Central Mass Lax Power Rankings: Week 6

Evan Doherty of Marlboro (20 in Orange) and Liam McDonough of Groton-Dunstable (12 in white) both have bright futures, already starring for their teams as just sophomores.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

We're now a bit past the halfway point of the 2016 lacrosse season in Central Massachusetts, and contenders are beginning to emerge in each district and league. While many league titles are all but locked up, and several teams have already punched their tickets to the state tournament, plenty of playoff spots are still up for grabs, and much is still to be determined in terms of tournament seeding.

We'll do a blog on postseason qualification and seeding in the coming days, but for now, here is this week's Top-10.

Postgame Blog: Westboro Outlasts Wachusett

Westboro juniors Trevor McNamara (3) and Luke McGrath (6) powered the Rangers to a shootout win.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Junior attackmen Luke McGrath had six goals, and classmate Trevor McNamara added five as Westboro won a home shootout against Mid-Wach A rival Wachusett Tuesday, 14-13.

The early goings of the day would belong to the Mountaineers, however, as Wachusett (3-1, 1-1 Mid-Wach A) got on the board first with goals from Griffin LaPosta and Dan Turgeon.

CMass Lax Power Rankings: 5/4/15

Algonquin sophomore Zach Skowronek scored the game-winner for the T-Hawks against EMass rival Hingham last week.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Another week and another set of Central Mass Lacrosse Power Rankings are now in the books.

This week a new school makes its first ever appearance in our Top-5, and a couple of Mid-Wach A squads take a tumble after rough stretches. All teams are hitting the home stretch of the regular season as they fight for tournament position, so let's not waste any more time and get to our brand new rankings.

CMass Lax Highlights: Algonquin Edges Westboro

Algonquin goalie Colton King stood on his head Thursday in Westboro.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Thanks to a hat trick from Mike Martens, a late goal from Alex Sabel and a monster day in net from Colton King, Algonquin overcame a slow start to eek out a win in Westboro Thursday afternoon.

The host Rangers came out hitting, and star middie Jake Foster came out firing, but in the end it wasn't quite enough to top the gritty T-Hawks.

Check out the highlights below.

CMass Lax Power Rankings: 4/13/15

Senior middie Jake Foster (7) will lead Westboro into a pair of league clashes this week against Nashoba and Shrewsbury.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Many of the best teams in Central Mass tested themselves out of region last week, with varying results, while a pair of big Mid-Mass. wins put Grafton in the driver seat for another league title and high seed in the Division 3 tournament.

Let's take a look at our latest Power Rankings.

CMass Lax Power Rankings: 4/6/15

Led by junior goalie Cadrin Msumba, Grafton scored a huge win over Algonquin Saturday, holding the T-Hawks scoreless in the second half.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Lacrosse season is finally underway in Central Massachusetts and, despite several game cancellations due to snow, some big games have already been played.

If you want to check out all of my CMass Lax previews, click here to view them in our SuitePreps section, and keep reading below for our first Power Rankings of 2015.

2015 Central Mass Lax Previews: Westboro Rangers

Westboro senior middie Jake Foster.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Over the next few days I will be unveiling season previews of the top high school lacrosse programs in Central Massachusetts, leading up to the season opening in early April on what we can only hope will be snow-free fields.

You can access past previews here in our SuitePreps section, and we continue our look around the region with talented Westboro. The Rangers took another step in 2014, finishing second in the competitive Mid-Wach A, notching sweeps over league foes Wachusett, Nashoba and Groton-Dunstable, and scoring impressive wins over regional powers Algonquin and Grafton.

Led by a sensational midfield and improving back line, the Rangers won a playoff game for the second year in a row under coach Tom Baker. After two years of improvement under Baker, Westboro is preparing for yet another transition under new coach Kyle Biancardi, and the former Grafton star will certainly have the talent to win immediately at his new gig.

Central Mass Lacrosse Recruiting Database

St. John's middie Kevin Butler (5) is one of many CMass lax players preparing to play in college.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

School may be out, but several Central Mass lacrosse standouts will be spending their summers preparing for the rigors of college lacrosse.

After reaching out to coaches and players in the area, here is my list of which CMass players are continuing their careers at the next level. I know I am missing some, so if you or somebody you know will be playing in college and I don't have it here, shoot me a Tweet at @HerewegoJoe.

