US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums MID-ATLANTIC LACROSSE MARYLAND FORUM Boys 2028 Grads - Mid Atlantic Region

Well, this would be very telling if last summer’s roster could be compared to the current roster. Is it out there somewhere to confirm?

Crabs parents should just own it. This year their top players are all magically bigger, faster, and stronger than everyone else, which is usually a recipe for winning lacrosse games.

The Crabs ended last summer ranked 32nd in the country with a 22-14-1 record. They lost to Madlax 12-5, Next Level 9-5, and even True Chesapeake, which no longer exists. They squeaked by 91 Maryland 9-8.

This year they're 17-1 and easily Top 5 (or 3). So far they beat Madlax 7-4, Next Level, 10-2, and 91 Maryland 12-1.

Hawks beat them 10-2 and 9-3 last year, but this year Crabs somehow flipped the script and beat them 10-7. We all know it's not because you work harder. C'mon.

King Crab's strategy is transparent and consistent. Stop with the denial and own it, and maybe be a bit quieter during games. People will still complain, but it's within the rules (for our age group) and it is what it is.

Except for a few kids, just look at the 2028 Blue roster. Most of those kids were on the 2028 "top" team last year.

Again hawks parents should not be mad.

You’re a joke. When you look at the 28 Crabs blue roster, you’ll see 4 kids from the previous season. You can be hurt for your son not making the team. You can have dislike for the team or the organization . Don’t lie at the boys expense to justify your feelings.

Lol you hurt mean while the hawks team everyone is a 2009 and 2008 birthdates

Have you ever heard a parent admit in person or on this forum that their son’s team is as good as they are because of the holdbacks? Yea, me neither. Never happens. Ever.

The majority of parents involved don't want to "own it" because over the last 5 years they were sold either King Krab's, or Millon's, or somebody's sales pitch of "we develop elite HS players." When we all know the % of roster turnover after 7th and 8th grade is absurd. And while your son may be on the Crabs or 91 practice team, at least he'll have the helmet! You know, because player development.

I found the post earlier today saying that the Crabs only have two players who will be 15 by this summer very hard to believe. I can't check players ages, but I can compare scores year to year, so I find the post above very convincing. Do the Crab holdback deniers really expect us to believe that the roster is the same as last year and the players improved that much in one year?

I’m not sure why all the anger. Crabs replaced at least 8 players (5 poles got bigger and 3 shorties got better). That is a decent percentage, but not ridiculous IMO. They added a very impactful attackman and middie. And D got bigger and faster. So not all “better coaching and years of playing together,” but also not all adding holdbacks either. Also, I’d be willing to bet a lot of money FCA and Hawks have more holdbacks Crabs (not that it matters).

You people are a sad bunch. Arguing over what team has more holdbacks. Saying better coaching was difference. Saying the new additions were the difference makers, not the holdbacks. Just admit it. If the “elite” hoco league had to compete on age with the rest of the country they would be nothing more than slightly above average. Plain simple truth. You all know it you just will never admit it. Money bought you your YouTube and Instagram fame and maybe a few championship T-shirts as well as a hoco first place. It also bought your kid an extra year to develop and become good. It’s all over now. On to high school with your 15/16 year old freshman.

I don’t really care but #7 was on crabs 27, went to FCA, parents weren’t happy with PT or the way he was used or whatever and he went back to crabs 28.

So no, none went right from 27 to 28, but at least one went from 27 to 28 via FCA 28.

It’s going to be the same conversation no matter which one of Hawks, Crabs or FCA win the tournament.

The boys have social media and know each other from camps and other teams. One of newest Crabs, not a holdback, started HOCO season on NL. Another played for FCA last year and is very mature. Kids know who is older and don't care. They just want to compete. Parents from other teams should let it go and Crabs parents should own the fact that their former 27s weren't 'playing up' before. This isn't King Crab's first 8th grade HOCO rodeo. And it isn't as easy as just bringing in a few older 8th graders. If it were, every team would do it, including your son's.

I don't think anybody is accusing 91 of using holdbacks, or any other pathway, to achieve dominance.

Holdbacks are a part of life in lacrosse now. The age thing try's to limit it to summer holdbacks, plus gives all the prefirst parents an out to say that they arent holdbacks. LOL. Summer Holdbacks are here along with some other holdbacks that join when they can. No biggie, just have to live with it or do the right thing for your son, hold him back

Haha! Love LI dad's sanctimonious jealous rage. Riddle me this LawnGuyland: If LI kids are all on age, why is LI HS lacrosse's all-time leading scorer, now a college sophomore wearing Gary Gait's old jersey, about to turn 21 just a few days after championship weekend? LI never holds kids back... but somehow 13 year old 8th graders turn into 21 year old sophs? Pride of St. Anthony's & #1 overall PLL pick this year also 23+ year old senior. Maybe most LI teams don't have holdbacks... just the good ones.

The marketing on #22 during HS was *chefs kiss*. "He's so good, he played UP all through childhood, and just started playing on age in 9th grade." Every private school parent from DC to Boston had a great laugh over that one, but overall, people bought it for some reason.

Ouch !! Thats gotta hurt ! Now get in your Iroc Z with a filed to the B Red Solo cup and speed away before having to explain this.

