* Friday, 3/20: High School Scoreboard
Welcome to the first Stacked Saturday of varsity action in the nation’s No. 1 hotspot for lacrosse, the NY/NJ/CT tristate region.
And keep in mind, New York’s Hudson Valley, Connecticut and New Jersey have not even started their regular seasons.
So that means, once again, the spotlight is on Long Island.
And the spotlight’s shining bright with two defending New York state champions facing major tests.
We begin in Mineola, where defending CHSAA AAA champ Chaminade unveils its new stadium, and stands, with a marquee matchup against 2013 consensus national champion and defending New York Class A champ Ward Melville.
The game also marks the debut of new WM coach Jay Negus, a former Patriots great who takes over for the retired Mike Hoppey.
Game-time between WM and Chaminade is 11 a.m.
The other defending state champ we noted, Garden City, faces a major test against visiting Smithtown West at 11:30 a.m. The teams are familiar foes with GC winning four of the last five meetings.
Both squads won their opens, with GC handling Syosset and West getting the better of Cold Spring Harbor.
After drawing the No. 2 ranking in the LaxLesson Tristate Top 25 preseason rankings, the Smithtown West bandwagon seems to keep getting more passengers each day.
Garden City’s credentials, as two-time Class B state champions are well established. So this matchup of No. 1 vs. No. 2 in the LaxLessons Tristate Top 25 should be one of the best early season games from sea to shining season.
Also of note today, Wantagh hosts Mamaroneck in a big Long Island vs. Hudson Valley matchup.
Wantagh lost just twice during the regular season in 2013 – to Nassau County champions Garden City (Class B) and Massapequa (Class A).
Mamaroneck, meanwhile, won its second straight Section 1 Class A title. Classic Long Island vs. Westchester clash here. Wantagh beat Mamaroneck 10-5 last season.
Also on LI, 10-time Nassau Class C finalist Cold Spring Harbor looks to bounce back from the Smithtown West loss against a Nassau Class A contender in Hicksville, Baldwin hosts Half Hollow Hills West, defending Nassau Class C champ Friends Academy plays at Bethpage, Comsewogue hosts St. John the Baptist, Sachem East plays at Eastport-South Manor, Farmingdale hosts Hewlett, Locust Valley (fresh off an upset win against Port Washington), plays at Holy Trinity.
Beyond the tristate, Fordham Prep continues play in the Jesuit High School Tournament in Tampa (Fla.) against 4-1 Gonzaga (D.C.).
There are also a couple of noteworthy preseason events.
The Somers (N.Y.) Red Gray Shootout, which marks its sixth season, includes such tristate powers as Niskayuna (N.Y.), Jericho from Long Island and Don Bosco Prep (N.J.) and Hudson Valley powers Lakeland/Panas (N.Y.) and Mahopac (N.Y.) as well as host Somers. For the most up-to-date schedule, released just yesterday, click here.
The Inaugural River Dell (N.J.) Preseason LaxGiving Games, the brainchild of new River Dell coach Joe Infante, will debut at Matty Certosimo Field.
The four-team preseason event features four NJ squads: Lakeland Regional, Ramapo, New Providence and River Dell.
“In addition to the games we will be collecting specific donated items for select organizations from players, parents, and spectators throughout the day,” Infante said.
The River Dell girls varsity and JV teams will be squaring playing Paskack Valley to start the day off at 10:30 a.m.
Did we miss any games you’re interested in? Be sure to let us know in the Comments section below, on Twitter @LaxLessons.com or at Facebook.com/LaxLessons.com.
Put those mobile devices to good use
Be sure, as always, to weigh in with info/thoughts/scores on games you attend by posting comments here.
Weather Forecast
Click here for today’s weather and a look at the three days ahead.
Today’s schedul/Regular-season schedule
NEW YORK
* Section 2 (Albany area) boys, girls
* Section 3 (Syracuse area) boys, girls
* Section 4 (Binghamton area) boys, girls
* Section 5 (Rochester area) boys, girls
* Section 8 (Nassau County) boys, girls (click on “Game schedule” tab and use the pull-down menu)
* Section 9 (Orange and Ulster counties) boys, girls
* Section 10 (Potsdam area) boys, girls
* Section 11 (Suffolk County) boys, girls (click on “Schedule” tab and use the pull-down menu)
CONNECTICUT
* CIAC (Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference) boys
* CIAC (Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference) girls
NEW JERSEY
* New Jersey boys (Public/Parochial)
* New Jersey (Parochial) girls
NEW ENGLAND
REST OF THE NATION
* Beyond the tristate region/boys
* Beyond the tristate region/girls
RANKINGS
* Latest national men’s/women’s college, boys/girls high school lacrosse rankings
Have a recruiting commitment to report? Send an email to info@laxlessons.com, contact Joe Lombardi directly at joe@laxlessons.com or send a Tweet to @Joe_Lombardi or @LaxLessons.
Be a Lacrosse Insider
Are you passionate about lacrosse? Do you love being the first to know and always being in the know? Then get access to unprecedented, groundbreaking coverage of summer travel and high school lacrosse and college recruiting now. Become a Lacrosse Insider here.
Subscribe to our free newsletter
Be sure to sign up for our free online newsletter. Just enter your email address on the “Receive Our Newsletter” link on the homepage of LaxLessons.com.
Get in the Zone: The HS Zone
High School Zone: Hudson Valley
High School Zone: New York City
High School Zone: Upstate New York
High School Zone: Pennsylvania
High School Zone: Beyond the Northeast
More LAXLESSONS Links
Top 25 tristate preseason team rankings
Top 100 tristate preseason player rankings
LaxLessons.com Video Specials
5 in 5: Tristate Top 25 preseason team rankings
5 in 5: Tristate Top 100 preseason player rankings stories
5 in 5: Top 2013 offseason tristate stories
Recruiting coverage
* Updated tristate recruiting commitment rundown for Class of 2014
* Updated tristate recruiting commitment rundown for Class of 2015
* Updated tristate recruiting commitment rundown for Class of 2016
* Updated tristate recruiting commitment rundown for Class of 2017
* Class of 2013 commitment rundown by high school/prep school
* Recruiting commitment story archive
* 2012 National Letter of Intent Fall Signing Week story/photo archive
Be a Lacrosse Insider
Lacrosse Insider: Tristate Division I senior (Class of 2014) commitments by college
Lacrosse Insider: Tristate Division I junior (Class of 2015) commitments by college
Lacrosse Insider: Tristate Division I sophomore (Class of 2016) commitments by college
Schedules Scanner
2014 men’s/women’s college, boys/girls high school schedule links
Apps for iPhone/iPad
* Download for free the new LaxLessons’ playbook Android app in Google play.
* Download for free the new LaxLessons’ playbook iPad/iPhone app in the iTunes store.
Connect with us
* Follow LaxLessons on Twitter by clicking here.
* Become a Fan of LaxLessons on Facebook now by clicking here.
Posted In: Gameday