More recruiting stories to come this summer.

CMass Lax All-Stars and Award Winners 2014

All-American attackman Drew Smiley of St. John's and star pole Griffin Couture of Shrewsbury

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Another season of Central Mass lacrosse is in the books, and several teams made headlines statewide with their stellar play.

Whether it was St. John's scoring big wins against Eastern Mass foes, Shrewsbury earning its first ever district title or Worcester coming out of nowhere to grab a share of the Mid-Mass. crown, teams from across the region had seasons to remember.

For more on those stories, you can check out my end of the year wrap up/Power Rankings, but below is my Central Mass All-Star team and Award Winners.

Congratulations to all the players, coaches and parents that made 2014 a special year for CMass Lax.

Post Game Blog: Westfield Bests Westborough After Lightning Delay

It was the end of the line for goalie Kevin Skirvin and the Rangers, but Westborough enjoyed a memorable season in coach Tom Baker's second year at the helm.

By Max Bloch (@maxblochlive)

Ed. Note: SuiteSports would like to welcome Max Bloch, a Westborough High School alum that is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Syracuse, a school too smart to accept me. Not that I'm bitter... Anyways, Max took in the Rangers' playoff game against Westfield yesterday, and has been kind enough to write up a post game blog for us. You can check out his bio below, and be on the lookout for him on the sidelines of high school lacrosse playoff games the rest of the way. Oh, and you should totally follow him on Twitter. -Joe

Westborough and Westfield, two foes as unfamiliar as can be. 65.9 miles separated the two contenders, both looking to punch their ticket to the Central/West Division 2 semifinals. But on a rainy summer day, the ‘Field would take control of the ‘Borough.

Central Mass Lacrosse Playoff Preview

Worcester and Grafton are playing in different divisions, but each has big postseason aspirations.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Yesterday I brought you my initial thoughts on the three playoff brackets featuring CMass lacrosse teams, but let's get a little more in-depth today.

Here is a look at the teams, players and games to watch in each bracket.

CMass Lax Tournament Brackets Released: (Semi) Rapid Reaction

Worcester goalie Sean Moran (16) had 14 saves in the Warriors' historic win over Grafton last week.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

The MIAA released the brackets for the 2014 boys lacrosse tournaments today, and Central Mass squads will play for a title in three different districts; D2 Central/West, D3 Central/West and D3 Central/East.

I will have a full playoff preview coming soon, but here are some quick thoughts on each district.

Updated CMass Lax Playoff Picture: 5/21

Algonquin and attackman Mike Wood (12) are gearing up for the playoffs, but first they'll host league foe Westboro today.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

By now I think you all know the deal.

There are only two bubble teams left, and of both of them can clinch a playoff spot with a win today/tonight. Oh yeah, then there's that little St. John's at Acton-Boxborough game, plus a momentum-building showdown between host Algonquin and visiting Westboro.

Here is your updated playoff picture as we head into a huge last two days of the CMass regular season.

Ed. Note: The story originally did not include Algonquin in the playoffs, even though I put Mike Wood in the picture. The mistake has been corrected, and I am dumb. 

Also, it has been brought to my attention that Groton-Dunstable, as a D3 school playing in a D2 league, would already be eligible for the postseason via the "Sullivan Rule." That rule would allow GD to get in because of their over .500 record against D3 competition.

Thanks to everyone who participates, these things can be tricky without help.

CMass All-Stars and Award Winners Watch List 2014

Jared Ward has been one of many pleasant surprises for St. John's this year.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

The regular season is nearly through, so now seems like as good a time as any to present you with my Central Mass All-Star watch list.

Both the regular season and the postseason will be taken into account in my final All-Star team, so much is still to be determined. But, these are the guys that I'm looking at right now.

If you would like to nominate a player, just leave their name, school and position in the comments. Or, you can email your suggestions to me at jparello86@gmail.com.

Or heck, you can just tweet me.

Anyways, here are the guys on my watch list by position, they are sorted alphabetically by their school. The bottom also includes my nominees for Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Breakout Player of the Year.

CMass Lax Power Rankings and Updated Playoff Picture: 5/19

Shrewsbury's Derric Dell'Olio scored four goals in the Colonials' big win over Algonquin Thursday.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

This week marks the end of the regular season, but much is still to be determined.

