Lacrosse: Top 10 rankings, team stat leaders, plus a Q&A with an emerging sophomore star
The next week to 10 days will be a defining moment in several North Jersey lacrosse races.
The Bergen County tournaments will be seeded over the weekend and the Passaic County coaches will release their brackets next Wednesday.
Plus, there are a handful of premier games on the horizon with the Northern Highlands and IHA girls scheduled to face off on Thursday, and Don Bosco and Ridgewood matching up in a No. 1-vs.-No. 2 clash the following Thursday.
As the season goes on, more and more teams continue to make their way into the North Jersey rankings. Holy Angels debuts this week at No. 10 on the girls side after a dramatic turnaround fueled by the freshman class. Pascack Valley climbed into season-high positions in both sets of rankings.
Boys lacrosse Top 10 rankings
Don Bosco 5-2
Ridgewood 7-0
Northern Highlands 4-3
Bergen Catholic 5-4
Pascack Valley 7-0
Mahwah 6-2
Glen Rock 4-3
Wayne Valley 3-4
Tenafly 6-3
Ramapo 5-4
(Records through Tuesday.)
Girls lacrosse Top 10 rankings
Ridgewood 5-2
Immaculate Heart 4-5
Northern Highlands 3-5
Pascack Valley 8-0
Saddle River Day 5-1
Glen Rock 6-2
Westwood 7-2
Ramapo 2-3
Mahwah 5-2
Holy Angels 7-0
Talking lacrosse with Mahwah's Cameron Robator
The Thunderbirds seemed to be due for a bumpy landing after losing most of the offense and 10 seniors from the lineup. Robator had other ideas. The sophomore attacker has proven to be one of the top feeders in Bergen County, tallying 15 goals and 22 assists while routinely drawing opponents' top pole. We caught up with him this week for a brief Q&A.
Has this season gone better than you expected?
It's gone way better, honestly. Our offense graduated our entire starting team beside me at X. That's over 200 points. Graduating that and showing how much we can play as young [players], next year and the following years will be real good.
Why hasn't there been a dropoff?
We have more feeders this year. Last year we had dodgers. This year we have more feeders and we move off the ball. We all play together. That's why.
What part of your game do you take the most pride in?
Probably my vision coming from X.
How do you balance when to pass and when to shoot?
When I'm playing, I don't really think about points. I just try to hit the open guy. They always slide early to me so most of the time there's always a guy on X for an easy assist. So I just hit the open guy.
Do you come from a lacrosse family?
My dad played in high school in Maine. I don't know what school. He was a defender, actually.
When did you start playing?
First grade.
Has lacrosse pro Mark Glicini been an inspiration as a fellow Mahwah guy?
That's my goal. To beat him in points. I've met him a couple times. He comes back to Mahwah Lacrosse Days, even though he's always on the road travelling with the pros.
Who is the most underrated player on your team?
I would say Ben Tomastovic playing defense. He's stepping at d-mid.
The hardest worker?
Hardest worker? I would say Tommy [Langenmayr]. Tommy is always staying after practice to get some work in.
The funniest?
Definitely Brandon Sklar.
What did you like about your team's performance on Tuesday when you beat St. Joseph by five goals?
We played hard, aggressive. They are a big physical team with all football guys. But we were physical and punched right back.
Boys lacrosse team stat leaders
Goals per game
Pascack Valley (7-0), 87, 12.43
Fair Lawn (6-0), 73, 12.17
Tenafly (6-3), 106, 11.78
Ridgewood (7-0), 80, 11.43
Pascack Hills (5-2), 75, 10.71
Don Bosco (5-2), 73, 10.43
Mahwah (6-2), 78, 9.75
Glen Rock (4-3), 68, 9.71
Ramsey (4-3), 68, 9.71
DePaul (6-3), 86, 9.56
Rutherford (4-3), 65, 9.29
Hawthorne (6-2), 73, 9.13
Bergen Tech (4-2), 54, 9.0
Passaic Valley (3-2), 45, 9.0
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Goals against
Ridgewood (7-0), 23, 3.29
Fair Lawn (6-0), 22, 3.67
Hawthorne (6-2), 37, 4.63
Pascack Hills (5-2), 37, 5.29
Saddle Brook (3-3), 32, 5.33
Bergen Tech (4-2), 33, 5.5
Tenafly (6-3), 50, 5.56
Waldwick (4-3), 40, 5.71
Don Bosco (5-2), 41, 5.86
Pascack Valley (7-0), 41, 5.86
Glen Rock (4-3), 42, 6.0
Westwood (4-3), 42. 6.0
Demarest (2-4), 36, 6.0
Girls lacrosse team stat leaders
Goals per game
Saddle River Day (5-1), 88, 14.67
Waldwick (8-0), 115, 14.38
DePaul (5-1), 86, 14.33
Pascack Valley (8-0), 104, 13.0
Rutherford (8-1), 114, 12.67
Passaic Tech (2-4), 75, 12.5
Holy Angels (7-0), 85, 12.14
Old Tappan (5-2), 80, 11.43
West Milford (44), 90, 11.25
Ridgewood (5-2), 77, 11.00
Paramus Catholic (3-4), 77, 11.00
Mahwah (5-2), 76, 10.86
Pompton Lakes (6-1), 75, 10.71
Glen Rock (6-2), 10.63
Westwood (7-2), 95, 10.56
Goals against
Waldwick (8-0), 37, 4.63
Holy Angels (7-0), 36, 5.14
Pompton Lakes (6-1), 40, 5.71
Pascack Valley (8-0), 48, 6.0
Old Tappan (5-2), 44, 6.29
Passaic Valley (3-3), 38, 6.33
Rutherford (8-1), 59, 6.56
Mahwah (5-2), 50, 7.14
DePaul (5-1), 44, 7.33
Glen Rock (6-2), 63, 7.88
Saddle River Day (5-1), 48, 8.0
Westwood (7-2), 72, 8.0
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ lacrosse: Latest Top 10 rankings, Q&A with Cameron Robator
