Lax.com Rising HS Games of the Week: Mar. 6 - Mar. 11
By 3d Rising Staff
The East Coast hotbed states are soon starting their lacrosse seasons, and this edition of the Lax.com Rising High School Games of the Week includes some of the best teams in the Maryland/Virginia/D.C. area getting their first taste of action this spring.
This week features both inter-state defending championship matchups along with one of the best Southern California teams facing off against the best of NorCal in premiere Golden State showdown. And the annual King of Spring event in North Carolina treats us to a variety of intriguing inter-state matchups.
Lawrenceville School (New Jersey) at Torrey Pines (SoCal), March 6
The second game of the year for both teams features one of SoCal’s best against a longstanding New Jersey private school powerhouse. Torrey Pines’ head coach Jono Zissi won his 100th career game with a 16-8 win over Cathedral Catholic on March 3 and looks to have one of the top programs in the San Diego area with college-bound players all over the field. Lawrenceville starts its season with five straight road games and are led by a list of outstanding transfers.
Johns Creek (Georgia) at Lambert (Georgia), March 7
Last year this game was decided by one goal with Lambert coming out on top 12-11. It was the closest game the Longhorns played all season. Lambert is coming off a 20-11 win over Centennial (Ga.) last week. Johns Creek started the year 4-0, but was just recently upset by Mill Creek on March 3 and so the Gladiators are hunting a big rebound win this week. The Johns Creek game is the first home game in four outings for Lambert and the only home game the Longhorns have in a seven game stretch.
Paul VI (Virginia) at Landon (Maryland), March 9
The Panthers and Bears start their 2017 season against each other with Landon carrying widespread expectations to be the team to beat in the D.C. region. Both teams anticipate competing for their respective conference championships. Landon boasts USA Today ALL-USA Preseason First-Team selection Justin Shockey (Navy) and a collection of offensive talents. The Panthers are led by standout Roman Puglise (Maryland) who is considered one of the best midfielders in the nation.
Lambert (Georgia) at Cardinal Gibbons (North Carolina), March 10
The Longhorns travel to North Carolina for the Brine King of Spring to play, among others, the defending North Carolina Class 4A champion Cardinal Gibbons. The Crusaders returns the News & Observer Player of the Year Chris Wozencroft on defense as well as other Division I-bound student-athletes. Gibbons has back-to-back tough games with a March 14 game against last year’s Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference champion McDonogh.
Wando (South Carolina) vs. St. Anne’s-Belfield (Virginia), March 10
The two-time defending South Carolina state champions travel to North Carolina to take on STAB as part of the Brine King of Spring event. This is the first meeting between these two programs. STAB is coming of a 13-5 season in which the Saints reached the VISAA championship game. Their roster includes offensive players destined for the likes of the Ivy League and Duke. This is the Saints’ first game of the year. Wando played three games already this year and downed their opponents by a combined score of 48-10.
Torrey Pines (SoCal) at St. Ignatius Prep (NorCal), March 11
Two of the top teams in California meet for the first time since 2015 and there is likely to be fireworks as there will be elite-level college recruits all over the field. St. Ignatius got the best of the 2015 meeting, defeating Torrey Pines 9-4. St. Ignatius already has two impressive wins this season, against Monte Vista-Danville (NorCal) and San Ramon Valley (NorCal). Torrey Pines will have three games under its belt before facing the Wildcats. The Falcons offense features the likes of Middlebury-bound standout Aldrick Van Der Heyde. Bryn Evans, a Harvard recruit, is one of the Wildcats’ offensive leaders.
