South Stunners in USA Lacrosse High School Boys' Regional Top 10 Rankings

Dallas Jesuit (Texas) upset Highland Park (Texas) and Ponte Vedra (Fla.) is the new No. 1 in the South, where the top three teams faltered in the biggest shakeup to this week's USA Lacrosse High School Boys' Regional Top 10 rankings, presented by CWENCH Hydration. 

Northeast newcomer Salisbury (Conn.) came close to pulling off a similar stunner. After a narrow win over Taft (Conn.), Salisbury took top-ranked Brunswick (Conn.) into overtime before ultimately falling.

The Haverford School (Pa.) topped Episcopal Academy (Pa.) for the second time this season to move into the Mid-Atlantic Top 10 and over the Churchmen. The win this time came in double overtime.

One week after they a new No. 1 debuted in the Midwest, the region welcomed two newcomers to the rankings. St. Viator (Ill.) and Rockhurst Jesuit (Mo.) bring strong resumes, including wins over some big recent challengers. They've become teams to watch down the homestretch.

Arapahoe (Colo.) joins the West Top 10. Its only defeats this season have come against the state's very best teams that already are ranked in the region. Arapahoe now joins the top two ahead of the postseason. 

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

Editor's note: Dallas Jesuit defeated The Woodlands for the THSLL title on Monday, after these rankings were compiled. The result will be reflected in next week's update.

NORTHEAST Top 10

Brunswick (Conn.) was pushed to the brink by Avon Old Farms (Conn.) and Salisbury (Conn.). The Bruins won each matchup by a goal apiece, including an overtime game-winner against Salisbury, which enters the region this week after a strong showing coupled with a win over previously ranked Taft (Conn.).

Avon Old Farms had another tough outcome when they faced a Deerfield (Mass.) team looking to get back on track after a narrow loss of their own to Culver Academy (Ind.). Deerfield pulled out the Top-10 Northeast showdown. They'll play Salisbury this week to end the regular season.

Avon Old Farms takes on Taft this week in another key matchup, but the highlight of the week comes Wednesday when St. Anthony's (N.Y.) and Chaminade (N.Y.) square off for the NSCHSAA championship. St. Anthony's won their regular-season meeting by two goals. Catch the action live here.

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

1. Brunswick (Conn.), 15-2 

Two one-goal games, two wins for the Bruins, who knocked off Avon Old Farms (Conn.), 13-12, before needing overtime to defeat Salisbury (Conn.) 11-10. Brunswick’s first lead in that one was Lucas Garcia’s (Virginia) overtime winner. David Giuriceo was the hero against the Winged Beavers, scoring the decisive goal with 20 seconds left in regulation. Previous: 1

2. Deerfield (Mass.), 12-3

The Big Green rebounded from a tough 13-12 loss to Culver (Ind.) to defeat Avon Old Farms, 15-9. Deerfield concludes its regular season against Salisbury on Wednesday ahead of the Prep Nationals. Previous: 2

3. Loomis Chaffee (Conn.), 12-2 

OJ Ika had three goals and one assist, Hayden Goozh (Penn) won 16 of 20 faceoffs and scored a pair of goals, Brendan Mulderig (Villanova) had a pair of goals and Rhett King (Denver) made seven saves in a 14-6 win over Taft (Conn.). The Pelicans end their regular season on Wednesday against Choate (Conn.). Previous: 3

4. St. Anthony’s (N.Y.), 11-4 

The Friars concluded their regular season with a 16-3 Senior Day win over Archbishop Stepinac (N.Y.). Charlie Cacciabaudo (North Carolina) had three goals and one assist, Danny Rooney (Maryland) had two goals and two assists, and LSM Ryan Lasko (Boston University) and Rob Hommel (Florida Institute of Technology)  added two goals apiece. A championship encounter with rival Chaminade is next Wednesday at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium. Previous: 5

5. Garden City (N.Y.), 13-1

Ben Smith had four goals and two assists, Charlie Koester (Lehigh) had two goals and two assists, Henry Koester had a pair of goals, as did Brayden Robertiello (Penn State), who won 11 of 12 faceoffs in a 14-3 win over Long Beach (N.Y.). Previous: 5

