Lacrosse Season Cranks Up

By: Keith Mills

The scrimmages, spring break and preseason games are over. It's time for the best high school lacrosse league in the country to go at it -- helmet to helmet. The Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference boys lacrosse league begins with five games Friday, including an early showdown between Boys' Latin and Calvert Hall Friday afternoon.

Calvert Hall is 7-0 after Saturday's 23-1 victory over the Breck School from Minnesota. Junior J.K. Wittelsberger led the Cardinals with five goals and two assists. Junior Patrick Fanshaw scored three goals while Jason McFadden added two goals and five assists.

Head coach Brian Kelly is in his 13th year at Calvert Hall and returns a ton of talent. McFadden is headed to Georgetown next year, while Sean McGuire and Mike Brashears have committed to Towson. Tyler Adelsberger will play next year at Ohio State and defenseman Chris Lightner at Johns Hopkins.

Boys' Latin is 7-1 after last Saturday's 13-10 win over DeMatha. Bobby Shriver's Lakers are anchored in the back by defenseman Charlie McComas, who is headed to North Carolina. Junior Chris Walsh has accounted for two goals and 11 assists in the Lakers' wins over DeMatha and Dulaney.

After three wins to kick off the season and a pair of tough losses last weekend, Loyola Blakefield visits St. Paul's Friday. Loyola was ranked No. 1 in the first STX/Inside Lacrosse national poll but lost to Haverford of Pennsylvania, 7-5, at Washington College, and Cherry Creek High of Denver, 11-8, last Saturday.

Despite the two losses, Jack Crawford's club is too experienced and talented not be considered the team to beat as they look to defend their A Conference championship. Last May at UMBC, Steele Stanwick scored four goals with four assists as the Dons beat Boys' Latin for the league championship. Stanwick, a member of the Under-19 U.S. national team, is headed to Virginia next year and will be joined on this year's Dons team by numerous talented teammates.

Joe Cummings and Colin McKew join Stanwick on the Dons’ attack unit. McKew is headed to Franklin and Marshall while Cummings is committed to Maryland. So is goalie M.J. Leonard, who anchors Loyola's defense along with Tim Bolte, Alex Bement and Mike Brooks.

Rick Brocato coaches St. Paul's, one of the youngest teams in the league. The Crusaders are 1-4 after a tough, 6-3, loss to Georgetown Prep last Friday and are playing without leading scorer Cliff Larkin, who scored 16 goals with 38 assists last year.

Gilman at Mount St. Joseph, Friends at McDonogh and Archbishop Spalding at St. Mary's round out Friday's opening day schedule. The Greyhounds are a perfect 7-0 after two huge wins last week over Georgetown Prep and Haverford. Jack Doyle, Duncan Hutchins, Davey Emala and Marcus Holman led coach Brooks Matthews' Greyhounds in the 11-8 win over Haverford.

Issue 3.14: April 3, 2008