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

I wasn't there. Don't know who won. But from Madlax dad's comment, sounds like that team needs to focus on shooting skills. Or maybe the FCA goalie is just a prodigy who averages 40 saves per game?

Who do you think won? Madlax, something like 9-4, but clearly FCA wasn't paying attention as they were emptying their bench. Oh, and failed to mention, Madlax didn't have 2 or 3 of their top players. But that's irrelevant. See you in the spring....

How is the ML team doing with all the BLC players? Didn't 6 or 7 move clubs?

NL got most of those players, I think a couple of BLC went to Madlax.

The BLC team that went to Madlax were the 27's.

Did the Hawks play much over the fall? Did they get all the cutters kids?

They played Fall Lax Showdown last weekend, went 2-1, and they played Fall Brawl Nov 8 and went 3-0. Not sure what other events they played, just know b/c my son's team was at the same events.

FCA 2028 got a few of the Hoco Pink kids, they look pretty good. NL2028 got a chunk of BLC2028 kids, and they look pretty good. Hawks got some Cutters kids, and they look pretty good too. MadLax picked up a couple of BLC2028 kids as well, and they look good too. Sort of stinks that some of these teams aren't hanging on to their core players but I guess that's how it goes.

A bunch of BLC 2027 kids went to MadLax 2027, and then there was also turnover from Madlax to Next Level at the 2023 class as well. Always going to be some churn I suppose, and a couple of guys leave and then some of their teammates follow suit, and on and on.

I understand it but as a parent ideally you'd have your kid stay with the same group of guys from the start all the way through graduation, but that's not realistic.

No cutters kids on Hawks 2028

Where did they all go?

Most are now True Annapolis.

How are your clubs handling the winter? Practicing indoors or outside, any scrimmages? Is box happening anywhere indoors. Looks like Navy was the only outdoor box.

For the Dc area teams there are a couple outdoor box leagues going on in Northern Virginia. Madlax has a league where some Madlax players are playing. Cavs 2028 is playing in another league in McLean. NL and BLC are practicing outdoors this winter, but I don’t think either is playing in a box league.

That’s not what happened to the Hawks.

Spring registration is now open for GHCLC. 2028 will have B, A, AA, and AAA divisions. Elite division does not start until 2027. AAA is going to be tough with Madlax, Next Level, Hawks, FCA Blue, and Crabs. Probably 2-3 more teams to round it out. AA should be very competitive as well.

True Annapolis likely will be AAA. After that, I think you have a group of teams like Cavs, BLC, and Kelly Post that could probably go either way. It just depends on whether they want to be in AAA and be one of the underdogs or play in AA and compete for the top of the division.

Totally agree. Will be interesting to see if the True team is as good as the Cutters.

What happened to the Hawks?

They got better with several holdbacks and new additions.

The 2028 sev park/mesa meltdown def helped!

Make your HOCO spring predictions for AAA. The known teams are: Madlax, Next Level, Hawks, FCA Blue, Crabs and True(?)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

1. FCA
2. Next Level
3. Hawks
4. Madlax
5. Crabs

1. Madlax
2. FCA
2. Next Level
3. Hawks
4. True
5. Crabs

Highest HoCo level will have 8 teams. So many changes and time has passed since these teams played last so this obviously means nothing until they get on the field. Next level and Madlax have been together for a while and are very good. I don’t think 91 has a team this level so Baltimore talent is on FCA or crabs. The last HoCo league for 28 had good teams from HoCo pink whose players went to FCA (upgrade) and Severna park players went to hawks (upgrade). Not sure FCA has taken the leap to #1 but it is possible. Crabs got older (hahaha), I mean better but should be middle of the pack. Hawks or USS/True could be #1 or slip way down the ranks, no one knows. To round out the 8, BLC, Cavalier and HLC all try to play the top teams but they will have a tough time against most of the teams above them.

1. Next Level
2. Madlax
3. FCA
4. Hawks
4. Crabs
5. True/USS
6. BLC
7. Cavalier
8. HLC

1. FCA
2. Next Level
3. Madlax
4. Hawks
5. True
6. Crabs

I don’t think I’d be overly reliant on the fall games to determine the pecking order for this group since a lot of teams were integrating new players. But it’s mostly all we have to go by. The top three teams seem to be Next Level, Madlax, and FCA in some order. The FCA face off and attack are really good, but I think defense and midfield are more of a question mark. Madlax is very well coached and has a very good defense, but they don’t have a lot of really strong dodgers against so I think may struggle against defenses that guard their cutters well. Next Level is very deep and the best in the midfield of any of the teams, but draws a lot of penalties. Hawks and Crabs are both much improved. Hawks defense and goalie are very good, but they may have trouble scoring enough against the top teams. Crabs are the opposite. Offense is pretty solid, but defense might be less strong. Overall wouldn’t be too surprised to see any of these five end up at or near the top. True is the wild card since they didn’t play anyone in the fall other than Madlax I think. I’d slot them sixth. Cavs I think are underrated. Very big and a couple of players away from making a run. Will be interesting to see if they avoid defections to other clubs over time. But I’d put them next. Then BLC, Kelly Post, and HLC are the next best, but pretty far below the teams above them in terms of talent.