6. Chaminade (N.Y.), 13-4  

Brendan Sim (Cornell) had four goals and one assist, Finn Pizzo (Cornell) scored four goals, Hayden Sipress (Yale) netted a hat trick, John Balsamo (Virginia) had one goal and three assists, and James Gillis (Duke) added a goal and two assists in a regular-season ending 17-12 win over Darien (Conn.). The Flyers look to avenge an 11-9 defeat to St. Anthony’s in the NSCHSAA championship game on Wednesday. Previous: 7

7. Avon Old Farms (Conn.), 9-3

The Winged Beavers pushed Brunswick to the edge before losing by a goal and then dropped a 15-9 decision to Deerfield. Avon Old Farms will look to bounce back as they close out the regular season on Wednesday against Taft (Conn.). Previous: 6

8. Holderness (N.H.), 13-0 

The Bulls show no signs of slowing down, going on the road to beat New Hampton (NH), 18-6, before a 12-7 win at Cushing (Mass.). Next up is the Lakes Region tournament, with Holderness the No. 1 seed. Previous: 8

9. Tabor (Mass.), 15-1

Dylan Franzen (Michigan) had four goals, Leo Kavey (Loyola) had three goals and two assists, Colton McNamara (Tufts) had two goals and three assists, Grant Solomon had two goals and one assist, Landon Walters had a pair of goals, Jayden Walters (Providence) had one goal and two assists and senior Andrew Fox scored his first goal of the year in a 17-5 win at Groton (Mass.) as the Seawolves secured the top seed in the upcoming ISL tournament. Previous: 10

10. Salisbury (Conn.), 9-5

After a one-goal win over Taft, Owen Pawlowski staked Salisbury a 9-5 lead in the third quarter against No. 1 Brunswick, but the Crimson Knights fell 11-10 in overtime. Keegan Luey netted a hat trick, James Whitehorse had two goals and two assists, and Garrett Sullivan (Syracuse), Cooper Augustine, and Tyler Ramirez (Colgate) also scored for Taft, who wrap up the regular season at Deerfield on Wednesday. Previous: NR

— Dylan Butler

Mid-Atlantic Top 10

Haverford School (Pa.) is the lone newcomer to the region’s rankings. The Fords finished their regular season in thrilling fashion with an 11-10 double overtime win over Episcopal (Pa.). They’ve won seven of their last nine games, with only an overtime loss and a loss to Malvern Prep (Pa.) to spoil the stretch. They'll be part of the PAISAA Tournament next.

The MIAA A Conference playoffs have all four top seeds playing in the semifinals today. No. 4 Calvert Hall (Md.) is the top seed and faces fourth-seeded Loyola Blakefield (Md.), which beat Severn (Md.) 18-11 in the quarterfinals even without leading scorer Bennett Cook. Cook broke his wrist in the last quarter when the teams played last week in the regular-season finale. 

Second-seeded McDonogh (Md.), which sits just outside the Mid-Atlantic Region’s top 10, plays last year’s finalist, Archbishop Spalding (Md.), which has played well down the stretch with wins in eight of their final nine games. The Cavaliers beat St. Mary’s (Md.) for the second time this season to reach the semifinals. McDonogh won their regular-season matchup with Spalding by a goal.

Another championship was set to be played Monday after deadline between two premier teams in the region. WCAC top-seed Paul VI (Va.) was set to take on third-seeded St. John’s College (D.C.), which avenged its loss to Good Counsel (Md.) in the WCAC semifinals.

The IAC playoffs affected this week’s rankings. Bullis (Md.) dropped out of the rankings after being upset by St. Albans (D.C.) in the semifinals. Georgetown Prep (D.C.) capped their first season under new coach Andy Hilgartner with a convincing win over St. Albans.

There’s more hardware on the line today when Delbarton (N.J.) plays for its county tournament title against a strong Chatham (N.J.) team. Summit (N.J.) rallied from an early deficit to win its county tournament already. New Jersey and Mid-Atlantic frontrunner Lawrenceville (N.J.) finished their regular season with a big win over Hill School (Pa.).

