MIAA A lacrosse squads highly ranked in national preseason polls

It’s March and the start of the 2024 high school lacrosse season is just about upon us. This is always big news in Maryland and particularly in the MIAA, which boasts the nation’s most elite boys high school lacrosse conference, from top to bottom, year in and year out.

In the last week both USA Lacrosse and Inside Lacrosse have published their Preseason National Rankings. In addition, IL has published its Mid-Atlantic Regional Rankings. Not surprisingly, MIAA teams figure prominently in all three polls. Just like many fans, however, the publications disagree on exactly who is the best MIAA team and the placement each MIAA team should have in their various polls.

One things is sure, both are bullish in two-time defending champion McDonogh and Boys’ Latin. USA Lacrosse has BL rated as the No. 5 team in the country, followed immediately by No. 6 McDonogh.

USA Lacrosse ranked three other MIAA teams in the lower half of its Top 25, with St. Paul’s at No. 21, Loyola Blakefield at No. 22 and Calvert Hall, last year’s league runner-up, at No. 23. In addition, Archbishop Spalding, Severn and St. Mary’s were all among those “also considered” for a spot in the poll.

Inside Lacrosse gave McDonogh a higher evaluation in its Top 25, ranking the Eagles at No. 3, while Boys’ Latin was also in the Top 10 at No. 7. IL is also place a higher value on Calvert Hall, ranking the Cardinals at No. 11.

Inside Lacrosse did not rank any other MIAA teams in its national poll. In the IL Mid-Atlantic Top 10 rankings, McDonogh is No. 2, BL is No. 4 and Calvert Hall is No. 7. Included in the “receiving votes” section were St. Mary’s and Loyola Blakefield.

Regardless of what the national and local rankings say, every game in the MIAA A Conference, even those involving squads not mentioned at all, is a war. Each spot in the post-season will be hard-earned and any team that it makes it there is more than capable of securing the championship plaque in late May.

Here are the complete preseason rankings of both USA Lacrosse and Inside Lacrosse:

USA Lacrosse 2024 Boys Lacrosse Preseason Top 25

1. Culver Academy (IN)

2. Lawrenceville (NJ)

3. St. Anthony’s (NY)

4. Brunswick (CT)

5. Boys’ Latin (MD)

6. McDonogh (MD)

7. Chaminade (NY)

8. Haverford (PA)

9. St. John’s (DC)

10. Darien (CT)

11. Garden City (NY)

12. Gonzaga (DC)

13. Malvern Prep (PA)

14. Staples (CT)

15. Manhasset (NY)

16. Bullis (MD)

17. Georgetown Prep (MD)

18. St. John’s Prep (MA)

19. Baldwinsville (NY)

20. Shoreham-Wading River (NY)

21. St. Paul’s (MD)

22. Loyola Blakefield (MD)

23. Calvert Hall (MD)

24. Fairfield (CT)

25. Salesianum (DE)

Also considered (alphabetical order): Academy of the New Church (Pa.), Archbishop Spalding (Md.), Bayport-Blue Point (N.Y.), Boston College High (Mass.), Delbarton (N.J.), Lake Mary (Fla.), Landon (Md.), La Salle (Pa.), Paul VI (Va.), Radnor (Pa.), Ridgewood (N.J.), Severn (Md.), Springfield-Delco (Pa.), St. Mary's (Md.), St. Ignatius Prep (Calif.), Valor Christian (Colo.)

Inside Lacrosse 2024 Boys Lacrosse Preseason Top 25

1. Lawrenceville (N.J.)

2. Culver (Ind.)

3. McDonogh (Md.)

4. St. Anthony's (N.Y.)

5. Malvern Prep (Pa.)

6. Brunswick (Conn.)

7. Boys' Latin (Md.)

8. Haverford (Pa.)

9. Georgetown Prep (Md.)

10. Hill Academy (Ont.)

11. Calvert Hall (Md.)

12. Salisbury (Conn.)

13. St. John's (D.C.)

14. Taft (Conn.)

15. Loomis Chaffee (Conn.)

16. Chaminade (N.Y.

17. La Salle (Pa.)

18. Staples (Conn.)

19. Deerfield (Mass.)

20. Holderness (N.H.)

21. Radnor (Pa.)

22. Manhasset (N.Y.)

23. Western Reserve Academy (Ohio)

24. Belmont Hill (Mass.)

25. Bullis (Md.)

Inside Lacrosse 2024 Boys Lacrosse Mid-Atlantic Rankings

1. Lawrenceville (NJ)

2. McDonogh (MD)

3. Malvern Prep (PA)

4. Boys’ Latin (MD)

5. Haverford (PA)

6. Georgetown Prep (MD)

7. Calvert Hall (MD)

8. St. John’s (DC)

9. La Salle (PA)

10. Radnor (PA)

Receiving Votes: Bullis (D.C.), Gonzaga (D.C.), St. Mary's (Md.), Loyola Blakefield (Md.), Paul VI (Va.), Ridgewood (N.J.), Salesianum (Del.), Rumson Fair Haven (N.J), Academy New Church (Pa.), Seton Hall Prep (N.J.), Delbarton (N.J.), St. Anne's Belfield (Va.)