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Mac Christmas thought he had a good idea of what he was getting into when the NLF No. 6 senior transferred from Georgetown Prep (Md.) to McDonogh (Md.).

The Eagles’ and MadLax LSM, a Duke signee, expected a bit of a jump in intensity when transitioning into the MIAA. He got more than a bit of a jump, though.

“I didn’t even expect how intense it is,” Christmas said. “It’s really intense. Boys’ Latin was a one-goal game. Severn came back against us. Calvert Hall was a two-goal game. Everyone’s so fired up and excited to be there. It’s definitely been an adjustment.”

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Jumping Right Into the Mix

Christmas didn’t need much time to ingratiate himself to the defending MIAA champs’ loaded lineup. The 6-4, 210-pound pole has the offensive skills of an O-middie and gamebreaking transition skills. Couple that with a stacked group that includes NLF No. 1 senior McCabe Millon (Team 91 Maryland / Virginia), five-star sophomore Brendan Millon (Team 91 Maryland), four-star junior Notre Dame commit Luke Miller and four-star junior Georgetown verbal Ben Firlie (Team 91 Maryland), among others, and you’ve got a pretty good squad.

“It’s pretty cool how we have this fast offense in the midfield. Ted (Scarborough) or (Aidan) Seibel makes the save and we’re out and up the field,” Christmas said. “I’ve never played with anyone like (five-star senior and Navy commit) AJ (Marsh). I’ll be running up field and he runs right by me. It’s nice when you can draw a defenseman and get the ball to the attackmen that we have.”

The Eagles are shaping up to be the top seed in the MIAA playoffs as they look to defend their title from their Cinderella run from a season ago. Christmas and McDonogh know that there’s a big target on their back, but it’s a challenge that they welcome.

“Those teams are coming in hot, but on campus, everyone’s locking in for us,” Christmas said. “There’s a little different focus in practice right now.”

NLF High School Top 25

1. Lawrenceville (N.J.) 

The Big Red ascend to No. 1 by virtue of a win over a Hill Academy (Ont.) team that’s been floating in the top 15 all year and a thanks to Haverford’s win over St. Anthony’s. Four-star senior DJ Clark (Denver) handed out four helpers to go with a goal. Junior Chris Matia (Crabs / Providence) buried a hat trick to go with an assist and four-star junior Mikey Rooney (LI Express / Boston University) fired home a hat trick. That came after they sealed up the No. 1 seed in the second annual Prep Nationals tournament with a 13-7 win over Deerfield (Mass.).

2. St. Anthony’s (N.Y.) 

It’s tough to drop the Friars any farther than a spot because of their comprehensive body of work and for a one-goal loss to an excellent Haverford team on the road off of a three-hour bus ride the morning of the game. We’ll have a game story and standouts from maybe the best high school lacrosse game I’ve ever seen later today, but there’s just not a whole left to say about Owen Duffy. The Team 91 LI product, North Carolina signee and NLF No. 3 senior was out of this world against the Fords, burning the Inter-Ac champs for five goals and three assists. Four-star junior Luke Breslin (Team 91 LI / Lehigh) added his first career hat trick and an assist.

The Friars host rival and NLF No. 17 Chaminade on Wednesday. If they win, their season comes to a close. If the Flyers take down St. Anthony’s, the Friars and Chaminade will play a rubber match next week.

3. McDonogh (Md.) 

4. Haverford School (Pa.) 

In keeping with the Fords’ theme all year long, everybody ate in a 16-15 win over former No. 1 St. Anthony’s. Nine players recorded at least one point, led by hat tricks from four-star senior Army commit Ryan DiRocco, junior Delaware verbal Brady O’Kane and senior Air Force commit Wells Flinn. Five-star junior Ben McCarthy won 21 of 31 faceoffs, including a 13-for-15 first half. The only reason Haverford doesn’t move up here is that it has convincing losses to Lawrenceville and McDonogh to counter its one-goal win over the previously-unbeaten Friars.

5. Manhasset (N.Y.) 

The Indians upended New Jersey public power Rumson-Fair Haven, 9-7, after rolling past Plainedge (N.Y.), 15-3. Matt Cargiulo (UMass) and Aidan Haggerty (Villanova) each had hat tricks against Plainedge, but Manhasset also got two-goal games from Mikey Mondiello (Team 91 LI) and Patrick Arnold (LI Express).

6. Culver (Ind.) 

The Eagles got a scare from Midwestern rival Western Reserve (Ohio) in the MSLA championship game, but Michigan commit Nick Roode continued a good week for the Wolverines by burying the overtime winner in a 12-11 Culver victory. Four-star North Carolina commit Mason Szewczyk continued his excellent junior campaign with two goals and two assists, while Roode and Johns Hopkins signee Gabriel Sorichetti each finished with two goals and an assist.

7. Taft (Conn.)

The Rhinos picked up a pair of blowout wins over Kent (Conn.) and Berkshire (Mass.) last week. The defensive unit of four-star junior Michigan commit Jack Elliott, senior Nick Lancaster (Eclipse / Colgate) and Matthew Surin (Prime Time / Johns Hopkins) have been great in front of a stalwart goaltending duo of five-star junior Yale commit Ben Friedman (Prime Time) and junior Jack Old.

8. Belmont Hill (Mass.)

Being an offense that has to go against Belmont Hill’s defense has to be an absolutely miserable experience. The Sextants have given up double-digit goals once this year and average a paltry 4.6 goals against per game. Five-star junior Finn Fox (Laxachusetts / Princeton), four-star senior Charlie Hazard (Laxachusetts / Johns Hopkins) and Ben Wood (Georgetown) have led the defense in front of standout senior goalie Matt Torrey (Laxachusetts / Air Force). Sophomore Preston Evans (Laxachusetts) leads the offense with a balanced 23-goal, 24-assist stat line. A showdown with defending ISL champion Noble & Greenough looms tomorrow.

9. Brunswick (Conn.) 

The Bruins jumped out to a 9-0 lead over Westminster (Conn.) after a quarter and coasted to the finish line in a 14-8 win. Sophomore Aidan Diaz-Matos (Prime Time) won 15 of 18 faceoffs for Brunswick. Four-star senior Brown commit Jackson Wolfram (Prime Time) fired home a hat trick, while Casey Quinson (Colgate) and senior Teddy Danforth each added two goals.

10. Georgetown Prep (Md.)

The Little Hoyas went full scorched earth on rival Bullis in an 18-2 rout. Five-star senior Princeton commit Nate Kabiri (MadLax) headlined the party with five goals and an assist. Prep and Bullis are back at it tonight in the IAC semifinals in a rematch of last year’s championship game.

Rounding Out the Top 25

11. St. John’s (D.C.)
12. Mount Sinai (N.Y.)
13. Radnor (Pa.)
14. Hill Academy (Ont.)
15. Fairfield Prep (Conn.)
16. Seton Hall Prep (N.J.)
17. Chaminade (N.Y.)
18. Darien (Conn.)
19. Wilton (Conn.)
20. Choate (Conn.)
21. Salisbury (Conn.)
22. St. Mary’s (Md.)
23. Calvert Hall (Md.)
24. Delbarton (N.J.)
25. Boys’ Latin (Md.)

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