BOTC - US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums MID-ATLANTIC LACROSSE MARYLAND FORUM Boys 2027 Grads - Mid Atlantic Region

Hawks barely played this summer and fall, lost several kids and lost to Next Level 2x in the same tournament without Next Level's best players. Machine didn't play much either, split with the Hawks last summer and got blown out in the 2nd of those games.
Madlax combined with a pretty good BLC team to form a really good team and beat everyone they played.

Correct

Club nationals are taking place this weekend and Madlax won't be number #1 if they don't win it. So far, Nationals look like they should be at or near the top. Madlax is also losing more of the BLC players and some of last year's roster. It's looking like that move was very short-sighted.

Game 1
Nationals LC- 10
West Coast Stars- 2

Game 2
Nationals LC- 12
T91 Nationals- 2

Game 3
Nationals LC- 13
Madlax- 2

Game 4
Nationals- 10
True Nat- 1

Nationals destroyed Madlax today. It was ugly and could have been worse.

Looks like they destroyed West Coast Starz too

With those kind of scores I have to question if the starters for these teams went.

Ridiculous. You play against the team that shows up. Madlax brought their best possible DC roster and even posted it on their site. Nationals are a true National team taking the best from teams like the Hawks and other regional teams. I don't know if USCL should rank them against clubs like ML and Hawks but they do.

1. Nationals
2. 91 Machine
3. MadLax
4. Laxachusetts
5. Next Level
6. HawksWCS(CA)
7. West Coast Stz
8. Tommyknockers
9. Sweetlax(FLA)
10. PA Roughriders(PA)

Perhaps the other team was just better.

I don't see where uscl ranks 2027 teams. The rankings on their website seem to stop at 2026. Also, from the looks of tourney machine it appears the "club nationals" in Florida only had 7 teams in it at this age group. Not much to go off of.

Nationals is a tournament team only... Not a true club team. ML is the capital team. You don't have Advanced from Northern Cali on your list. Great team with annoying parents. The ML Capital team went like 20-1 in the fall. It is truly a better team with all the BLC players. It will take time for the kids to mesh. Old and new Coaches still learning kids. Kids that might leave bc of playing will not be lost.

What does the number of teams present have to do with it?

One of the previous posts implied there was some type of important "Club National" event this weekend. It couldn't be that meaningful with 7 teams.

PA Roughriders combine with Mesa at big tournaments so it depends on what team shows up to how good they are.

In my opinion National teams should not be in club ranked with the local teams. Those rankings should be for teams made up of kids that are in 100 miles from home club. Love to hear an argument for this?

Whatever. Sub Advanced for some west coast team then. Or do the same for True Illinois or a Carolina Team. The kids played so little the rankings will be a representation of the major clubs across the country with a little shuffling here and there.

US Club Lax Rankings hit the street today.

1. Team 91 Machine
2. Eclipse Black
3. MadLax Capital
4. SweetLax NY
5. NextLevel Blue
6. Hawks Green
7. Nationals L.C.
8. Express Haugen
9. Team 91 Rage
10. Aqua Hounds

Nice nod to the NY teams who are part of the USCL web site. I'm not sure why they didn't wait or take into account their own tournament this past weekend. Nationals should be #1 but they are a true national touring team and not a club. Madlax played a ton and only lost 2 games in the fall and winter. We'll see if they keep the roster together come spring and summer. The rest is a scramble and will sort itself out over spring and summer.

It seems pretty clear that Madlax, Next Level, and Hawks are the best three teams in this region. As between the MD/VA teams and the NY teams it’s tough to tell until they play this summer. Because there wasn’t much play between the regions this fall, the RPI style us club rankings don’t work as well to sort between regions. But if more play between different regions is allowed this summer, you’ll see more accurate rankings from the US Club rankings. Small sample size and lack of regional play and not a conspiracy between Team 91 and US Club account for the somewhat random rankings.

Nationals rolled over everybody in Florida by big margins, including MadLax twice. Why are they not at or near #1?

Now that Lacrosse has expanded into other areas in area and country. Baltimore teams are becoming irrelevant and slowly moving to bottom of most ranking . Just a matter of time.

this ranking doesn't include this weekend, only the summer/fall- I agree with your assessment though, they are a clear #1 IMO.

Same with Long Island.

I think it's fairly questionable if they were playing really strong talent. Some of those players were from teams that did not have a strong fall (FCA MD, Team 91 MD,...) so I would be very surprised if they could win over teams like Hawks Green.

Everyone knows that the Hawks 27 team is the best in our area - if not the country. They beat NL and Madlax repeatedly in the past. Why rankings would be based on Fall is beyond me. The Hawks also destroyed 91 Machine last time they played. If I am not mistaken The Nationals had several (5 or so) Hawks with them last weekend. Pictures on SM verify that fact. I wasn't there, but my guess is that the Hawks had an impact.

