Spring break is here, but boys lax won't rest. Here's how Eric Rueb ranked the teams after Week 2

Two weeks into the 2024 boys lacrosse season and the feeling out process is just about done and each divisions’ top teams are starting to show their faces.

There are a handful of undefeated teams left and a few of them are still surprises. There’s been some pretty incredible games so far, some unexpected blowouts and a few eye-opening wins.

While it’s spring break around the state, Week 3 shouldn’t provide any time off for big performances. The weather is looking good and it’s time for everyone to start locking in.

That includes us here at Providence Journal and we cannot stress how important it is to have coaches report scores to us on a daily basis.

Reporting lacrosse scores is as easy as it gets. All we need is the final score, three players to highlight from the winning team, two from the losing team and any detail – like a game-winning goal or big play – that might help our writeup.

Home team coaches are responsible for reporting scores. They can be called it at 401-277-7340 or emailed to PJSports@ProvidenceJournal.com by 10 p.m. the night of games. That’s not 10:15 p.m. or 11 p.m. or 9 a.m. the following morning.

This week’s going to be a fun one, so get things started right and see how we’ve ranked the top teams in each division heading into Week 3.

Providence Journal Boys Lacrosse Division I Power Rankings

1. La Salle (4-0 Division I)

The Rams are nationally ranked for a reason and continue to dominate league opponents. There’s three games left on the schedule that matter to La Salle – April 23 against Moses Brown, May 16 at Moses Brown and whenever the state championship game is. The Rams host East Greenwich on Tuesday before traveling to Portsmouth Friday in their final week of practice before their first big game.

2. Moses Brown (3-0 Division I)

Is the gap between the Quakers and the rest of the state getting smaller? It might be, but the Quakers are still pretty good and showed as much in Friday’s win over Barrington. Monday is another chance for MB to show the state its still No. 2 when it travels to play Hendricken, followed by a home game against East Greenwich Friday.

3. Hendricken (3-1 Division I)

The Hawks’ hot start continued with a win over East Greenwich, but Friday’s loss to La Salle was a quick dose of reality about their place in D-I. Monday’s matchup with Moses Brown could change that perception and if Hendricken can beat the Quakers and follow it with a win at Mount St. Charles Friday, it’ll be a huge step in the right direction for this program.

4. Barrington (1-2 Division I)

Losing to Moses Brown wasn’t an ideal way to end the week – and the 1-2 start isn’t either – but the Eagles are still trying to get healthy and everything seems to be trending in the right direction. Barrington will need a win over North Kingstown Friday to keep it that way.

Providence Journal Boys Lacrosse Division II Power Rankings

1. Prout (3-0 Division II)

The Crusaders might not have the best goal differential in Division II, but its clear they’re playing the best lacrosse right now. Prout doubled up Middletown to start the week, then won in quadruple overtime over Pilgrim for its second one-goal win of the season. The Crusaders will try to keep things going Monday at cross-town rival South Kingstown before hosting Chariho on Thursday.

2. Cranston West (2-0 Division II)

Division II is the most competitive division in the state and right now the thing that puts the Falcons in this spot is the fact they haven’t lost yet. Coming off an impressive win over South Kingstown, Cranston West hit the road twice this week to play Cumberland Monday and Middletown Thursday and if it wins both, it won’t be able to slide under the radar anymore.

3. Cumberland (1-2 Division II)

There’s four teams for the final two spots and we’re giving one to the Clippers, who won the lone game they played last week. This week will give Cumberland a chance to prove they deserve the spot – and maybe should be higher. The Clippers start Monday at Tucker against Cranston West, then travel to take on South Kingstown Thursday.

4. Pilgrim (2-2 Division II)

The Patriots had a rough week, losing a one-goal game to South Kingstown and a quadruple-overtime affair to Prout. Nothing wrong with losing games like that in April, but the Patriots are going to have to show some sort of resiliency this week. Pilgrim travels to play Chariho on Tuesday, then hosts Coventry on Thursday and two wins are the bounceback its looking for.

Percolating: Chariho (2-1), South Kingstown (1-1)

Providence Journal Boys Lacrosse Division III Power Rankings

1. Westerly (5-0 Division III)

This was the start the defending champs were hoping to get off to and this week saw the Bulldogs top Smithfield by a goal, then beat a tough Narragansett team. Westerly is the prohibitive favorite to win D-III – and would have been in the mix in D-II – and it will try to keep the train running down the tracks with two home games this week – against Toll Gate Tuesday and Ponaganset Thursday.

2. Smithfield (3-1 Division III)

The Sentinels took their first L of the season, but there’s nothing wrong with dropping a road game to the division’s best team. This week Smithfield will have to bounce back, starting with a road game against an aggressive Burrillville team Tuesday before taking on a sneaky Mt. Hope team at their de facto home field in North Smithfield on Thursday.

3. Mt. Hope (1-1 Division III)

Are the Huskies the new darkhorse in Division III? Beating Narragansett last Wednesday should open some eyes. Mt. Hope can’t slip up Monday when it hosts PCDSRA and if it can win on the road against Smithfield on Thursday, we can drop the darkhorse label and just call them a straight-up contender.

4. Narragansett (2-2 Division III)

It was a tough week for the Mariners, who dropped games to Mt. Hope and Westerly. Don’t let that change your opinion about this team – they’re still pretty good. Narragansett needs to rebound and see one go in to get rolling again and it will have a chance with a road game at Ponaganset Tuesday and at PCDSRA on Friday.

Percolating: Burrillville (1-1)

Providence Journal Boys Lacrosse Division IV Power Rankings

1. North Smithfield (3-0 Division IV)

The Northmen had another dominant week and right now are clearly the class of the division, but titles aren’t handed out in April. North Smithfield won’t get to relax on spring break, with three tough games during the week – at East Providence Monday, home against Lincoln Wednesday and at Scituate on Friday. Three wins would send a message to the rest of the league.

2. Lincoln (2-0 Division IV)

Offense continues to shine for the Lions, who beat East Providence 11-3 in their only game last week. Lincoln has a trap game Monday at home against North Providence and needs to be careful, but Wednesday’s road battle with North Smithfield will be a defining game in figuring out who the hands-down favorite in D-IV is.

3. Rogers (2-1 Division IV)

One game this week, one win for the Vikings and now it’s time to roll. Rogers’ schedule this week is similarly light, with a game at Cranston East/Johnston on Monday. Building confidence is paramount for the defending Division IV champs and if they can put together a good performance and follow it with a good week of practice, it’ll set them up for a tough final week of April.

4. Scituate (2-1 Division IV)

The Spartans were the big winners of the week as they finally got to play a game at Caito Field, which had been shut down since 2021. With a one-goal loss to Rogers the only blemish on their record, Scituate it clearly in a good position. The Spartans have three games this week, traveling to Classicalon Tuesday before playing back-to-back home games Thursday and Friday against Cranston East/Johnston and North Smithfield.

Percolating: Classical (2-1), East Providence (2-2), Tiverton (0-2)

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Providence Journal Boys Lacrosse Power Rankings Asfter Week 2 of 2024