Crazy week of girls lacrosse made this week's ranks a tough task. Here's how it could be easier.
Just when it looked like the girls lacrosse season was going to become a bit predictable, madness struck.
Big performances in big games are what makes high school sports fun. Last week I went to see Moses Brown taking on Barrington ready to write about the Quakers drive toward regaining their state title and instead ended up with a story on why the Eagles look ready to defend theirs.
It’s great to have the opportunity to see games like that and I wish I could see more. But with so many teams in so many sports, it’s just a statistical improbability.
We still want to report on what’s going on throughout the state on a daily basis, but we need significantly more help from the girls lacrosse coaches in each and every division.
Coaches, we are pleading for results. Each night the Journal puts together a wrapup of every high school game that gets reported to us and girls lacrosse hasn’t been well represented. There are some exceptions, but we’re trying to get more results so we can educate the state as to what’s going on, educate ourselves and recognize the athletes who are coming through in big games for their teams.
Reporting lacrosse scores is easy. You can email results to us at PJSports@ProvidenceJournal.com or call (401) 277-7340 and we don’t need all the information that we used in the past. We need the final score and after that, we’re looking for three key players from the winning team and what they did – maybe the top three goal scorers, maybe a goalie with a great game or a defender who played lockdown defense – and a key player from the losing team.
If we get the information before 10 p.m. on gameday, it’ll be up online that night for everyone to see. It keeps our readers up to date on what’s going on, showcases the players and gives the sport a bit more exposure. It’s also extremely helpful when it comes time for me to pick All-State because players who routinely show up in recaps are doing so for a good reason.
So as we head down the homestretch of the season, we just ask that we try and get more results in. Hitting 100 percent is the dream, but the goal is no different than a team’s – we just want it to be better each day.
Let’s get on to the ranks.
Providence Journal Girls Lacrosse Power Rankings
Division I
1. Barrington (6-2)
I don’t know if the Eagles are going to be the best team in the state at the end, but with last week’s win over Moses Brown they’ve got a win on their resume no one else has. Coming off a loss to East Greenwich, the win over the Quakers definitely rejuvenated Barrington’s drive toward repeating as state champs. Barrington will try to keep it going this week, playing at Lincoln School Tuesday before hosting La Salle Thursday.
2. Moses Brown (7-1)
Last Thursday’s loss could be a defining moment for the Quakers. They haven’t had to learn how to handle losing – at least to an in-state team – in the middle of the season in eight years, so MB’s response this week will be the reminder it needs to get its title back. The Quakers are back at home against La Salle Tuesday but Thursday’s game at East Greenwich is the game where they might show how dominant they can be.
3. East Greenwich (7-1)
After beating Barrington last week the Avengers seemed headed to the No. 2 spot, then the Eagles went and beat Moses Brown and that ended that. This week it’s East Greenwich’s turn to play the Quakers and if it pulls out a win at home on Thursday, it will be a season-defining victory. The Avengers are the surprise of the season and there’s no reason they can’t win a title. This week gives them a chance to show why.
4. Portsmouth (3-5)
While the top three teams have established themselves, the difference in D-I’s next four teams isn’t much. The Patriots’ win over La Salle Friday came on the heels of a four game win streak – three being against the above-ranked teams – but now comes a part of the schedule where Portsmouth can develop and stack wins. The Patriots will be at South Kingstown Monday and host Lincoln School Thursday and two victories would go a long way.
KEEP AN EYE ON: Lincoln School (3-4), La Salle (3-5), Prout (2-7).
Division II
1. North Kingstown (7-1)
Roll Skips, roll. North Kingstown threw its weight around last week in wins over Toll Gate and Cumberland and with games against Pilgrim and Mt. Hope – two teams below .500 – its going to try and do the same. The wins put the Skippers’ lone loss of the season further behind the, and this is a spot they might not relinquish for the rest of the season.
2. Chariho (6-1)
If there’s a reason North shouldn’t start planning its championship parade yet, it’s because of how the Chargers are playing. They bounced back from a loss to NK with a tough win over Cranston West last week. This week Chariho has two tough tests at Burrillville Tuesday and hosting Middletown on Friday. The Super Chargers can prove their championship worth with two wins – and with this offense there’s no doubt they can.
