last four years earlier this month in Rochester.
State championship- 25 points
State finals appearance- 15 points
State semifinals appearance- 8 points
Sectional championship- 5 points
Add ons come from each of the three following categories:
National ranking
Laxpower national championship: 15 points
Laxpower final ranking 2-10: 8 points
Laxpower final ranking 11-25: 5 points
Big wins
Win over laxpower top 10 team: 5 points
Win over laxpower 11-25 team: 3 points
Consistency
Season .750 winning percentage or better: 2 points
Losing season: -10 points
Note: I could not include CHSAA schools because the nature of the scoring system would make it impossible to compare them to the NYSPHSAA members
Here they are. …
2. West Islip – 225 points: The Lions have roared onto the scene in the second half of the laxpower era to become the states new best program, winning state titles in Class A in 2006, 2007, and 2009 while reaching the state finals in 2004. West Islips ascension up this list is remarkable because in the first five years of the era they managed to earn just 8 points while winning zero sectional titles. In the past six years, however, the Lions have earned 217 points, won six sectional titles and five Long Island titles, and finished ranked in the top six every season. Their best year was 2007, when they amassed 55 points and won the laxpower National Championship. Their worst was 1999, when they received zero points for an 11-5 season.
3. Manhasset – 180 points: The Indians, the oldest program on Long Island and the oldest public school program in the nation, have extended their dominance into the laxpower era quite well. Manhasset has won two state championships, both in Class C, in 2004 and this past year. They have finished in the laxpower top 25 five times, including their national championship season in 2004, and reached the state finals two other times. A recent drought in Nassau County ended with this seasons state title and a restoration of Manhassets usual place in the national top 10. Their best season was 2004, when they accumulated 52 points while winning the National Championship, while their worst was 1999 when they received just two points while finishing 15-4.
4. Yorktown – 178 point: The ‘Huskers have dominated Section 1 all-time, and little changed in the laxpower era as they won 10 of the 11 possible championships, falling only in 2006. That dominance helped them reach this highly in the rankings despite just one state championship, coming in Class B in 2003. The ‘Huskers reached the state semifinals eight times out of the 11 laxpower era seasons, which is third in the state behind Penn Yan and West Genny, but often had trouble in games against their Long Island semifinal opponents. Still, they finished ranked in the laxpower top 25 six times and played one of the most challenging non-league schedules of any team in the state throughout the era. Their best year came in 2003, which they capped off with a state championship and earned 40 points, while they earned zero points in their worst season of 2006, when they finished 13-7 and failed to win a sectional championship.
5. Ward Melville – 176 points: While both Patriot and Husker fans are aware of Ward Melvilles dominance over Yorktown on the field all time (WM leads the all time series 21-6), the Patriots can blame their ranking here on playing in Suffolk County. WM failed to advance past the county finals in each of the past nine seasons, mostly due to West Islips emergence as a dominant power. They did most of their damage in the first two years of the era, when they went 44-0 with two state championships in Class A, a national #2 ranking in 1999 and a National Championship in 2000. The next nine years have been a model of consistency, but not the greatness that Patriot fans had become accustomed to as the owners of seven state championships all time. Ward Melville finished nationally ranked three more times over the next nine years and upset highly ranked West Islip teams during the regular season three times to earn additional points. Their best season was 2000, when they earned an astounding 60 points, while their worst were 2003, 2006 and 2007 when they earned just two.
6. Garden City – 157 points: The second oldest program on Long Island also makes its presence felt in these rankings, as the Trojans have been consistently very good throughout the laxpower era. Garden City has finished the season ranked in the top 25 8 times during the period and has one state championship, when they finished undefeated in 2000 and topped it off with a win over Mike Powell-led Carthage in the Class B state final. They have five total sectional championships during the era, including the last four, but the 2000 season is the only one in which they have advanced off of Long Island, which hurt their total score. The aforementioned 2000 season was by far their best, as they received 45 points, while their worst was in 2002 when they amassed just two.
7. Orchard Park – 148 points: The Quakers have absolutely dominated section 6 for many years, including the previous eleven, as they won a sectional championship in each of the past 11 seasons. They have also reached three state finals in Class A, coming in 2000, 2001 and this past season, losing all three. OP has been to the state semifinals seven times and finished the season nationally ranked three times, including #9 in 2000. A sustained run of dominance has been the most impressive part of Orchard Parks program, albeit in a very weak section, and for this reason they have had no season in which they earned less than seven points. Their best season came in 2000 when they accumulated 30 points.
