May 1, 2008

by Paul Ohanian, Lacrosse Magazine Online Staff

Eighteen years ago, during boys' lacrosse coach Bill Leahy's first team meeting at LaSalle College (Pa.) High School, a student asked him how fans would avoid getting hurt during games. The young man assumed that, like the National Lacrosse League's Philadelphia Wings, the Explorers would play their games indoors in the school's gymnasium.

"That's all they knew - the Wings," said Leahy. "That was their frame of reference. Philadelphia lacrosse has come a long way."

Indeed it has.

Now considered one of the nation's top prep programs, LaSalle is no stranger to the lacrosse spotlight. The Explorers placed 11th in last year's Lacrosse Magazine year-end rankings, and are enjoying another standout campaign this spring. LaSalle brings a 22-1 record and 21-game winning streak into Thursday's game against Germantown Academy.

"The streak could be a quirk of scheduling," said Leahy. "We lost to Haverford in our second game. That's a game that's usually played late in the season, not early. We've been fortunate that some of the other games have gone our way."

LaSalle's current 21-game run includes victories against Baltimore's St. Paul's and McDonogh schools, as well as notable wins against Lawrenceville (N.J.), Malvern Prep and Ridley. The Explorers are the No. 1-ranked team in the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (EPSLA).

Leahy's program has become the measuring stick in Philadelphia's Catholic League, with an incredible 201-3 record against PCL competition. LaSalle has won 13 of the last 15 league championships.

This year's team features a 36-player varsity roster, the largest that Leahy has ever had. Spring practices began with 100 players trying out for the team.

With league rules allowing for 24 regular season games, Leahy has the opportunity to build depth that coaches with more limited schedules lack. He adjusts his lineup and his travel roster, at times, based on the strength of the competition. Younger players get a chance to cut their varsity teeth in less competitive games.

"Our guys take this pretty seriously," said Leahy. "Sometimes our warm-ups before games are just like another practice."

Beginning next season, LaSalle will conform to Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) rules, meaning the schedule will be downgraded from 24 to 18 regular season games. Victory totals may not reach the lofty heights of recent years - 26, 24, 29 and 28 wins in the last four seasons - but expectations are not likely to change.

"I think it's easier to be the hunter than the hunted," Leahy said. "I like it better when we're not the top team. But when we are, we just deal with it. It is what it is."

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Radnor rolls

In Eastern Pennsylvania girls' play, Radnor nipped Springfield (DelCo), 13-12, earlier this week in a Central League, first-place showdown. There's little time for celebration, however, as Radnor (14-0), the state's top-ranked team, faces another stiff challenge against Catholic League power Archbishop Carroll on Friday. Carroll (9-2) extended its league winning streak to 102 straight games last week with a victory over Archbishop Wood.

Maryland powers close strong

The John Carroll girls' team, currently No. 1 in LaxPower's national ranking, completed a 15-0 regular season with a 13-9 win over St. Mary's last week. The Patriots, seeking to claim their second straight Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland (IAAM) championship, begin that quest in the league quarterfinals Tuesday.

Maryland's top-ranked public school program - Severna Park - stands at 13-0 heading into its regular season finale against South River on Friday. The Falcons, who finished 20-0 last year while capturing their sixth overall state championship, have outscored their last three opponents by a combined 62-2.

'Surreal' Rivalry

Washington, D.C.-area boys' powers Georgetown Prep and Landon added another epic game to their rivalry last week, staging a four-overtime classic to decide the Interstate Athletic Conference's (IAC) regular season title. Brian Casey notched his third goal of the game with five seconds left in the fourth overtime to lift GP to a 9-8 victory before an estimated crowd of 4,000. The high drama left an exhausted Casey a bit overwhelmed.

"It's kind of surreal right now," he told The Washington Post, "but it's also the best feeling, so it's kind of cool."

The teams also waged a four-overtime thriller, won by Landon, in 2004.

It was a big weekend all around for the IAC, as another of its teams - St. Albans - pulled off a 6-4 upset at West Genesee (N.Y.) The loss was the first of two straight for the 14-time New York state champs, who also dropped a 5-4 decision against Auburn on Tuesday.

NSS rosters announced

The annual National Senior Showcase all-star game for senior boys announced its player selections this week. Each of the four team rosters, representing the North, South, East and West geographic regions, features 24 players. The teams play in a final-four format in Chicago on June 21, with semifinal games in the morning and consolation and championship games slated for later in the afternoon. The complete listing of the 96 players selected is available on the event's web site at www.uslacrosse.org/events/nss/index08.phtml.

Bringing Up the Rear

This last item may be the most unusual one we've ever included in this space.

Thirteen members of the Huron (Mich.) High School varsity boys' team have been suspended for an undetermined number of games for baring their bottoms during a junior varsity game last week. Surprise, surprise - it was all about getting the attention of a girl. The players had written, "Will You Go To The Prom With Me? Yes or No?" on their bottoms - an invitation from one of the players to his date.

"Inappropriate is inappropriate," Huron's athletic director Dottie Davis told The Ann Arbor News. "It disrespects women, and that's the clear message we need to have the students understand -- what may be fun to them isn't necessarily fun to everyone else."

At least the tale has a happy ending: the young lady accepted the invitation by patting the backside of the player who displayed the word "Yes."

Huron has a 5-4 record heading into Friday's game.

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Did we miss something? Submit news and notes, questions or comments to Paul Ohanian at gpohanian@uslacrosse.org.