Boys' Lacrosse: Championship Preview (Saturday 6/11)

The favorites of Greenwich, Darien and Somers may not be in their respective championship games but we still have marquee match-ups, all three of which will be great lacrosse.

CLASS L

(4) #3 Fairfield Prep vs (6) #2 Ridgefield @330pm @ Brien McMahon HS (Norwalk)
-Despite what other writers and polls said, my two favorites (as indicated by my rankings) were the Fairfield Prep Jesuits and Ridgefield Tigers.  Prep is the definition of a team and that starts with the spectacular coaching of Chris Smalkis.  They emphasize fundamentals in the way they play, running their plays on offensive and making smart decisions with the ball which leads to all the goals they score and by a variety of different players; whoever has the good shot takes and makes it.  The only player on their team that can be considered a superstar is goalie Mike Steelye, who has taken it to another level in these playoffs and will be paramount once again for Prep is they hope to win this game.  Ridgefield has a fast-paced FCIAC offense with Eric Scala and Andrew Buckanavage at the helm and their own superstar, Matt Shannon on defense.  Matt is headed to UNC in the fall so to say that he is good would be an understatement!  Coach Roy Colsey will have the Tigers ready for this, the biggest game of their lives.

PREDICTION: I know the title didn't return to Westport in volleyball like I predicted it would but my lacrosse predictions have been much much more accurate so I feel confident saying that Fairfield Prep will reclaim the state championship this year, just like they did with the SCC Championship, with a one goal win over Ridgefield that very likely could take overtime!


CLASS M


(5) #4 Wilton vs (7) #6 New Canaan @ 1pm @ Brien McMahon HS (Norwalk)
-It did feel weird not writing Darien but for whatever reason Wilton got some help in the form of two key injuries and the extremely talent Warriors have a shot at the state championship.  Their opponent is the New Canaan Rams, another very talented team from the FCIAC.  Being from the same conference, these two teams know each well, possibly two well as knowledge of each other from previous meetings may hurt or help the teams.  They met in the regular season on 5/3 and New Canaan won 10-8 but then on 5/21 in the FCIAC tournament Wilton won a convincing 12-5.  I'm sure both teams have progressed from even that point so the best strategy may just be to go out there and play to the best of their abilities.  Like the Class L (and Class S) Championship game, this really is a toss up.


PREDICTION: Joe Costigan (middie) and Henry Eschricht (attack) lead the New Canaan offense but Sam Somers in goal for Wilton should be able to hold them off enough to let Mike Francia and the rest of the Warriors' offense outpace the Rams for a three goal win, Wilton over New Canaan.

CLASS S

(3) Joel Barlow vs (12) St. Joseph @ 1030am @ Brien McMahon HS (Norwalk)
-If you've been following all season, you know that I have constantly reiterated that both of these teams, very similar in my mind, may have bad records against the elite teams, 15-3 and 11-8 overall respectively, but they are still loaded with talent and it is no mistake that they are the ones in the championship game, not East Lyme, Stonington or even Somers.  St. Joseph has the curse and blessing of playing in the FCIAC but they just miss qualifying for the conference tournament.  Barlow lost Wilton, the only FCIAC team that mad its conference tournament, they played, but they also lost to weaker teams in their own conference, the SWC (Newtown and New Fairfield, good teams but not better than the elite FCIAC teams).  Honestly, I do not know who to pick in this one.  St. Joseph does have the All-State duo of Pat Corcoran and Pat Mulligan, both head to DI Quinnipiac next year, but Barlow has the more impressive season and more flashy offense.

PREDICTION: Just like with the Class L game, I am going to go against who my brain is telling me to pick and go with what my heart is saying...St. Joseph by four goals over Joel Barlow.