What If: A Game between Boys’ Latin (MD) and Ward Melville (NY)

Attempting to judge high school lacrosse team is akin to trying to navigate the New York City subway system with no experience or HopStop app. There are so many variables at the high school level that make this task so daunting that seldom exist as you move to the NCAA, from player X missing a game for a college visit to player Y missing a game to make up an exam.

Attempting to rank high school teams is to wade further into these murky waters. Forget the inherent capricious nature of high school athletics. There is just so much lacrosse being played, in so many areas, that it is nearly impossible to see each team play. While at the college level there is at least usually the “luxury” of a webcast – which in 2013 basically allows you to watch almost any game – save for a few televised games here or there, one simply can’t see even half of the teams playing high school lacrosse. Ranking them is then reliant upon observations of the teams you have been able to see personally, and second-hand feedback from a variety of sources for the others. It’s an entertaining exercise, but far from a perfect science.

In this ilk, we thought it would be fun (it’s Friday, after all) to discuss two teams we have actually seen live this season and by our eye-test (and corroborated by most other accounts) are two of the best in country this year: Boys’ Latin (MD) and Ward Melville (NY).

So, what would happen if they were to play? Let’s discuss.

As of this writing, both Boys’ Latin (16-0) and Ward Melville (13-0) are undefeated. We have seen each of these teams play once, and in each case they dominated their opposition. Boys’ Latin took down Conestoga (PA) 17-3 back on April 5, while Ward Melville dispatched Smithtown West (NY) 13-4 on April 15.

Let’s break it down by position.

Boys’ Latin Attack vs. Ward Melville Attack
Boys’ Latin has a scary amount of talent at the attack position, led by junior Shack Stanwick (Johns Hopkins) and senior Colin Heacokc (Maryland). Stanwick has incredible vision and sees the field extremely well – which clearly runs in the family. Meanwhile, Heacock is a big player at 6’2’’ and a polished finisher. Perhaps more impressive is how well they ride, causing numerous turnovers that led directly to fast-break goals in the game we saw. Ward Melville’s attack also has skill, led by senior Brendan Heggarty (UMass) and sophomore Daniel Bucaro, who themselves are no strangers to the score sheet, particularly in big games.
Edge: While the Patriots’ attack is certainly no slouch, it would be hard to find a unit more well-rounded and complimentary than that of the Lakers. They play a skilled game, but what gives them the edge is how well they ride as a unit.

Boys’ Latin Midfield vs. Ward Melville Midfield
Both teams have a lot of talent at the midfield position. Boys’ Latin has a few excellent players, led by Seniors Ben Pridemore (Notre Dame) and Tally Bruno (Johns Hopkins). Ward Melville is led by versatile senior Christian Mazzone (Rutgers) and classmate Jack Bruckner (Duke), both of whom also serve as emotional sparkplugs for their team. The Patriots also sport an excellent Long Pole Middie in Dan Decker, who uses his stick extraordinarily well to knock down passes and pick up ground balls. The faceoff units are both solid and would probably negate each other, with the skill of Boys’ Latin specialist Bryan Lichtenauer (Ohio State) negated by the strong wing play of Decker and his running mates.
Edge: While the Lakers arguably have more skill at the position and maybe a bit deeper on the bench, the Patriots get the edge because of the tenacity and versatility of their players, notably Mazzone. He can play in all situations and has the “it” factor when watching him in person, be it on the defensive side of the field, going for a tough ground ball in between the boxes, or attacking the cage.

Boys’ Latin Defense vs. Ward Melville Defense
Both teams are very good defensively while playing completely different styles. Ward Melville plays a physical, tough brand of defense while Boys’ Latin is a little more finesse, utilizing crafty stick work and good communication. The Patriots are led by senior Mike Zerbo (NYIT), sophomore Tom Riley and goaltender Daniel Nemerov. While the unit doesn’t have a “star,” they play extraordinarily well together and are one of the most fluid teams we have watched this season. Boys’ Latin is led by standout Mac Pons (Maryland), who is very versatile and effective both on ball and also directing traffic off of it. Goaltender Christian Knight (Cornell) is a more than sturdy backstop between the pipes.
Edge: Ward Melville. They have been simply magnificent as a defensive unit, notably in big games. They have not given up more than six goals all season, and held powers West Islip (NY), Garden City (NY) and Northport (NY) to 3, 2 and 3 goals, respectively. While they do not have a true “standout,” the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Big Game Experience:
Both teams have played some huge games already this season en route to their undefeated records. Ward Melville has taken down the two Smithtown Teams (NY, East & West), West Islip and Garden City. Encouragingly, they have played their best – especially defensively – against the top competition. Meanwhile, Boys’ Latin has thus far remained unscathed through the gauntlet that is the MIAA – arguably the most competitive conference top-to-bottom in the country – with wins over Gilman (MD), McDonogh (MD) and Calvert Hall (MD). The Lakers also took down Canadian power the Hill School (Ontario, Canada) and Indiana power Culver Prep (IN).
Edge: Boys’ Latin. While perhaps this is not an apples-to-apples comparison in that the Lakers’ resources and early-start allow for more out-of-region games, their schedule is a daunting one even if you focus on in-league only. Ward Melville has certainly played some tough games, but on the whole Boys’ Latin is slightly-more battle tested at this point.

General Observations
A game between these two great teams would inevitably devolve into the tired “Baltimore vs. Long Island” argument, dominated by the stereotypical finesse against physicality conversation. While on the surface these two teams seem to personify those stereotypes, they each possess a blend of both – which is actually what would make this game a good one and why the above argument would be a fool’s errand.

The key to this fictitious matchup would really be the Ward Melville defense against the Boys’ Latin attack in a strength-on-strength battle. Would the Patriots be able to hold the Lakers high-octane scorers at bay? Largely, I would say yes.

Prediction
Boys’ Latin 9, Ward Melville 8 (2OT). The Patriots defense would give the Lakers offense a stiffer challenge and probably a more physical game than they have seen all season, while their offense would find some success driving hard to the cage and getting tough goals. However, the difference would be the riding ability of the Lakers attack, which would result in one-or-two fast break goals that ultimately would result in a tight victory.