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

1. Lawrenceville (N.J.), 13-3

The Big Red swept Hill School (Pa.) and Kiski Prep (Pa.) to end the regular season. The Mid-Atlantic Prep League matchup with Hill was all Lawrenceville with an 18-6 margin. They dispatched Kiski, 16-5. Lawrenceville will play in the National Prep Lacrosse Championship tournament beginning this Friday at USA Lacrosse. Previous: 1

2. Malvern Prep (Pa.), 17-3 

The Friars clinched the Inter-Ac League title outright with a 20-3 win over Penn Charter (Pa.) and remained unbeaten in the conference with a 14-3 win over Springside Chestnut Hill (Pa.) to end the regular season. The Friars are the top seed in the PAISAA Tournament and face the winner of Academy of New Church (Pa.) vs. Penn Charter (Pa.) in the quarterfinals May 15. Previous: 2

3. Delbarton (N.J.), 15-4

The Green Wave cruised to three straight wins to reach the final of the Morris County Tournament. Delbarton blanked Mount Olive (N.J.) 17-0 in the first round, defeated West Morris Mendham (N.J.) 18-3 in the quarterfinals and beat Mountain Lakes (N.J.) 16-2 in the semifinals behind nine points from Brandon Fodor and 11 faceoff wins by Kane Quenault. They will play Chatham (N.J.) in the final today. Previous: 3

4. Calvert Hall (Md.), 11-4 

The Cardinals clinched the top spot in the MIAA A Conference with an 11-10 win over Loyola Blakefield (Md.) in the final regular-season game. Calvert Hall trailed in the fourth quarter before a 4-0 run put them in control. Nick Neavin made seven saves, including a game-winning one with 41 seconds left. Cade Marechek scored the game-tying and game-winner and Jack Williams had a hat trick. Calvert Hall is the only team with just one loss. The defending champion Cardinals had a bye in the first round of the MIAA playoffs. They face No. 4 seeded Loyola again in the semifinals today. The championship game is scheduled for Friday at Stevenson University. Previous: 4

5. Paul VI (Va.), 17-1

The top-seeded Panthers reached the WCAC final with a pair of wins in the playoffs. In the quarterfinals, Paul VI defeated St. Mary’s Ryken (Md.) 18-5. They defeated Gonzaga (D.C.) 10-4 in the semifinals. They were scheduled to play St. John’s College (D.C.) on Monday in the final after deadline. Previous: 6

6. Hill School (Pa.), 12-3

The Blues lost an 18-6 decision to Lawrenceville (N.J.) in their final regular-season game May 6. They play in the PAISAA tournament next, hosting Perkiomen (Pa.) in the quarterfinals. The final is scheduled for May 19 at the highest remaining seed. Previous: 5

7. Haverford School (Pa.), 12-6

Danny Kinnard’s third goal of the game was the game-winner in double overtime against Episcopal (Pa.). It’s the second win this season over the Churchmen. Jack Rischitelli scored five goals and had an assist, Gavin Morrissey went 16 for 22 on faceoffs and Jackson Gillis made 10 saves. The week began with a 16-5 win over Germantown Academy (Pa.). The Fords host the winner of Germantown Academy vs Westtown (Pa.) in the quarterfinals May 15. Previous: NR

8. Episcopal Academy (Pa.), 12-6

The Churchmen lost to Haverford School (Pa.) for the second time this season, this time in overtime, 11-10. The loss followed a 14-7 win over Springside Chestnut Hill (Pa.). Previous: 7

9. La Salle (Pa.), 14-3

The Explorers rolled by Bonner-Prendergast (Pa.) 19-1 before heading into a 10-day break as they ready for the district playoffs. They will play a game against Don Bosco (N.J.) following the break on May 16. Previous: 8

10. Summit (N.J.), 13-1

The Hilltoppers won the Union County Tournament title, 10-5, over Scotch Plains-Fanwood (N.J.). Summit trailed, 3-1, after one quarter, but rallied with 4-1 advantages in the second and third quarters to take control of the game. They shut out Scotch Plains in the fourth quarter. Quinn Hynes and Cole Sabol each had two goals and an assist apiece, Jack Freeman scored twice and Chris Davies had a goal and three assists. They’ll take on Ridgewood (N.J.) on May 16. Previous: 10

— Justin Feil

SOUTH Top 10

The top three teams from last week all lost to open the opportunity for Ponte Vedra (Fla.) to rise to No. 1 after earning its first state title in seven years.