7. Corning East – 148 points: The Trojans have a similar record of dominance in Section 4, as their streak of 24 consecutive sectional titles spanning no classifications, Class B and Class C ended this year at the hands of Chenango Forks. Still, CE has won 10 sectional titles and been to the state finals five times in Class B and C combined (winning none) during the laxpower era. They have also finished nationally ranked three times. Their best season was 1999 when they reached the state finals, were ranked #21, and accumulated 25 points. Similar to OP, their worst season has been seven points, which they have done five times.
9. LaFayette – 143 points: The Lancers have one of the oldest programs in Central New York and they have been a consistent force in Section 3 throughout the laxpower era. LaFayette has two state championships, both in Class C, in 2003 and 2005. In 2005, they finished undefeated and No. 3 in the nation after defeating Manhasset in the state championship game. They also appeared in the state final two other times and had five sectional titles during the era. The best season for the Lancers was 2005 when they amassed 47 points, but they were hurt by their six seasons with just two points.
10. Penn Yan – 139 points: The Mustangs have a distinction that no other program in New York shares during the laxpower era: they have reached the state semifinals in each of the eras eleven seasons. While much of this has to do with the weakness of Section 5 Class C and also Section 6 and Section 10, Penn Yans program is nevertheless outstanding. They won the state championship in 2001 in Class C, when they were ranked No. 14, and reached the state finals also in 2004. Their remarkable consistency led to their worst seasons of 2005, 2007 and 2008 still netting them eight points, while their best year was their state championship season in 2001 when they gained 35 points.
Notables:
Section 1:
Somers 59
Section 2:
Niskayuna 102
Section 3:
Jamesville-DeWitt 75 (37 in 2007)
Carthage 71
Section 5:
Canandaigua 101 (53 in past two seasons)
Section 8:
Lynbrook 104 (87 points in 1999-2000)
Cold Spring Harbor 65 (32 in 2006)
Section 11:
Shoreham-Wading River 123 (two state titles, 8 seasons of 7 points or less)
Huntington 107 (121 points and two state titles 2005-2007, -14 points other years)
Comsewogue 76
Posted In: Section 11, Section 8
Good stuff. A little surprised Manhasset is that high. Have they ever beaten Ward Melville?
Manhasset and WM have not played in the era this ranking looks at…as far as all time, they did play twice for the Long Island championship..once in 1976 when WM beat Manhasset 10-7, and again in 1984, when Manhasset prevailed 9-8 in 4OT.
Not surprising. Set has a chuck and duck scheduling philosophy and won’t play any A teams from the Island ever and won’t even play Yorktown. Isn’t that right WhaleBurp?
Pequa is such a ‘Set hater
Pequa embarrasses himself more every time he posts! For the record Manhasset had the #1 SOS for Class C schools in the nation. All conferences are permitted a certain limited # of out of conference games. Often these games are traditions – such as GC in the Woodstick classic, etc. If you have a concern it should probably be directed @ WI.
Pequa is just upset that Pequa is probably one of the more underperforming teams of the last whatever years.
There is no Class C for the nation, only NYS.
What complaint do you have with WI scheduling? They have had yearly games with Ridgewood, Pequa and Chaminade…all three were not as good as usual this year but in general these are three very good programs.
Why would Manhasset waste time playing Nassau A teams? they stink and are the biggest joke of LI Lacrosse – no hardware and consistently waxed by Suffolk. CSH, Chaminade, Darien, GC, John Jay are all better than Nassau A. Im sure Cherry would love to play Yorktown or the Suffolk A schools – that would be a an actual challenge and an honor. Hicksville Nassau A “champ” – worked by CSH – CSH worked by Manhasst. Please. And you are from Massepequa, ha – I’m sorry about that. WT!
My o0nly issue with WI is that I’d love to see them play a team like Gilman or Calvert Hall etc. Ridgewood and Massapequa are good but not great teams year in and year out.
My error on nation vs state. That’s what I should have said.
Chris,
Very imaginative and well researched and thought out. This should be something we keep an eye on as the years go by. Nice job.
(Programming note: Phil is tied for the Open lead with four holes to play!)
Coach Craig cares about one thing…winning the NYS Class A Championship. His schedule seems to be working damn well, considering they have won three of the last four. Would I like to see Gilman and CHC play WI? Sure, who wouldn’t? But to say they have to or should play these games is not correct, the goal for WI and every other team in the state that isn’t in the CHSAA is to win the State Championship.
LI Lax –
You’re missing the point. If you are a premier program you really do have a responsibility to.schedule appealing and challenging games. I’m sure if he did so his team would not have only done what it has but it could have even helped it beat Syosset last year.
