Top lacrosse talent returns to area for annual NHSLS event
by Derek Toney
The National High School Lacrosse Showcase, one of the top events of the summer recruiting season, is back in Howard County for its 10th season.
The girls session takes place Thursday and Friday at Troy Park in Elkridge and Blandair Park in Columbia. Four local teams – Anne Arundel County, Blazers (Notre Dame Prep), Lions (Maryvale Prep) and Rowdy Red (Archbishop Spalding) – are part of the eight-team field.
Gators Lax (St. Paul’s School) won the NHSLS title last summer. The Gators, who won a second straight IAAM A title last month and was the consensus area and nation No. 1 team, are not participating in this year’s NHSLS.
Several MIAA A Conference squads will compete in the White session, which starts Thursday at Blandair Park and Oakland Mills High. Boys’ Latin School, Calvert Hall College, Gilman School, Loyola Blakefield, Severn School and St. Paul’s School will be part of a 43-team field including perennial national powers Culver Academy from Indiana and Massachusetts’ Deerfield Academy as well as teams from California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, and Texas.
Perennial local public power Severna Park will be making its NHSLS debut. The Falcons, who have won six consecutive state championships, will match up with Connecticut’s Taft Academy, Wheaton Academy from Illinois, and LaSalle Academy (PA) Thursday.
The Red session, featuring reigning MIAA A champ McDonogh School, Archbishop Spalding, Gilman, Loyola, Mount St. Joseph and Broadneck, took place last week. None of the locals advanced out of pool play as Connecticut’s Salisbury School won the Red session championship.
White session pool play is Thursday with playoffs Friday. The championship game, at Blandair Park, will be nationally televised (ESPNU) at 7 p.m., following the girls’ title match at Blandair Park at 6.
National High School Lacrosse Showcase
Thursday’s pool play schedule
BOYS (local teams only; games at Blandair Park)
Severna Park vs. Taft School (CT), 9 a.m.
Boys’ Latin School vs. Choate (CT), 10 a.m.
Calvert Hall College vs. Hingham (MA), 10 a.m.
Severna Park vs. LaSalle Academy (PA), 11 a.m.
Severn School vs. Culver Academy (IN), 11 a.m.
Calvert Hall vs. West Genesee (N.Y.), 12 p.m.
Boys’ Latin vs. Garden City (N.Y.), 12 p.m.
Severna Park vs. Wheaton Academy (IL), 1 p.m.
Severn School vs. Fairfield (CT) Prep, 1 p.m.
St. Paul’s School vs. St. Albans School (D.C.), 2 p.m.
Boys’ Latin vs. Loyola (CA), 2 p.m.
Calvert Hall vs. Westlake (TX), 2 p.m.
Gilman School vs. Potomac (VA), 3 p.m.
Severn vs. Victor (N.Y.), 3 p.m.
Loyola vs. Horseheads (N.Y.), 4 p.m.
Gilman vs. Baldwinsville (N.Y.), 5 p.m.
St. Paul’s vs. Jesuit/Plant (FL), 5 p.m.
Loyola vs. Culver, 6 p.m.
Gilman vs. Lakeridge (OR), 7 p.m.
St. Paul’s vs. Lawrenceville (N.J.), 7 p.m.
Loyola vs. Bullis School, 8 p.m.
GIRLS (local teams only; games at Troy Park)
Anne Arundel vs. Blazers, 10 a.m.
Rowdy Red vs. ABC (PA), 10 a.m.
Lions vs. Stoneridge, 11 a.m.
Blazers vs. Rowdy Red, 12 p.m.
Anne Arundel vs. ABC, 1 p.m.
Blazers vs. ABC, 2 p.m.
Anne Arundel vs. Rowdy Red, 2 p.m.
Lions vs. AIS (PA), 3 p.m.
Friday’s playoffs schedule
Girls semifinals at Troy Park, 11 a.m. & 12 p.m.
Boys semifinals at Blandair Park, 1 p.m. & 2 p.m.
Girls final at Blandair Park, 6 p.m.
Boys final at Blandair Park, 7 p.m.
