Staples, Darien Ascend USA Lacrosse Public High School Boys' National Top 25

Connecticut has entered the chat.

Staples (Conn.) and Darien (Conn.) vaulted into the top 10 of this week’s USA Lacrosse Public High School Boys’ National Top 25, presented by CWENCH Hydration.

Boosted by one-goal wins over Wilton (Conn.) and Mamaroneck (N.Y.), Darien has a huge week ahead that includes private school power Brunswick (Conn.). Staples moved into the top 10 with a win over highly regarded New Canaan (Conn.). 

Other notable movement:

—  No. 1 Garden City remains at the top despite suffering its first loss of the season. The Trojans lost a one-goal game to New Jersey private school St. Augustine.

—  Jack Freeman scored a career-high four goals and No. 2 Summit (N.J.) pulled away down the stretch for a 9-6 win over Westfield (N.J.). Summit and Niskayuna (N.Y.) are the only unbeatens in the Top 25. 

—  Westfield began the week topping previous No. 14 Shawnee (N.J.) before Duke commit Brett Lundberg returned to lift Shawnee over rival Moorestown (N.J.). Garden City faces Shawnee this weekend. 

—  No. 3 Highland Park (Texas) won its 15th straight game convincingly.

—  New No. 4 Urbana (Md.) looked impressive in a 10-goal win over Linganore (Md.), whose only other loss came by a goal.

—  Radnor (Pa.) dropped in the rankings after losing a pair of games, to St. Augustine (N.J.) and Garnet Valley (Pa.), whose legendary coach Frank Urso recently announced this will be his final season.

— Cape Henlopen (Del.) fell after a loss to an unranked, but clearly dangerous Broadneck (Md.) team.

— No. 23 Scotch Plains-Fanwood (N.J.) handed West Morris (N.J.) its first loss of the season to stay on track for its first division title since 2013. Scotch Plains is also new in the Mid-Atlantic Top 10.

— The only other addition in a region, is Mason (Ohio) earning a spot in the Midwest rankings after nearly upending Midwest No. 7 Olentangy Liberty (Ohio).

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

Also considered (alphabetical order): Bayard Rustin (Pa.), Bridgewater-Raritan (N.J.), Broadneck (Md.), Carmel (Ind.), Century (Md.), Chatham (N.J.), Cherry Creek (Colo.), Downingtown West (Pa.), Farmingdale (N.Y.), Garnet Valley (Pa.), Huntingtown (Md.), Kingsway (N.J.), Lincoln-Sudbury (Mass.), Linganore (Md.), Manheim Township (Pa.), Pittsford (N.Y.), 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.), Westfield (N.J.), Wilson (Pa.), Wilton (Conn.), Yorktown (N.Y.)

Northeast Top 10

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

Mid-Atlantic Top 10

1. Summit (N.J.), 9-0 (1) 
2. Urbana (Md.), 11-1 (3) 
3. Springfield-Delco (Pa.), 10-2 (4)
4. Radnor (Pa.), 9-4 (2) 
5. Severna Park (Md.), 9-2 (6) 
6. Kent Island (Md.), 9-1 (8)
7. Madison (Va.), 7-1 (9) 
8. Robinson (Va.), 8-2 (10)
9. Shawnee (N.J.), 6-2 (7) 
10. Scotch Plains-Fanwood (N.J.), 10-1 (NR)

South Top 10

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

Midwest Top 10

1. Upper Arlington (Ohio), 11-2 (1) 
2. Carmel (Ind.), 10-1 (2)
3. Worthington Kilbourne (Ohio), 9-3 (3) 
4. Glenbard West (Ill.), 9-1 (4)
5. Stillwater (Minn.), 5-0 (5)
6. Lake Forest (Ill.), 6-1 (6) 
7. Olentangy Liberty (Ohio), 9-2 (8) 
8. Hamilton Southeastern (Ind.), 8-4 (7)
9. East Grand Rapids (Mich.), 4-4 (9)
10. Mason (Ohio), 8-3 (NR)

West Top 10

1. Cherry Creek (Colo.), 10-2 (1)
2. Torrey Pines (Calif.), 9-3 (2)
3. Arapahoe (Colo.), 11-1 (3) 
4. La Costa Canyon (Calif.), 10-5 (4)
5. Foothill-Santa Ana (Calif.), 13-5 (5)
6. Mount Si (Wash.), 13-2 (6) 
7. Lakeridge (Ore.), 10-2 (7)
8. Fairview (Colo.), 9-1 (9) 
9. Bellevue (Wash.), 8-4 (8)
10. Park City (Utah), 10-2 (10)