Well said Laxalot. I agree 1000 percent.
WI doesn’t have a responsibility to do anything except compete for and win state titles. Just because there are a bunch of people on a forum who want to see them play Gilman does not mean they have that responsibility…obviously, their scheduling strategy is working out quite well. You can’t argue that had they played Gilman instead of Ridgewood in 2008 they would have beaten Syosset, that just makes no sense.
It must be nice to sit out here and insinuate that a coach with a record such as Craig’s isn’t meeting his responsibilities. There’s no pleasing some people.
Hey guys I have a great idea?? How bout WI and Set play next year in a matchup-up of the Island’s two state champs?? Seriously! I would not only go to that one but get there early to get a good seat. What does everyone think?
No one is saying they have to play Gilman but Craig must schedule some games vs.top teams outside the Island. Any rational person with even the slightest knowledge of lax has to realize that.
Why must he? Six Suffolk titles in a row and 5 out of 6 Long Island’s and 3 state titles isn’t good enough for you…I am sure that you guys at WM wish you had that lately.
Makes you appreciate the Savs bc they knew they were rebuilding this year and still scheduled Nisky, Corning East, St. A’s, Syosset. Thus guy Craig has like the #1 team in the country but will only play St. A’s. What does that teach your kids about accepting challenges? It’s a shame for WI and a shame for lax fans.
WI played St. A’s? Not since I can remember at least. I can’t believe some of these people, what is a shame for WI? I’m sure Galasso and Braddish and Hodgson and McCormack etc are so ashamed that they didn’t play Manhasset, Summit, Gilman, Calvert Hall, La Salle…etc…they only won the most prestigious state championship in the country. Not so bad.
Observer –
As LI Lax points out, West Islip did not play St. A’s this past season. You are probably thinking of Chaminade, whom the Lions played and defeated 10-4 on April 11.
West Islip doesn’t have an obligation to anyone but itself. Why do the Lions have to have a schedule which meets your demands? That’s just absurd. They win. Bottom line. They win state titles.
West Genny has always played basically a Section 3 schedule. How’s that served them?
Teams that play these ridiculous sked do so out of necessity because what is offered in their particular section (Section 1 is a perfect example) comes up well short of the type of sked one needs to be battled tested for June.
This notion that West Islip “owes” it to the sport to play every team worth anything on Long Island or from Maryland is absurd. They win without doing it. Some of you are impossible to please. They’ve won the A state title 3 times out of the last 4 years, yet you are harping on the loss to Syosset as being because they didn’t play anyone.
Give us all a break.
While alot of us fans would LOVE to see West Islip play Gilman, Calvert Hall, LaSalle or a top national program, they simply to not have to. The most prestigious state title in the country is NYS A, and they’ve done it three out of the past four years. Who cares what their OOC schedule is like? They get it done when it counts. Hardware is all that counts.
Pequa – Ain’t no way Manhasset is playing WI next year – Manhasset’s run is OVER for a while at least! Would be surprised to see them ranked next year.
CSH will certainly be favored in Nassau C next year as Manhasset loses a ton and CSH brings back some pretty good players…but to say Manhasset’s run is over for a while is a little harsh…with that youth program, I am sure they’ll be back soon.
I guess given all their postseason plays winning a single Class C tutle is a “run” for Set – lol. But I hear what your saying and I agree they will be very bad next year. I just proposed the game so I coulf see WI do a real number on them – like 16-4.
Does WI “have” to play more ranked teams? Of course not but to be honest we really should. The fact we’ve won 3 states titles without doing that is completely irrelevant to this issue. The issue is do the elite programs have a responsibility to play a few appealing matchups each year. I think they do. If teams didn’t through the years the sport wouldn’t have grown the way it has. It also challenges and tests the top teams. So yes we absolutely do need to do a better job when it comes to scheduling.
After all the back and forth on this topic you summed it up perfectly Lion’s Den. I think an issue may be outside Suffolk teams Craig may be reluctant to play a Yorktown or Syosset because they’re likely to see them in playoffs. The Connecticut teams are not at a level where it’s worthwhile traveling up there to win 12-4 as WI almost certainly would have even against the top two teams in the state, Ridgefield and Fairfield Prep. So there’s no real natural matchup for 1- to schedule other than St. A’s. So if WI gets both Chaminade and St. A’s on the schedule next year it will be a big step in the right direction.
My question remains: West Genny has played a 99.9 percent Section 3 schedule for 30 years. Has that taken away from the allure and notoriety of the program? Would playing say a Long Island power or a Yorktown during the regular season earn them that much more respect? Do they need any more?