For some teams, there is still the need for that final, playoff clinching win. For others, like St. John's, there is the chance to grab a statement win before districts, and for a team like Worcester, there is the stunning chance to clinch a league title, and a top-3 seed in brutal Division 2 Central/West.

Who would have ever guessed that before the season started?

Anyways, here are this week's Power Rankings, followed by an updated look at the CMass playoff picture and our Games of the Week.

Post Game Blog: Worcester-Grafton and St. John's-Westboro

Worcester coach Harry Jones addresses his team after their historic win over Grafton.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

I took in a rousing Central Mass lax doubleheader yesterday, making my way out to Shrewsbury to catch St. John's hosting Westboro, then heading over to Worcester for the Warriors' big game against Grafton.

I did not do a full recap of the SJS-Westboro game, because I only caught the second half, but my full recap and highlights of the Worcester-Grafton game are up on BostonLaxNet now.

If you would just like to watch the highlights, you can check those out here.

Anyways, here are my wandering thoughts on two great games.

CMass Lax Power Rankings: 5/12/14

Grafton sophomore Chase Kapuscienski scores the game-winner in the closing seconds of the Indians' thriller against Worcester. (Click to enlarge)

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

The regular season is winding down, and districts are closing in fast for newly realigned Central Massachusetts.

But before that, many teams across the region have unfinished business to attend to. For Grafton and Worcester, that means a league champion must still be crowned, and for most of the brutally competitive Midland A, that means grabbing a few more wins to become tournament eligible.

So, without further ado, here are this week's Power Rankings, along with games of the week (we've got a ton of them), and games with major playoff implications.

Post Game Blog: Westboro Flips the Switch Against Nashoba

Westboro's Kyle Lemack gets some air for one of his three goals.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

By their own coach's admission, Westboro played a pretty bad game Tuesday against Shrewsbury, and their slump seemed to continue into the first half of Thursday's game against upset-minded Nashoba.

But the Rangers turned it on after halftime, transforming a 3-3 tie at intermission into a 12-5 blowout by day's end. Here is your weekly reminder that these are simply my wandering thoughts from today's game. If you would like a full recap, head on over to BostonLaxNet. The story should be up there shortly.

If you would like highlights from the game, you can find those here.

CMass Lax Power Rankings: 5/5/14

St. John's junior Jared Ward exploded for 5 goals and 2 assists against Xaverian.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Most teams in Central Mass have hit the meat of their schedules, and the cream is rising to the top.

Perhaps no CMass team in recent memory has started a season as well as this year's St. John's club. The Pioneers completed a fantastic week with a 12-3 thrashing of reigning Division 1 state champion Xaverian. Earlier in the week, St. John's asserted its dominance in Central Mass with a 9-0 win over Shrewsbury, and defeated Eastern Mass rival St. John's Prep.

It was a coming out week of sorts for attackman Jared Ward. The junior, who spent last season on the St. John's JV, pumped in nine goals and dished out five assists in the three aforementioned St. John's victories. Ward's emergence, along with breakout performances from senior Steve Kerr in net and sophomore Andrew Cox in the midfield, have proven that the Pioneers present far more problems than just All American senior Drew Smiley.

It seems to be St. John;s and everybody else in Central Mass right now, but check out our Power Rankings to see where the region's other powers land.

CMass Lax Power Rankings: 4/22/14

St. John's All American Drew Smiley

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Well, I think we can now say we have two Central Mass front-runners, and both of them reside in Shrewsbury.

Defending Central Mass champion St. John's put on a clinic last week, blasting regional power Grafton and Eastern Mass foe Mansfield by a combined score of 24-7. Meanwhile, cross-town rival Shrewsbury handed Algonquin its first Mid Wach loss in over three seasons, and held the T-Hawks to only one goal in the process. They followed that performance up with a 17-2 drubbing of previously unbeaten Littleton, and a 10-1 dismantling of Grafton.

That sets up a massive showdown this Saturday, as the Colonials will welcome St. John's for a game with definite playoff seeding implications. While Western Mass power Longmeadow is everyone's favorite in the new Division 2 Central/West (and my favorite for the whole state), whoever wins that game will be considered CMass' best chance at getting a team to BU at season's end.

So, since we were delayed by Marathon Monday and an early game on Tuesday, here are your special Wednesday Central Mass Power Rankings.