Former No. 1 Highland Park (Texas) fell at the hands of Dallas Jesuit (Texas) which had been so close to a signature win all season. They got it in the AA state semifinals.

On the other side of the bracket, The Woodlands (Texas) defeated previous No. 3 Episcopal Dallas (Texas) in the semifinals.

Benjamin (Fla.) avenged one of its losses at the best time, taking a victory over St. Andrew's (Fla.) in a rematch to snare their third straight state title.

Roswell (Ga.) is a win away from a state title of its own. They can wrap up a terrific season on top with a championship this week.

Our South rankings cover the region from North Carolina south to Florida and west to Texas. 

1. Ponte Vedra (Fla.), 21-2

The Sharks won their first state championship since 2019, toppling St. Thomas Aquinas 9-8. Ponte Vedra pulled ahead after a 7-7 stalemate through three quarters. Will Cavanaugh led the way for Ponte Vedra with a hat trick. The win followed a 6-5 victory over Winter Park (Fla.). Previous: 4

2. Benjamin (Fla.), 16-5

The Buccaneers completed a three-peat as state champs, toppling St. Andrew’s (Fla.) for the second consecutive year. Benjamin’s 13-11 win came more than two months after St. Andrew’s defeated the Buccaneers 13-11. Jack Kelleher notched five tallies in the win. Benjamin advanced to the state championship following a 12-4 win over Bolles (Fla.). Campbell Hogan had five goals and three assists in the semifinal. Previous: 9

3. Highland Park (Texas), 18-2

The Fighting Scots’ season came to an end in the state semifinals, losing to Dallas Jesuit (Texas) 10-5, one year after defeating Dallas Jesuit in the state semifinal. Previous: 1

4. St. Andrew’s (Fla.), 20-4

The Scots lost for the second straight year to Benjamin in the Florida state championship. Matteo Moran and Xander Gerard each had hat tricks, but Nick Testa was held to just one goal. St. Andrew’s advanced to the championship game after a 15-4 win over Community School of Naples (Fla.). Testa had three goals and three assists. Previous: 2

5. The Woodlands (Texas), 18-3

The Highlanders advanced to Texas’ state championship game after defeating Episcopal Dallas 14-10. Woodlands’ state championship game against Dallas Jesuit was postponed on Sunday. Previous: 6

6. Roswell (Ga.), 20-1

The Hornets are waltzing into the state championship game following a 22-2 win over Hebron Christian (Ga.). It followed a 21-3 win over Decatur (Ga.). Jack Hardwick had back-to-back five-goal games, while Wyatt Luce and Kaden Parla had hat tricks in both contests. Previous: 5

7. Episcopal Dallas (Texas), 16-4

The Eagles’ season came to an end last week after losing to Woodlands 14-10 in the state semifinals. ESD had appeared in back-to-back state championships. Previous: 3

8. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.), 17-4

The Raiders were just one goal shy of a state title, falling to Ponte Vedra (Fla.) 9-8 in the championship. Jack Lancelot scored a team-leading four goals. STA had an impressive 15-2 win over Manatee (Fla.) in the state semifinals. James Finch had three goals and two assists. Previous: 7

9. Jupiter (Fla.), 15-4

The Warriors' season ended in the regional finals in a loss to St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.). Jupiter’s season was highlighted by a win over Benjamin (Fla.). Previous: 8

10. Dallas Jesuit (Texas), 10-5

The Rangers are playing for a state championship versus Woodlands, hoping to avenge their one-goal loss to the Highlanders early in the year. Dallas Jesuit earned a spot in the title game thanks to a 10-5 win over Highland Park. Jack Lynch notched a hat trick in the win. Previous: NR

— Justin Boggs

midwest Top 10

The Culver Academy (Ind.) team was quick to rebound from their first defeat with a huge national matchup win over Deerfield Academy (Mass.). The win reinforced their strength nationally. 