I ask because West Islip is West Genny south. We all know they are great. Why should they have to feel obligated to schedule anything more than they do now considering they have won three state titles in four years?
To me, power teams owe nothing to anyone but themselves. If they win doing things the way they have done them in the past who are we to ask more of them?
Thoughts?
Exactly.
And you guys forget, WI is a public school in a fairly middle class (yea, its upper middle class, but we aren’t talking about Manhasset, GC, Darien, Yorktown..etc.) area, so they don’t exactly have money lying around to spend on scheduling games all over the country. Add to that the fact that they have only three non league games to schedule because there are 14 league games in Suffolk (next year they’ll have just two with the state rolling back to 16 games), and you get that WI schedules who they can. Chaminade has been the best Catholic program for the past four years before this one, and WI played them in 06, 07 and 08. Ridgewood is a top 5 program in NJ and Pequa is going through a little down stretch but has always been a top Nassau program, so again I don’t even see the problem with who they did schedule, even if they did have this “responsibility.”
CSH should be the team to beat in Class C Nassau next year. Manhasset will not be good next year. Class B will be GC all the way. Class A – irrelevant as they will get spanked by Suffolk as per usual.
Also, let’s not forget West Islip is clearly heads and shoulders better than everyone else on Long Island. So where is the challenge coming from? Manhasset? Maybe, but not consistently. Garden City? Doubtful. Cold Spring Harbor? Again, kind of a mix of the potential of a Manhasset and Garden City. Yorktown? Well, we all know that answer.
Maybe if West Islip could schedule a Darien or a Summit, N.J., or a Mountain Lakes or a Delbarton it would be worth their while. But that’s pushing it.
Right now they have potentially two solid challenges a regular season — both from Ward Melville. But you have to remember that the daily grind from Section 11 Class A is still better than the daily grind they could get anywhere else in the state and maybe the country, save for playing four or five of the top MIAA schools.
The only thing that can potentially stop West Islip is the pipeline drying up for a stretch because Craig is hamstrung by scheduling limitations. And the games he could schedule really aren’t the types of challenges his team needs to prep for states.
At the end of the day, West Islip is in a class by itself. And when you are the best everyone should be aspiring to be like you, not the other way around. Because Islip has the players and the coaches, all the other schools have to schedule the best so as to see what it will be like to play Islip in June. Islip doesn’t have to do anything, until a time comes when the program is down.
Like what happened to Ward Melville, Northport, Farmingdale — all former great Class A powers that are trying to re-find their way.
West Islip leads the way and I just don’t see when that will end so why they have to go out travel miles upon miles for games that — at the end of the day — won’t do much to improve their chances come June.
Cuse – For me it’s not about anyone owing anything. Guess it’s greed – as lacrosse has spread across the country AND we’re all more aware of lax outside our areas due to things like this blog there are just so many “great” games I’d love to see from a purely selfish viewpoint!
LILax – you bring up a good point. With athletic budgets under seige it will be even harder for teams to schedule games that are farther away. Re Manhasset’s youth program, that will be interesting to watch for a number of reasons – since Bill Miller retired I’ve been told that there aren’t nearly as many players coming back to coach in the youth league there; also for many years Manhasset had an edge because they started their kids so early. No everyone starts early so the curve has been flattened.
I used the word “run” humorously as Pequa picked up. That being said, Manhasset is graduating 20+ seniors, is losing one of the best players in Manhasset history in English, and had only a couple of Jr’s (and zero Sophs/Frosh) play meaninful minutes this year. Although CSH return a few good players, 2010 could be theyear another team breaks through in Nassau C.
I think Bonn is too good of a coach for CSH not to win next year. Until a Seaford or Locust Valley etc..can break through, its one of the big two and next year is CSH’s year.
I agree with that you said about everyone else catching up to Manhasset’s youth program, but still I don’t think there is a town anywhere on LI where lacrosse is life as much as Manhasset. Of course, their success is always contingent on many things, including how many of their top 8th graders choose to attend Chaminade in a given year, but they’ve graduated great senior classes before and still won many games. That’s how they got so high in these rankings.
Taz,
If your motivations are indeed selfish, I applaud you for it because like you I, too, want to see the best possible matchups each spring.
But in this case, many of the people here seem more jealous of the fact that Craig has done an unbelievable job building that program that they can’t get their heads around the fact that West Islip has rocketed past the teams they may support — be it a Melville, Northport, Farmingdale, etc.
To me, it sounds like jealousy disguised as some phantom scheduling complaint that really shouldn’t be made.