3. Burrillville (7-2)
Who’s got the longest win streak in D-II? That’d be the Broncos, who have ripped off dubs in their last six games and looking more and more like a team that intends on playing for yet another title. Burrillville’s been doing it with defense all season and the lone game of the week is a strength vs. strength battle as the Broncos host offensive-minded Chariho on Tuesday evening.
4. Middletown (5-3)
Ranked No. 2 last week, the Islanders had a rough week with two losses in two home games. West dropped an overtime game to Cranston West and fell to Burrillville two days later. This week the Islanders will take to the road against winless Smithfield Wednesday and Chariho Friday. Middletown can’t afford to look past the Sentinels, but if it can put on a performance vs. the Chargers, it’ll get itself back in the title talk.
KEEP AN EYE ON: Cranston West (4-4), Cumberland (3-5), Mt. Hope (2-3)
Division III
1. Narragansett (6-0)
The Mariners are strictly business right now. Wednesday’s win over Westerly cemented its top spot and this week the Mariners will get a chance to add to. Narragansett is at Cranston East Monday before hosting East Providence on Wednesday and Providence Country Day Friday. Wins are valuable, but as long as Narragansett continues to play well in them it will maintain this spot.
2. Bay View (4-1)
Should the Bengals be the top-ranked team? After losing their season opener, Bay View has since rolled off four straight, three coming last week and the last a 13-8 victory over Westerly on Saturday. The Bengals have the best defense in the division, the best goalie and if they can keep winning – they’re at Providence Country Day Monday, then home against Johnston Wednesday and EP on Saturday – they might have the best team.
3. East Providence (6-1)
Two convincing wins have the Townies rolling again as they try to defend their Division III title. Beating Johnston and Rogers gives EP some momentum rolling into this three-game week as it hosts a gritty Ponaganset team Monday, plays at Narragansett Wednesday and plays city rival Bay View on Saturday. If the Townies want to know where they stand as the postseason draws near, this week will tell us.
4. Westerly (5-2)
The Bulldogs fell from the ranks of the undefeated with two losses in three games last week, getting dropped by Narragansett Monday and losing to Bay View Saturday. Now it’s time for the young Westerly team to show how it can respond to adversity. The Bulldogs are at Johnston Monday and host Rocky Hill Saturday and wins would be nice, but playing well is almost more important.
KEEP AN EYE ON: Ponaganset (5-3), Cranston East (3-3)
DIVISION IV
1. North Smithfield (5-1)
The wins keep coming for the Northmen, who downed Coventry and Lincoln this week and continue to work on its title chase. This week North Smithfield gets a shot at revenge at Scituate – which handed it its lone loss – before a scheduling quirk that sees the team host Classical Wednesday and playing the Purple in Providence on Thursday. After that, the fun begins.
2. Mount St. Charles (7-1)
This week was light work for the Mounties, who won their three games by a combined 38-15. Mount is at Tiverton Tuesday and hosts North Providence Thursday and while its eyes will want to focus on next week’s game at North Smithfield, it can’t afford to slip up this week. Seeding is suddenly in play and losing a game they shouldn’t would be detrimental to the Mounties’ hopes.
3. Scituate (5-2)
The Spartans were hardly preseason favorites, but right now are closer to being No. 1 than they are to No. 4. Scituate won its lone game last week – besting Tiverton 18-9 – and with its two losses being by a single goal – including a 12-11 loss to Mount – the team is certainly in the mix. Winning at North Smithfield Monday would be huge, but Thursday’s game at Lincoln is just as important.
4. Classical (4-2)
While the division looks like a three-horse race, the Purple are trying to play their way in. They sandwiched an ugly loss to Mount St. Charles with wins over Lincoln and Tiverton, and this week they can add to that momentum. Classical plays three games in three days, going to North Providence Tuesday and North Smithfield Wednesday and then welcoming the Northmen to Providence on Thursday. If Classical grabs two wins this week, the race for the title officially gets interesting.
KEEP AN EYE ON: Coventry (2-4-1), Lincoln (2-5-1)
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Providence Journal RIIL girls lacrosse power rankings for May 30