Upper Arlington (Ohio) and St. Xavier (Ohio) are among the teams set to begin postseason play in Ohio this week.  

Stillwater (Minn.) stayed perfect on the year while MICDS (Mo.) pushed its winning streak to nine. 

St. Viator (Ill.) knocked off Lake Forest (Ill.) in a huge regional battle to earn a spot in the rankings. Another newcomer, Rockhurst Jesuit (Mo.), is into the playoffs and moving toward a title date.

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

1. Western Reserve (Ohio), 14-1

While they didn’t have a game this past week, the Pioneers reaped the rewards of their prior week’s achievements, including a win over top-ranked Culver Academy (Ind.). Following that victory, WRA moved up to second in the national rankings. And the Pioneers also had 13 players earn honors from the Midwest Scholastic Lacrosse Association, with seven making the first team. Previous: 1

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

The Eagles didn’t have much time to mourn their first loss, rebounding to edge Deerfield Academy (Mass.) four days later in a battle of two of the nation’s top-five teams. Culver has now scored double-digit goals in 13 of 15 games this season. Previous: 2

3. Upper Arlington (Ohio), 15-3

The Golden Bears had a busy final week of the regular season, beating Hilliard Davidson (Ohio) and Academy New Church (Pa.) and falling by three to New Canaan, one of Connecticut’s top teams. Undefeated in the Buckeye State, top-seeded Upper Arlington opens the Region 3 postseason May 18 against No. 16 Fairmont or No. 19 Franklin Heights. Previous: 3

4. St. Xavier (Ohio), 15-1 

The Bombers closed the regular season with a dominant effort, beating Elder (Ohio) by 19 goals. Still undefeated in the Buckeye State (with its lone loss coming in Indiana to Cathedral), top-seeded St. Xavier will open Region 4 play May 18 against No. 15 Little Miami or No. 16 Walnut Hills. Previous: 4

5. Carmel (Ind.), 14-1

Ever since a mid-April loss to St. Xavier (Ohio), the Greyhounds have done nothing but stack impressive wins. Carmel has won four straight, all against top-notch competition, including doubling up on Cathedral (Ind.) Friday. Luke Shrift (five goals, one assist) and E.B. Warren (four goals) were among eight different scorers for the Greyhounds while Will Bates tallied an impressive 13 saves. Previous: 5

6. Stillwater (Minn.), 10-0

The undefeated Ponies keep rolling and have now held all 10 of their opponents to eight goals or fewer (and just 3.7 goals per game). Keiran Jones contributed to half of his team’s points in a 12-5 win over Irondale (Minn.) Tuesday, tallying five goals and an assist. Previous: 7

7. Detroit Country Day (Mich.) 13-1

The Yellowjackets bounced back from a close loss to Carmel (Ind.) with a dominant effort against Forest Hills Northern (Mich.) Saturday. One big challenge awaits to end the regular season as Detroit Country Day visits 12-3 Brighton (Mich.) Wednesday. The Yellowjackets won last year’s matchup by a sizable margin (14-3). Previous: 8

8. MICDS (Mo.), 14-2

The Rams won their ninth straight game, topping Chaminade Prep (Mo.) 11-3 in a battle of the two top-ranked teams in the Missouri Scholastic Lacrosse Association. MICDS had three players record multiple goals in the win: Steele Crissman, Graham Faust and Ian Spakowski. Previous: 9

9. St. Viator (Ill.) 16-2

The parity in Land of Lincoln lacrosse has been fun to watch with the Lions topping host Lake Forest by a goal Saturday, the Scouts edging Loyola Academy in overtime earlier this season and the Ramblers beating the Lions on the road. In the latest big-time clash, St. Viator’s 7-6 win at Lake Forest, senior Keaton Franzen (UMass) tallied his 300th career point and became the program’s all-time leading scorer. Previous: NR

10. Rockhurst Jesuit (Mo.) 11-4

The Hawklets started the Lacrosse Association of Kansas City playoffs in fine form, beating St. Michael’s 24-1. Junior Logan Filing (Palm Beach Atlantic) had two goals and five assists while freshman Padraig Reidy filled the stat sheet with two goals, three assists and five ground balls. Pembroke Hill awaits in today's semifinal. Previous: NR

— Jonah Rosenblum

West Top 10

The playoffs have hit the West, and teams are looking to finish on a high note.