I’ve never seen CSH play but I have heard nothing but praise for Bohn. I sort of wish he’d one day coach a certain Westchester program that has also lost its way.
That’s not to kill a certain coach who has a good resume, but maybe one day a fresh face with different ideas will be warranted.
Lacrosse has a great tradition of top varsity programs stepping up and scheduling challenging crossover games. I can’t think of how much the sport would be missing without rivalries like Ward Melville-Yorktown, Darien-Yorktown and Manhasset-John Jay.
With West Genesee, travel is an issue, so it gets a pass. But there’s no reason West Islip shouldn’t establish at least one crossover rivalry with a premier power. I think St. Anthony’s would be perfect.
State titles are the ultimate goal, of course, but as Lions Den pointed out this is a separate issue. If you are a top program you should thrive on scheduling games like this if travel is not an issue.
WI plays Chaminade every year during the season, and they scrimmage St Ant,Darien,Fairfield Prep.SWR, and Comswogue
two things to remember about Lafayette: public school, graduates aobut 50 kids each year and that’s girls AND boys. Smallest school in NY that plays lacrosse. Think about sustaining success at a high level with numbers like that and it’s incredible they can do it. No recruiting, no pulling in kids from other programs, they pump out serious players and coaches with tiny numbers. and unlike lots of these other programs, have had multiple coaches over the years. so its not just one guy that IS the program (unlike WG or West Islp, etc).
That is very impressive. I’ve been hearing lots of good things about the Thompson brothers, Lyle must be one of the best rising juniors in the country.
And a good thing about high school lacrosse is that both small schools and large schools can dominate.
I’m not disputing the whole LaFayette point, but just pointing out that the Thompsons played at Salmon River last year.
Cant believe how small lafayette!!! Would luv to know some detail on circumstances behind Thompson brothers transferring from Salmon River?
Also again incredible how absolutely NON-EXISTENT Greeley was for Laf. Seemed like the Thompsons weren’t even looking for him! I dont think “shutdown” really describes it!!
Interesting piece, Chris.
re: Lafayette, an article I read prior to the championship game suggested that Zac Guy, IL’s 17th-ranked senior and a Georgetown commit, was a Lancer in ’08 and transferred in the offseason.
If so, Lafayette could have conceivably fielded four IL Top 25 recruits (assuming Lyle and Myles earn those honors) – that’s a fairly explosive 6-on-6 offensive setup. Talk about picking your poison. And all of that at one of the smallest high schools in New York State?
The only comparable unit I can think of is Huntington’s ’06 team (which boasted a midfield line comprised entirely of recruits in IL’s top three – Bratton, Bratton and Kocis.) I’m sure LI Lax knows more.
’06 Huntington was probably the only team in a while (maybe 03 Farmingdale but I don’t know the rankings from back then ) to have four IL top 25 guys (Kocis, Bratton, Bratton, Howell, with the last 3 all being ’07)
But even in section 1 there’s some very impressive scenarios. JJ’s Bocklet and Drew were both from the small town of Katonah and they were both ranked in IL’s top 10 incoming recruits this past season. Interlicchio and Ranagan are neighbors and they’re two of the top recruits in their class going to Hopkins!
This is a really great top ten list, It looks like another competitive again. It’s interesting to see how some schools continue to dominate each year and have dynasty after dynasty. Anyone can post their own list to our site http://www.toptentopten.com/. The coolest feature is you can let other people vote on the rankings of your list.
How is Yorktown 4 when they get beat on the Island consistently?
Yorktown beats up on LI teams every year during regular season….
lax 88,
Yorktown doesn’t beat up on any Long Island teams during the regular season. They never beat Melville, as we all know all too well, and have gone back and forth over the last decade with St. Anthony’s and Chaminade. Yorktown never beats St. Anthony’s this year if the game had been played later in the season.
Kyng Lyon was referring to Yorktown losing consistently in states to Long Island.
Kyng Lyon,
Read the scoring system again, you’ll realize why Yorktown is so high.
Cuse dont say they never beat Melville they have and many of the loses were close games with the winner later in the yr going to the finals or winning it all.. I know Melville has there #. As for ST Anthonys you maybe right on that but Town beat them and thats all you can go by and beat them the yr before same with Cham but I will say they go back and fourth, Town has beaten Garden City Manhasset and others. Lets not forget Town beat the LI Champ 5 yr in a row and 12 times Total to get to the State Title game no easy feat…
It’s amazing with its tradition and numbers that Long Island has no West Genesee. Is it because of the parity?
How does Nisky not get on this list?
SilverSword,
Read the scoring system.
SecVI Amherst 76pts.