With a 13-0 record through Easter weekend, the Boys? Latin lacrosse team is on track for a special season.
The Lakers, led by a handful of Division I talent, are heading towards an undefeated season. The last time a team did so in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association came in 1997, when Boys? Latin accomplished the feat.
“We?re having a great year, so far, we?re 13-0,” Lakers head coach Bob Shriver said. “So far things are going pretty well. We still have a lot of big games left, starting with a very big game on Tuesday.”
Boys? Latin, ranked No. 2 in the STX/Inside Lacrosse national high school rankings, hosts McDonogh (6-1) Tuesday at 4 p.m.
Both squads are among the best programs that the MIAA has seen in the recent past, but McDonogh owns a three-game winning streak over the Lakers. According to Shriver, the contests have been hard-fought, with the three defeats coming by a combined four goals. He expects more of the same competition this time around.
“It?s a big game for us, because we haven?t beaten them the last three times we?ve played them,” Shriver said. “I would expect it to be a very good game.”
Shriver, in his 27th year as head coach, said the Lakers? offense will have to make an impact against a very good defensive squad in order to snap the streak.
“They play very good team defense,” he said. “They have some very good defenders. They?re physical and they play hard.”
Amongst Shriver?s top attackers is senior Chris Boland, who is joined on the attack by juniors Travis Reed and Brett Weiss, each of whom scored hat tricks in an 18-8 win over La Costa Canyon (Calif.) Saturday afternoon. Reed scored seven goals in a ten-point explosion Friday in an 18-11 win over St. Anthony?s (N.Y.)
“A lot of the focus on our team has been on our attack,” Shriver said. “We have three tremendous starters, and our fourth guy has had a productive year.”
Lakers? Lowdown
» Five of Boys? Latin?s seniors are committed to Division I programs. Brian Farrell is going to Maryland, Mike Hurwitz will attend Rutgers, David Bronfein will play for Delaware, and Jack Carolan is set to attend Towson. Boland has committed to play lacrosse at Johns Hopkins, where his older brother, Lakers? assistant Kevin, was an All-American midfielder.
» The Laker Invitational featured teams from California, New York and Washington, D.C. Georgetown Prep, the best team from the Washington metro area, made the trek north for competition.
» The Lakers? midfield is led by the dynamic face-off duo of seniors Hurwitz and Josh Steele. David Bronfein, a midfielder with a nose for the goal, helps set up the attack as well.