Newcomer Arapahoe (Colo.) is one of those teams. It's only two losses this year have come against Top-10 Colorado teams. They opened their playoffs with a dominant victory.

St. Ignatius (Calif.) squeaked by Sacred Heart Prep (Calif.) in a final test and now gear up for a championship run. 

Brophy (Ariz.) has showed the way. They closed their season with another state title.

Our West rankings cover the Mountain, Pacific and Northwest regions and at least part of the Southwest.

1. Loyola–Los Angeles (Calif.), 19-3

Loyola wasted little time making a statement in the postseason, cruising past Mater Dei (Calif.) 19-5 in the semifinals. Tripp King led the way with five goals, three assists, and three ground balls as the Cubs advanced to face Santa Margarita (Calif.) in the championship game on May 15. Previous: 1

2. Marin Catholic (Calif.), 15-5

Marin Catholic continued its strong finish to the season with a convincing 15-2 victory over Marin Academy (Calif.). The Wildcats will look to carry that momentum into their regular-season finale against Monte Vista Danville (Calif.). Previous: 2

3. St. Ignatius (Calif.), 14-6

St. Ignatius survived a tough challenge from Sacred Heart Prep (Calif.), escaping with an 11-10 win in a game that came down to the final moments. The Wildcats now move into the 1st round of the Championship tournament against Archbishop Mitty (Calif.). Previous: 3

4. Valor Christian (Colo.), 14-2

Valor Christian overwhelmed Poudre (Colo.) 19-3 to advance in the playoffs and will now square off with Mountain Vista (Colo.) in the Elite Eight. The Eagles’ high-powered offense has been difficult for opponents to contain. Previous: 4

5. Cherry Creek (Colo.), 14-2

Cherry Creek controlled the pace from the opening quarter in a 12-4 postseason win over Rock Canyon (Colo.). With another playoff test ahead against Erie (Colo.), the Bruins remain firmly in the championship conversation. Previous: 5

6. Torrey Pines (Calif.), 13-3

Torrey Pines heads into a semifinal rematch with The Bishop’s School (Calif.) after defeating the Knights 11-6 earlier this season. The Falcons will aim to replicate that effort with a finals berth on the line today. Previous: 6

7. De La Salle (Calif.), 18-4

De La Salle kept its offense rolling in an 18-5 win over Granada (Calif.) and now prepares for a semifinal matchup against Redwood (Calif.). The Spartans continue to generate consistent production on the offensive end and have looked sharp heading into the final stretch of the postseason. Previous: 7

8. Regis Jesuit (Colo.), 14-2

Regis Jesuit turned in another complete performance with a 17-6 victory over Northfield (Colo.) in playoff action. The Raiders now shift focus to a highly anticipated Elite Eight showdown with Fairview (Colo.). Previous: 8

9. Brophy (Ariz.), 19-4

Brophy closed out its season in dominant fashion, defeating Notre Dame (Ariz.) 19-3 to capture the A.L.L. state championship. The Broncos finish the year with another title and a résumé that stacks up among the best in the Southwest. Previous: 9

10. Arapahoe (Colo.), 14-2

Arapahoe recorded a signature 9-8 overtime win against La Costa Canyon (Calif.) back in March. Their only loss since then has been at the hands of Cherry Creek. They picked up a commanding 18-3 playoff victory over Grandview (Colo.). With their only other loss coming against Regis Jesuit (Colo.), the Warriors continue to establish themselves as a dangerous postseason contender heading into a matchup with Lakewood (Colo.). Previous: NR

— Sonorah Hunter