Most recently, NextLevel beat Hawks twice, and MadLax beat NextLevel twice. All three are good teams, rightfully ranked top six in the nation. You are a bit of a homer of you think "everyone knows" that one of these teams is better than the other two.

its a ranking based on fall performance, thats it. Its fun for people to speculate, it gives them something to talk about, clearly.

There are 3 hawks on this team(1 F/O, 1 mid, 1 att), they contributed for sure, so did every other player on the squad that came from a different club outside of the Hawks. Believe it or not, there are very good players from other clubs, outside of Annapolis and across the country that can play at an extremely high level. Having seen the Nationals squad in every game this weekend and knowing the ML, NL and Hawks 2027 teams very well, including what what they have gained and lost every year, I am very confident that they would compete and likely beat every single team listed in this "top 20". Those who know, know. Dont discredit them until you have seen them, the outscored ML 20-6 in 2 games and beat WCS 10-2 who dismantled the sweetlax florida team, in their own backyard, 11-1. The squad was rolling and more importantly these kids have alot of fun playing together. They are creating awesome memories and lifelong friendships.

Didn't the Hawks lose 2x to NL this fall. And Madlax combined with BLC to form a really strong team. It's amazing what happens as kids grow up; get beyond grade school lacrosse; and rosters change a little. Not only did the Hawks lose 2x but the 3 best players from NL were on the sideline with casts on. I like how you are reaching back to 5th grade for the Hawks last significant win. You also forgot to mention Machine beat the Hawks the tournament prior.

But you are right about the Nationals in that they had the best player from the Hawks and a few more. I don't think the Nationals will be able to maintain such a roster as spring and summer progress unless Larry Hogan keeps sitting on his hands.

Hawks lost twice to Next Level this fall. And Next Level lost to Madlax. I think it’s clear those three teams are the best in the region. But it’s not at all clear that Hawks are the best anymore. Luckily it looks like will get games between these teams in the Spring and will have a better sense then.

Hawks was a legit team & Team 91 LI was the best team in 2019. 2020 was a poop show.

I obviously struck a nerve with the Hawks haters. My son got cut from the Hawks and yet I still don't understand why everyone hates them so much. My son ended up on a B team and all I ever hear the "elite" team parents talk about is beating them. That is what I base my opinion of them being the best on, along with the games that I watch. Admittedly, I have not seen them (or NL/ML) play in quite some time so maybe NL has come that far. That said, I wouldn't be all that excited about two wins in the fall.

And Next Level beat MadLax on ML's home field but NL did lose the last game without NL's 2 best players due to broken bones.

Hawks 27's just didn't play that much in the fall and didn't win when they did.

[/quote]

I obviously struck a nerve with the Hawks haters. My son got cut from the Hawks and yet I still don't understand why everyone hates them so much. My son ended up on a B team and all I ever hear the "elite" team parents talk about is beating them. That is what I base my opinion of them being the best on, along with the games that I watch. Admittedly, I have not seen them (or NL/ML) play in quite some time so maybe NL has come that far. That said, I wouldn't be all that excited about two wins in the fall.[/quote]


It's because people like you come on a site after a goofy kid's poll and start talking about something you have no recent knowledge. Your kid got cut so you defend the Hawks. You haven't seen the other teams but based on what Hawks parents say, they are awesome. You have zero basis to even post and then insult those who prove you wrong. Move along.

Agree on the poop show. But Hawks were clearly better than 91 in 2019. Not really debatable.

Great. In a 5 team poll, it's Nationals (2-0 v ML), Madlax (2-1 v NL), Next Level (2-0 v Hawks), Hawks (1-1 v Machine by a larger goal differential) and Machine. Are you satisfied Hawks kid/Mom?

Nationals doesn't count, but the next four look about right. MadLax, NextLevel, and Hawks will have great games in the months and years to come.

Nationals do count and their results could change as the spring and summer progresses. They might not have the same level of kids and their results will show. Let's see if Coach G can keep it up.

What other program is going to let their boys play in a tournament when they have practice and other games....ZERO...mark my work....Nationals are one and done!

Everyone with any common sense knows once Spring comes, Hawks will dominate. Not even close. Nationals might give them a run, but that is about it. Talent is talent people.

There are a few "National" teams and "Regional" teams now and more starting up, they all generally compete before or after the regular club season. Trying not to interfere with the kids local team schedules.

They won't be one and done as for some kids it is a way to compete more than what is available in their local area and to be able to compete with a higher level of competition. Not everyone lives in a lax hot bed and the national and regional teams give those kids a chance to play.

With the way lax is growing around the country there will be a market for these teams for some time as different areas slowly build up their local lax communities.