I think his point is that no one is accusing 91 of being dominant at all.

Uh, didn't you read the post about how they practice 3x a week now?

Hahah nice try. Pride of St. Anthony’s graduated high school on age, was not reclassed, and was not held back. I can’t speak for the 21 year old because I do not know the full story. You should also try not to speak about things unless you can back it up with facts.
There are currently zero reclassed players on the two best teams from LawnGuyland. I suspect next year the number will be less than 4 total across the 5 best teams. Which is why they would have a hard time competing with your crabs and hawks.
And what’s with the anger? Did I hit a nerve? Does it sting just a little that your son is either:
A) not good enough to stand out on age so you had to make him repeat a year.
Or
B) on a team that’s good because of the kids described in option A.

Even events or leagues that have age limitations generally have 15-month windows - no one is really trying to limit summer bday "holdbacks" as far as I have seen (other than the World Series or whatever it's called now, which I believe has a 9/1 cutoff).

I get it if you show up at A level events and you have to play a team of older kids, that’s not what you signed up for. But dont be fooled by the sales pitch of oh wait and see we’re gonna practice hard, get better and also please pay extra for skills training so your boys ready for summer, and then be upset you get hammered. Club got their money .Nobody’s complaining about age at aaa/elite or whatever you want to call those events you know at this point which ones those are. If your moaning about the ages on the top 2 teams in Hoco, your just not aware of your surroundings.

Haha - "Very mature"
And I have overdeveloped abs.

My son is on one of the elite teams who was not a playoff contender. On Saturday one of his teammates turned 14. According to my son his coach asked the boys how many still hadn’t turned 14, he said there was about 5 hands that went up. Most kids on the team have 2010 birthdays. Maybe a handful of late 2009s. From the sounds of it, are most elite teams made up 2008-2009 birthdays? Seriously asking not just trying to complain about holdbacks.

I think the post that started all of this said it wasn't a complaint, it just makes the HOCO results uninteresting, and I agree. The oldest teams won - it's 100% within the rules but also not some shocking result at this age, that's all - it's dog bites man.

I like that no matter what divisions there are among Midatlantic teams - ML vs. DCE, Crabs vs. the calendar, whatever - everyone immediately comes together whenever a Long Islander enters the chat. It gives me hope that what unites us is stronger than what divides us.

Facts, huh? Funny you mention it, we played 91 Venom last fall. Spoke with the coach between games, good guy (the bald guy). I told him his goalie is fantastic, he said yeah, he just reclassed down from 2027 91 team.

You guys are pieces of work up there!!

Yes, you are right. I completely forgot about the goalie. Not ashamed to admit it.
Big difference between forgetting about one kid and making up the age of players (St. Anthony’s reference) or flat out being dishonest about the team your son is on (crabs reference).
We can talk about it at NLF or NAL if you happen to be there. I’ll be the one with the blue iroc-z with tinted windows.

HoCo predictions for playoff/championship weekend? Any upsets or surprises?

Hawks over Crabs in Elite. Clippers over Pro Start in AAA.

Don't think either championship game will be particularly close.

Duke star was 14 in 8th grade when he committed to Penn State under old recruiting rules. Syracuse player is a sophomore who turns 21 in June. Both are older for their respective grades than majority of HOCO kids. LI posters like to act like their kids are all younger. Not true at all. But it's the same excuse every time.

In response to the above comment, my sons LI AA team has 2 boys born in late 2009 and the rest are born in 2010, so I would assume when we play you our team is younger

Tuned 14 when commited in 8th
15 in 9th
16 in 10th
17 in 11th
18 in 12th
On age.
But it’s a moot point. He is a rarity. Maybe one of best to ever play the game. Not your son and not mine.
There are no excuses. There are only facts. Maryland and Connecticut have way more kids being held back. That is a fact. It’s completely legal and within rules so whatever.

You would assume right. Majority of players and especially the best players on elite teams are 2009 with a minority 2010. Similar to some Club teams associated with private schools in NE region.

At one time LI along with others mainly had on age players when comparing to club teams that draw players from private prep school areas. Now a days, many holdbacks are from various regions and clubs. Not as easy to generalize as many want their son the advantage of being older.

Lacrosse Holdback world has expanded in last 5-10 years and will continue to expand as far as I can see.

LI Dads try to claim all your kids are younger and they are clearly not. LI has just as many 14 year old 8th graders as MD. LI 2028s have plenty of kids who are already 15, you just don't admit it. As colleges start recruiting, the ages of top HS recruits get posted and shocker: LI kids are same ages as MD kids. Stop making excuses and just let kids play.

Can't believe neither express team put out a productive season in Hocob

Hawks and Crabs working together- mass hysteria!

Just to tell off the LI daddies

Love to see it!

Orange team stranger really. In Elite, the goal differentials of the teams from first to last go:

+48, +45, +22, +1, -9, -13 (DCEB), -28, -66

So consistent what what you'd expect from the standings/team records.

In AAA they go:

+44, +27, +12, -12, -8, -29, -2 (DCEO), -32

Ending with a 1-5-1 record with only a -2 goal differential is weird.