1. Next Level
2. Madlax
3. FCA
4. Crabs
5. Hawks
6. True
7. Cavs
8. BLC, Kelly Post, or HLC

How is everyone sleeping on Madlax? The 28's have won every hoco spring title so far and it wouldn't have been any different last year if the season played out. After minimal activity this fall they lost a close game to Next Level and soundly beat FCA in a scrimmage.

1. Madlax
2. Next Level
3. FCA
4. Hawks
5. Crabs
6. USS/True
7. Cavs
8. Kelly Post

Madlax is the top team and will remain so until someone actually beats them when it counts. Madlax has the best attack and close defense units in the division. FCA has best middies & FOGO. Hawks has best goalies. Next Level is solid. Crabs & True can hang with top teams and could easily make a run in playoffs. Tourneymachine results show a big drop off after that.

TIER 1: Madlax
TIER 2: FCA-Hawks-NL
TIER 3: Crabs-True
TIER 4: BLC-Cavs-HLC-KP

Madlax has lost to NL the only times they’ve played since third grade. The fall game and a scrimmage lasts summer. NL beat all of the above teams this fall at least once except True who they didn’t play. I mean fall ball isn’t everything, but to argue Madlax is in a tier by themselves because of some third grade results is some real Madlax thinking.

There isn’t a ton of separation here between the top five teams.

NL beat Madlax 5-1 10/18/21 at the Maryland Lacrosse Tournament in Columbia, was a shutout until ML scored with a minute left. Fairly sure that "counted". NL lost the weekend prior to FCA. So if you're doing top 3 in 2028, IMO you can put those three teams in any order until we have a bigger sample size. Should be a good season. Teams from the lower tiers you've got here have also looked pretty good from what I saw. Very competitive age group.

Enjoy it while you can. The team with the most holdback's will start dominating in next few years. My prediction, Madlax, Crabs, Hawks and FCA as years go by. Rest get off them while you can.

High turnover at Hoco pink, Mesa and BLC. The standings will likely look a lot different then they have in years past.

5th grade lacrosse. Get an effing grip.

Yeah BLC lost some strong players to Madlax and Next Level, so who knows if they'll be in this division or one lower in spring as they try to rebuild. Hoco Pink was pretty strong in prior years but some of their guys went to FCA and (I think, not 100% sure) some to Hawks. No idea about Mesa but that's just me.

BLC as a whole really bungled 2020. Their travel teams will not be very competitive for several years.

There is no Mesa 2028.

The argument of they were good in 3rd grade so they will be good again is weak. Multiple teams in the 28 division got a lot better over the summer/fall. The only thing that will be consistent for the next couple of years is change. Kids are going to change clubs, kids are going to stay back. Madlax will always be good, maybe even great, but even those families get sick of the yelling and shenanigans. A lot of those kids will move on as well.

1. Madlax
2. FCA
3. Hawks
4. Next Level
5. Crabs
6. True
7. Cavs
8. KP
9. BLC
10. HLC

BLC is a great experience for a young player and a good intro into club lacrosse. Its unfair to say they bungled 2020. The local schools they lease fields from were shut down. In scrambling to find replacement fields some were better than others. Not an ideal situation.

Their clubs will be competitive but wont be challenging any of the top teams. They don't have professional coaches and practice 1/2 as much. Its always going to be a short term solution for kids without HS teams. There will always be outliers. The BLC 25's were extremely strong and the 29's (if they can stay together) look promising.

I was being kind by saying "bungled" and if that term really offends you then you are waaay too sensitive. Are you telling me they couldn't find any field to gather on for informal or formal gatherings? No, the true answer is the board of BLC was split and got scared of liability issues and simply chose to abandon the program. They left it up to the individual teams to do it on their own. That's all fine except many families left for Madlax and Next Level up and down the age groups and why be part of an organization which doesn't support the team. It's kind of like paying to be a franchise without getting any administrative or marketing support.

Their participation numbers are way down and it will take years to recover. Let's hope DCE can keep it together.