in the West. In the South, Lake Norman (N.C.) won a key in-state battle over Middle Creek (N.C.). 

By focusing exclusively on public school programs, these USA Lacrosse National Top 25 and Regional Top 10 lists (also found here in our rankings hub) highlight the best teams that have built powerhouse rosters through local development and strong grassroots efforts.

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

National Top 25

1. Garden City (N.Y.), 8-0 (1) 
2. Highland Park (Texas), 14-1 (3) 
3. Summit (N.J.), 7-0 (4) 
4. New Canaan (Conn.), 4-0 (11) 
5. Radnor (Pa.), 8-2 (5) 
6. Urbana (Md.), 8-1 (8) 
7. Springfield-Delco (Pa.), 7-2 (6) 
8. Darien (Conn.), 4-1 (2) 
9. Cape Henlopen (Del.), 4-1 (7)
10. Manhasset (N.Y.), 7-1 (9)
11. Severna Park (Md.), 7-2 (10)
12. Mamaroneck (N.Y.), 4-2 (14) 
13. Northport (N.Y.), 4-1 (16) 
14. Shawnee (N.J.), 4-1 (17) 
15. Kent Island (Md.), 7-1 (12) 
16. Massapequa (N.Y.), 6-2 (15) 
17. Staples (Conn.), 2-1 (20) 
18. Madison (Va.), 6-1 (19) 
19. Ponte Vedra (Fla.), 15-2 (21)
20. Jupiter (Fla.), 14-3 (22) 
21. Syosset (N.Y.), 7-1 (NR)
22. Cold Spring Harbor (N.Y.), 5-3 (NR)
23. Robinson (Va.), 5-2 (23)
24. Scotch Plains-Fanwood (N.J.), 7-1 (NR)
25. Niskayuna (N.Y.), 4-0 (NR)

Also considered (alphabetical order): Bayard Rustin (Pa.), Bridgewater-Raritan (N.J.), Broadneck (Md.), Bronxville (N.Y.), Carmel (Ind.), Chatham (N.J.), Cherry Creek (Colo.), Downingtown West (Pa.), Easton Area (Pa.), Farmingdale (N.Y.), Garnet Valley (Pa.), Huntingtown (Md.), Kingsway (N.J.), Linganore (Md.), Manheim Township (Pa.), Marple Newtown (Pa.), Port Washington (N.Y.), Ridgefield (Conn.), Ridgewood (N.J.), Ridley (Pa.), Roswell (Ga.), Sachem North (N.Y.), Scotch Plains-Fanwood (N.J.), Smithtown East (N.Y.), South River (Md.), Stephen Decatur (Md.), Torrey Pines (Calif.), Twin Valley (Pa.), Upper Arlington (Ohio), Victor (N.Y.), Wantagh (N.Y.), West Islip (N.Y.), West Potomac (Va.), Westfield (N.J.), Wilson (Pa.), Wilton (Conn.)

Northeast Top 10

1. Garden City (N.Y.), 8-0 (1)
2. New Canaan (Conn.), 4-0 (4) 
3. Darien (Conn.), 4-1 (2) 
4. Manhasset (N.Y.), 7-1 (3)
5. Mamaroneck (N.Y.), 4-2 (6)
6. Northport (N.Y.), 4-1 (8)
7. Massapequa (N.Y.), 6-2 (7) 
8. Staples (Conn.), 2-1 (10)
9. Syosset (N.Y.), 7-1 (NR)
10. Cold Spring Harbor (N.Y.), 5-3 (NR)

Mid-Atlantic Top 10

1. Summit (N.J.), 7-0 (1) 
2. Radnor (Pa.), 8-2 (2) 
3. Urbana (Md.), 8-1 (5) 
4. Springfield-Delco (Pa.), 7-2 (3)
5. Cape Henlopen (Del.), 4-1 (4) 
6. Severna Park (Md.), 7-2 (6)
7. Shawnee (N.J.), 4-1 (8) 
8. Kent Island (Md.), 7-1 (7)
9. Madison (Va.), 6-1 (9) 
10. Robinson (Va.), 5-2 (10)

South Top 10

1. Highland Park (Texas), 14-1 (1)
2. Ponte Vedra (Fla.), 15-2 (2) 
3. Jupiter (Fla.), 14-3 (3)
4. Roswell (Ga.), 14-1 (4)
5. The Woodlands (Texas), 16-2 (5)
6. Lambert (Ga.), 13-1 (6)
7. Lucy Beckham (S.C.), 10-3 (7)
8. Lake Norman (N.C.), 11-3 (10)  
9. Lassiter (Ga.), 13-2 (9)
10. Middle Creek (N.C.), 12-2 (8)

Midwest Top 10

1. Upper Arlington (Ohio), 10-1 (2) 
2. Carmel (Ind.), 10-0 (3)
3. Worthington Kilbourne (Ohio), 6-3 (1) 
4. Glenbard West (Ill.), 6-0 (NR)
5. Stillwater (Minn.), 2-0 (NR)
6. Lake Forest (Ill.), 3-1 (4) 
7. Hamilton Southeastern (Ind.), 8-3 (6)
8. Olentangy Liberty (Ohio), 6-2 (7)
9. East Grand Rapids (Mich.), 2-4 (8)
10. Dublin Jerome (Ohio), 3-3 (9)

West Top 10

1. Cherry Creek (Colo.), 7-2 (1)
2. Torrey Pines (Calif.), 7-2 (2)
3. Arapahoe (Colo.), 8-1 (4) 
4. La Costa Canyon (Calif.), 7-5 (5)
5. Foothill-Santa Ana (Calif.), 10-5 (3)
6. Mount Si (Wash.), 12-2 (6) 
7. Lakeridge (Ore.), 7-2 (7)
8. Bellevue (Wash.), 7-4 (8)
9. Fairview (Colo.), 7-1 (9)
10. Park City (Utah), 9-2 (NR)