March 4, 2013

Mike Loveday
MarylandVarsity.com Publisher

Stag Power

DeMatha reached the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championship game last season and returns 18 players from last year's team, including goalie Nick Ramsey (Navy).

"Our goal every year is to get to that final game and win it," head coach Scott Morrison said. "We have a strong core of guys back. They're a year older, a year wiser. The sophomores from last year are hopefully seasoned juniors."

The Stags started up to seven sophomores last season, including attacker Steve Partlow (Jacksonville) and defender Johnny Surdick (Army).

Keep on Winning

South River had a perfect season last year, finishing 20-0 and winning the Class 4A/3A state championship. The Seahawks will put their 20-game winning streak to the test with a schedule that includes private school powers St. Mary's Ryken and Boys' Latin this season.

South River boasted two players who earned Capital Gazette First Team All-County honors: attacker Ben Chisholm and defender Stephen Hincks. Midfielder Lavon Chaney earned Second Team honors.

Hoyas Roaring Back

Georgetown Prep was 15-6 last year, but for the program it was a down year. This season the team should be much improved and once again has the expectations to reach the IAC championship game.

"Last year by our standards, we were' 15-6 and lost five one-goal games. That stinks," coach Kevin Giblin said.

The Hoyas should be able to turn those losses into wins with the youth from last year having one more year of experience.

There is strength in Prep's underclassmen with juniors Tim Golden (Hofstra), Charlie Horning (Villanova), Brendan Collins (Notre Dame) and sophomore Joey Altemus (Hofstra). Six seniors are also committed to Division I programs.

Defending Champions loaded

Landon won the IAC last year and graduated its face off man, two midfielders and goalie. The defense was hit the hardest, which included goalie Alex Joyce.

But despite the losses the Bears boast 14 players in the senior and junior classes who have either signed or verbally committed to Division I lacrosse programs, including a trio of Virginia commits: senior Michael Rhoads, along with juniors Jack Falk and Austin Petty.

The battle for the starting goalie spot should be intense with junior Jack Prutting and sophomore Hunter Sells in the hunt.

Staying on Top

Bullis reached the IAC championship game last season before falling to Landon, but the Bulldogs return one of the best players in the nation in Nick Fields (Johns Hopkins).

Coach Robert Pollicino told MarylandVarsity.com that "the offense has been decimated" with the graduation of 85 percent of the team's goals.

"We have to find a way to score goals this year," Pollicino said. "We have some younger kids we're going to lean on.

"Last year we tended to be a little more methodically on offense. I'm not sure that's possible with the 30 second shot clock. We'll have to do more adjusting to those rules than to our player personnel."

Among the players returning are goalie Brandon Burke (Brown) and defender Max Nordeen (Bowden).